Dubai: Four-time Tour de France stage winner Marcel Kittel won stage two of the Dubai Tour 2014 in a thrilling sprint finish on Palm Jumeirah on Thursday.
The German Giant-Shimano rider pipped Canada’s Carl Sagan and stage one individual time trial winner Taylor Phinney, of the US, on the line after a spectacular 121km ride around the city.
The second stage was flagged off from the start point at Dubai World Trade Centre at 12.25pm. The 127 cyclists, representing the 16 participating teams, then passed through Oud Metha Road, Meydan Road and to Emirates Road.
They then headed towards the Hamdan Sports Complex, through Motor City, down Hessa Street and to Al Sufouh Road, Dubai Marina, Emirates Hills and then finally to the finish at Atlantis The Palm.
Former Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso, a keen cycling fan who registered a team with the International Cycling Union (UCI) at the end of last year, was present at the start.
Thursday’s stage was named the “Sport Stage” as it was meant to take the riders past all major sporting buildings in the emirate.
