Dubai: Quick-Step Floors’ Elia Viviani timed a stunning final sprint to absolute perfection to clinch the fifth edition of the Dubai Tour that concluded with the fifth and final Meraas Stage at Dubai City Walk on Saturday.
Video by Clint Egbert/Gulf News
Heading into the final stage of the 841km five-day race, Viviani held a slender two-second overnight lead over Astana Pro Team’s Magnus Cort Nielsen in the general classification.
But the Olympic champion from Italy who clinched gold in the Omnium at the 2016 Rio Games came up with a perfect sprint approaching the heart at City Walk leaving Team Katusha Alpecin’s Marco Haller in second and Aqua Blue Sport’s Adam Blythe in third with identical times of 3 hours, 5.28 minutes.
The turning point of the 132km final stage came virtually on the last bend as four of the riders from the peloton crashed into the side while hitting the final bend.
That slowed down a chasing field that consisted of Stage Two winner Mark Cavendish while Astana’s young cyclist Nielsen got delayed and was pushed into eighth place.
That one act was good enough for Viviani to finish securely at the top of the overall standings with a five-stage cumulative time of 19 hours, 05.46 minutes leaving Cort Nielsen in second place 12 seconds adrift and Bahrain-Merida rider and Stage Four winner Sonny Colbrelli in third 14 seconds off the champion.
Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) presented the Circle of Stars trophy to Viviani in the presence of Saeed Hareb, General Secretary, Dubai Sports Council (DSC), Race Director Huraiz Bin Huraiz and other officials.
“It’s simply such an amazing feeling. This morning I was very stressed, but I tried to look relaxed.
Two seconds lead meant all or nothing. But we rode well as a team. The ideal situation for us was a breakaway without anyone involved in the top of the overall ranking.
I had six teammates leading me out in the last corner. We missed the crash by very narrowly. [Fabio] Sabatini closed the gap on the four guys ahead after the crash. With 50 metres to go I understood I could win the stage,” Viviani told media.
“To win GC [General Classification] here is an important step up. I want to be one of the best sprinters in the world. This is a good start towards this goal with the great team I have now,” he added.
Aqua Blue Sport’s Daniel Pearson, Mitchelton-Bikeexchange rider Sun Xialong, Quentin Valognes of Team Novo Nordisk and UAE National Team’s Nasser Al Mermarri comprised the early breakaway group at the start of the 132km stage. Pearson tried to make a break midway through the race only to be caught up by the chasing trio of Sun, Valognes and Al Mermarri.
Eventually, the front four managed to establish a four-minute gap from the chasing peloton. With the last 25km left and the riders approaching the new Al Seef area of Bur Dubai, there was an increase of speed cutting down the lead to 1.27 minutes. Approaching the final few kilometres it was Bahrain-Merida taking control of the front to make way for Team Lotto NL-Jumbo train till Viviani made his move from the left and outsprinted the bunch including two-time defending champion Marcel Kittel.
RESULTS:
Top-10 Individual Classification at the end of the Final Stage: 1. Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) 3hrs, 05.28mins; 2. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana Pro Team) 3:05.28; 3. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) 3:05.28; 4. Jean-Pierre Drucker (BMC Racing) 3:05.28; 5. Rick Zabel (Team Katusha Alpecin) 3:05.28; 6. Marcel Kittel (Team Katusha Alpecin) 3:05.28; 7. Sonny Colbrelli (Team Bahrain-Merida) 3:05.28; 8. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana Pro Team) 3:05.28; 9. Andrea Peron (Team Novo Nordisk) 3:05.28; 10. Fabio Sabatini (Quick-Step Floors).
Overall standings at the end of the 2018 Dubai Tour: 1. Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) 19hrs, 05.46mins; 2. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana Pro Team) 19:05.58; 3. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) 19:06.00; 4. Jean-Pierre Drucker (BMC Racing) 19:06.10; 5. Rick Zabel (Team Katusha Alpecin) 19:06.10; 6. Nathan Van Hooydonck (BMC Racing) 19:06.13; 7. Loic Vliegen (BMC Racing) 19:06.14; 8. Timo Roosen (Team Lotto NL-Jumbo) 19:06.16; 9. Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing) 19:06.20; 10. Marcel Kittel (Team Katusha Alpecin) 19:06.24.
Overall Teams Standings: 1. BMC Racing Team (48hrs, 02.06mins); 2. Team Katusha Alpecin +44secs; 3. UAE Team Emirates +1.15min; 4. Team Lotto NL-Jumbo +2.17mins; 5. Quick-Step Floors +2.25mins.
Jerseys
Blue Jersey, sponsored by the Commercial Bank of Dubai (General individual classification by time): Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors)
Red Jersey, sponsored by Emirates (General individual classification by points): Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors)
White Jersey, sponsored by RTA - Roads and Transport Authority (Best Young Rider born after January 1, 1993): Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana Pro Team)
UAE Flag Jersey, sponsored by DHA - Dubai Health Authority (Intermediate Sprint Jersey Classification): Quentin Valognes (Team Novo Nordisk)
