Dubai Tour 2016 – Stage 2 Preview
By David Hunter Dubai – Palm Jumeirah 188km For the third consecutive year we get the stage that finishes out in the sea! Expect to see many spectacular shots from the helicopter.
By David Hunter Dubai – Palm Jumeirah 188km For the third consecutive year we get the stage that finishes out in the sea! Expect to see many spectacular shots from the helicopter.
By David Hunter Dubai – Fujairah 179km The race begins with a potentially hazardous trip through the desert. It’s the first time the race has travelled the whole stretch between Dubai and Fujairah. If the wind blows, this could create havoc.
By David Hunter A race that disappeared from the calendar since 2008 is back! So good to see some more racing in Spain. The race consists of 5 stages: 1 ITT and 4 road stages. This is going to be a demanding week, with not much to interest the pure sprinters. Stage 1
By David Hunter We are ready for the 3rd edition of the Dubai Tour, as the professional peloton begin three weeks in the desert sun.
By David Hunter Stage racing is back in France, as we face the 46th edition of the race. Bob Jungels won here in 2015, thanks to a dominant TT, but he’s not back to defend his title. The route is very similar to 2015, with stages 4 and 5 being crucial for the GC. The other…
By David Hunter Marseille – Marseille 135km Time for the peloton to return to the streets of France, with the 37th GP Marseillaise. It’s a race that usually finishes in a bunch sprint, Pim Ligthart being the lucky man in 2015. This year the route is slightly longer and harder, there is no guarantee of a…
By David Hunter After the TDU, most of the peloton remained in Australia for another week. It’s the 2nd edition of the Cadel race, it might be new but it’s a great race. The organisers have decided to stick with the route from 2015, a wise move!
By David Hunter After the enjoyment of racing in Australia and Argentina, we return to Europe and the sunny island of Mallorca. The weather has been kind over the last couple of weeks, making training most enjoyable for the all the teams. The race lasts 4 days, with 2 stages for sprinters, 1 for climbers and…
San Luis – San Luis 119.6km The race ends with a trip around the streets of San Luis. We have one climb, after just 15.7km and then a descent into town. From there we begin 5 laps of a street circuit. It does contain a little climb, but this is a day for the…
By David Hunter Adelaide – Adelaide 90km Another great edition of the Tour Down Under draws to a close. We have one stage left and it’s a day for the quick men. The stage is a criterium around the streets of Adelaide, a route well known to most of the sprinters. It’s also a course that…
By David Hunter La Toma – Merlo 159.5km For the first time in a while, we are left with a very exciting finish to the Tour de San Luis. By this point, the GC is usually crucially shaped and this stage is the icing on the cake. Not in 2016! Thanks to the TTT and the…
By David Hunter McLaren Vale – Willunga Hill 151.5km It’s D-Day in Australia. Easily one of the best stages in the whole year, we return to Willunga Hill.
By David Hunter Renca – Juana Koslay 168.6km After the fun in the mountains, we have another day for the sprinters. This is a favourite stage of the organisers, but the profile makes it look a much harder finish than it actually is. The end of the stage, looks around 6%, but it’s actually around 2%….
By David Hunter Norwood – Victor Harbour 138km Stage 4 is another race to a familiar town. The race has finished many times in Victor Harbour, with a sprint finish just about guaranteed. Usually, the riders only have to concern themselves with the potential crosswinds. 2016 is a different vintage!
By David Hunter San Luis – Cerro del Amago 140km A huge day lies in front of the peloton. This is the day where the GC will be shaped. The Amago is one hell of a climb, 11km at 6.8%, with a maximum of 15.5%. What makes it even harder is the changing gradient. There isn’t…
By David Hunter Glenelg – Campbelltown 139km After a familiar ride around Stirling, the race returns to Corkscrew Road. This is a stage that will shape the GC.
By David Hunter Potrero de los Funes – La Punta 131km Well, stage 2 turned out to be a surprise! Etixx their the toys out the pram when no one would help. The break almost had their day, but were caught on the final straight. They might get lucky in stage 3!
By David Hunter Unley – Stirling 132km Stage 2 and we are back in Stirling. This stage is as much of a favourite as Willunga Hill. Each year the organisers decide how many laps we’ll get of the circuit. Sometimes they keep it low, last year we only had two laps. In other years, they make…