Ruta del Sol 2016 – Stage 2 Preview
By David Hunter Palomares del Rio – Cordoba 186.3km It looks like a fairly easy day, until you see the profile!
By David Hunter Palomares del Rio – Cordoba 186.3km It looks like a fairly easy day, until you see the profile!
By David Hunter After a sensational race in 2015, this year’s edition is little less action packed. We have 1 stage for sprinters, 2 for puncheurs, 1 for TT riders and 1 for climbers. With good weather usually ensured, it’s a nice 5 days for the riders as they looked to get some kilometres in the…
By David Hunter It’s the 42nd edition of the race and the field is as strong as I can remember. With many teams shunning Oman, the organisers have certainly benefited. The field contains previous winners Thomas, Kwiatkowski, Tony Martin and Alberto Contador. This looks like being one of the best races in it’s history. Stage 1
By David Hunter We have one final race in the middle east, before the peloton heads back to Europe. It’s the 7th edition of the Tour, possibly the last. The organisers have really stepped it up and delivered the most challenging race, in it’s short history.
By David Hunter Laigueglia – Laigueglia 180km Considering this is 1.HC race, the startlist is very weak. Last year was a bumper year, with BMC, Cannondale, Katusha, Team Colombia and Europcar all adding to the usual bunch of Italian teams. None of these teams are back for 2016 and the race will suffer as a result.
By David Hunter Sealine Beach Resort – Doha Cornice 114km The race ends with the usual lap circuit in Doha Corniche. This is a familiar stage, with Demare winning in 2014 and Bennett in 2015. The GC is delicately balanced, with Cavendish leading Van Avermaet by 2 seconds, Quinziato by 6 and Kristoff is at 9. The…
By David Hunter Al Zubarah Fort – Madinat Al Shamal 189km It’s the longest stage of the race, at 189km. That means the riders face a long, tense day in the saddle. The wind forecast is for light winds, coming from the south-west. The direction of the wind is perfect for echelons, but it does need…
By David Hunter Lusail – Lusail 11km For the 3rd consecutive year, the riders tackle the 11km ITT around the Lusail Circuit. If you’ve seen it before, you’ll know exactly what we are getting. This year is slightly different to previous years, but it’s hardly noticeable!