Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia

Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made. - Otto von Bismarck

---

Les Woodland's book Sticky Buns Across America: Back-roads biking from sea to shining sea is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• February 19 - 25: UAE Tour

Upcoming racing:

• February 22 - 25: O Gran Camiño
• February 24: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
• February 24: Faun Ardeche Classic
• February 25: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
  February 25: Faun-Drôme Classic

Latest completed racing:

• February 14 - 18: Volta ao Algarve
• February 17 - 18: Tour de Alpes-Maritimes
• February 14 - 18: Vuelta Andalucia - Ruta del Sol
• February 16: Classic Var
• February 10 - 14: Tour of Oman
• Feb 8 - 11: Tour de la Provence
• February 12: Clasica Jaén - Paraiso Interior
• February 11: Clasica de Almeria
• February 10: Vuelta a Murcia

---

UAE Tour stage two reports

We posted the report from stage winner Brandon McNulty's UAE Team Emirates with the results.

Here’s the report from the race organizer:

Hudayriyat Island, 20 February 2024 – Stage win and Red Jersey for Brandon McNulty in the Presight Stage, a 12.1km time trial starting and finishing on Hudayriyat Island that saw the UAE Team Emirates riders score a sensational hat-trick. Behind the US National Champion, at a distance of two and four seconds respectively, were team-mates Jay Vine and Mikkel Bjerg. The new White Jersey Ilan Van Wilder, 6th at 17″, and Pello Bilbao, 8th at 19″ from McNulty, were the two GC riders who entered the top 10. Just behind them Ben O’Connor, 11th at 22″, and Adam Yates, who finished in 16th place at 28″ on the eve of the first of the two uphill finishes of the UAE Tour, at the summit of the 1491 meters of Jebel Jais.

Race leader Brandon McNulty.

Speaking in the press conference, the stage winner and new Red Jersey Brandon McNulty said: “It’s really good to win this stage. As for myself, I kind of exceeded where I wanted to be, plus the team has done great. I could see during my race the speed was really good, so I followed the plan for pacing. I was definitely nervous on hot seat, really anxious I can say but it pays off. We knew some good riders were coming at the end, so it’s been a relief when it was all over and I’m super happy. The team has put a lot of efforts in developing the material, not only for the TT, it’s good to see that it pays of in the time trial.

"Today’s result gives me a lot of confidence ahead of the Olympics. After some good results last year, I’ve been trying to focus more on TT looking at Paris. Having three wins already this year puts me super high but this is another level than Valencia. It’s huge to make the top 3 as a team, it’s a good performance and show for our sponsors. I don’t think it changes out plans too much. Adam [Yates] is still our best climber, it’s a good position for all of us”.

The White Jersey Ilan Van Wilder said: “I didn’t really expect to be in the white jersey today. I just wanted to do a good TT on this fast course and I’m happy with the performance. I didn’t look at the times of the other young riders. It was just about my own ride. I often help Remco Evenepoel but I also have personal ambitions, especially in uphill finishes. Here we have a strong team with Jan Hirt and Mauri [Vansevenant]. We can play some cards. This is UAE Team Emirates home race so they are strong and super motivated here but we’ll try to make it difficult for them”.

Stage two statistics:

• Brandon McNulty posted the first win for the U.S. at the UAE Tour, 14th country to join the winner’s list.
• 8th stage win at the UAE Tour for UAE Team Emirates: they have recorded at least a win in every edition (1 in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024; 2 in 2022 and 2023).
• UAE Team Emirates (McNulty, Vine, Bjerg) is the first team with a stage 1-2 and as well a stage podium lockout in the UAE Tour.

And here's the UAE Tour report from Ilan Van Wilder's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Ilan Van Wilder, who started his third season in the team’s colours last month with some strong outings and a pair of top five finishes at the Challenge Mallorca, was amongst the early starters, but despite this disadvantage and the strong headwind on the second part of the 12.1km course, he put together a nice time trial, which saw him conclude in sixth place, just 17 seconds behind winner Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates).

Ilan Van Wilder winning the 2023 Tre Valli Varesine.

That result meant a massive leap in the general classification for the 23-year-old Van Wilder ahead of the week’s first summit finish, Jebel Jais, where more significant gaps should appear between the contenders, leading to another reshuffle of the ranking.

“I tried to stay as aerodynamic as possible on this route, where the wind had quite the impact. We had some tailwind in the beginning, followed by some sidewind, and then four kilometers of full headwind, which made it difficult to keep the pace, but I managed it on these flat roads. I improved in the discipline since joining the team and I am happy about my performance, especially as the gaps aren’t that big. We’ll now see what happens on the two mountain stages, but I hope to do a good general classification”, said Ilan, who sits sixth overall.

And here’s the UAE Tour report from 12th place Tim van Dijke's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

In the short individual time trial on the second day of the UAE Tour, Team Visma | Lease a Bike was not able to secure a place in the top ten. Tim van Dijke finished twelfth on behalf of the Dutch formation. Brandon McNulty took the stage win.

Al Hudayriyat Island in the capital Abu Dhabi was the setting for the second stage of the UAE Tour. An individual time trial of about 12 kilometres on a flat course awaited the riders. Van Dijke was the first Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider to leave the start ramp and the 23-year-old Dutchman immediately managed to set a good time. Van Dijke was able to hold on to the top ten for a long time, but he eventually had to settle for 12th place.

"Overall, it was a decent day for us," sports director Maarten Wynants responded afterwards. "Tim rode a good time trial, which suits him well. His brother Mick van Dijke, Loe van Belle and Bart Lemmen also finished in the top thirty. With Bart, we secretly hoped for more, but in a short and straight time trial like this he couldn't use his strengths to the fullest. This was an fine result."

Hungarian time trial champion Attila Valter, who came out battered of the opening stage battered, finished 22nd. "With yesterday’s crash in mind, Attila managed to perform very well today. That certainly offers great prospects for the stages ahead in the coming days. We are looking forward to that," Wynants concluded.

And here's the UAE Tour report from Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL:

Stage two at the UAE Tour saw the riders set off one-by-one as they tackled a 12 kilometre long time trial, around Al Hudayriyat Island. With no elevation gain to speak of, it would be a test of power and aerodynamics as the riders battled the winds out on course. GC finisher Max Poole was the first Team dsm-firmenich PostNL rider down the ramp, surging around the course to set a very respectable time of 13 minutes and 54 seconds.

Max Poole finishing the seventh stage of the 2023 Dauphiné Libéré. Sirotti photo

The majority of the squad looked to get through the stage in a good way, getting back into a time trial rhythm but not pushing too hard with more sprint opportunities to come, while Alex Edmondson also tested himself; stopping the clock just one second behind Poole on the day. Ultimately, Poole would end the stage in a good 14th place, minimising losses to those on GC ahead of tomorrow’s first mountain stage.

Poole expressed: “It was a solid effort in the end with the layout of the course meaning you were almost always on the pedals, and with the conditions today you really had to be on it from the start. I just tried my best to keep the focus on the position and holding a good power throughout the course. We can be satisfied with the result and how the shape is, and hope to be able to carry that into the rest of the week.”

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary