Abu Dhabi Tour (st. 1)
Andalusian takes 22nd place in Madinat Zayed sprint as Abu Dhabi Tour offers final chance for both Juanjo and Fran Ventoso to chase a final success before bidding farewell to Movistar Team colours
Following an unlucky Doha Worlds for him, caught well behind as crosswinds tore the peloton into several pieces, Juanjo Lobato (Movistar Team) unsuccessfully tried to bounced back at the 147km opening stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour on Thursday, in and around Madinat Zayed and Liwa. The 27-year-old from Trebujena, Andalusia, got boxed in at the last couple of turns in the closing 2km, eventually finishing 22nd, just behind a three-second split including the other sprinters. Giacomo Nizzolo (TFS) prevailed at the bunch kick.
Both Juanjo and Fran Ventoso (26th), the two riders of the Chente García Acosta-led squad that end their Movistar Team careers on Sunday, will have a brandnew chance tomorrow into a very short, mostly urban race towards Al Marina (115km). Betancur, Amador, Dayer Quintana and Winner Anacona all made it safely into the second half of the bunch as they await for Saturday's mountain finish in Jebel Hafeet.