UAE Tour (st. 1)

Alejandro Valverde and Movistar Team unscather after first bunch sprint in the Emirates; Hatta Dam climb set to create first GC gaps on Monday.

Pascal Ackermann (BOH) took Sunday’s victory at a world-class sprint opener in the 2020 UAE Tour. Most of the fastest men in the peloton were lining up in Dubai for a 147km course where desert winds did not show up this time, which meant the Movistar Team had an easier time to stay away from trouble.

The Telefónica-backed squad, which had José Joaquín Rojas (9th) featuring in the inevitable sprint, kept its focus on helping Alejandro Valverde saving energy before the crucial GC stages, which start on Monday.

A lumpy stage two course around Hatta, next to the Oman border (168km), will see punchy climbers and even some sprinters seek for glory at the tough slope of the town’s Dam, 400m with a whopping maximum of 17%.

Cover picture (c): Movistar Team