Dubai Tour 2017 Route stage 4: Hatta

Dubai Tour 2017 Route stage 4: Hatta – Hatta Dam

Friday, 3 February 2017 - At 109 kilometres, stage 4 in the Dubai Tour would have been played out on the only parcours with a considerable height profile. Yet, the race has been cancelled due to strong winds and sand storms.

update: 10:20 – Yesterday, the race has been shortened due to sand storms. The opening sections through the desert were skipped and the start would be in Hatta. But to no avail. Winds are as strong in Hatta as in Dubai. The 2017 Dubai Tour has only tomorrow’s stage left, which is tailor made for fast men.

Underneath you’ll find the adjusted route of stage 4.

At the eleventh hour, the route of the 4th stage has been changed due to strong winds in the desert. The start has been re-located from Dubai to Hatta, while the route has been shortened from 172 kilometres to 109 kilometres.

The 4th stage of the 2017 Dubai Tour now leaves from Hatta, a town in the Al Hajar Mountains, located at an elevation of 387 metres. The route takes in two rounds of 51.1 kilometres, both featuring four climbs. Toughest climbs are crested at kilometre 45 and kilometre 47 in each round. These ascents have steepest ramps of 11% and 12%.

After the second passage through Hatta the riders head for the Hatta Dam. The closing climb is only 1 kilometre, but after a fairly neutral opening the final 200 metres are insane. At first an 8% grade, getting nastier in the last 100 metres with 14% and then 17%.

By Dubai concepts we are talking Alpe d’Huez here, but let’s be realistic. Marcel Kittel – not known for his climbing skills – lost only 4 seconds to Lobato in 2016. The following day he went on to take the overall after winning enough time bonus to do so.

Last year Juan José Lobato outperformed Giacomo Nizzolo on the Hatta Dam, while two years ago it was John Degenkolb powering to victory on the punchy arrival. If the winner of stage 3 can do it again he will take the leaders jersey from Marcel Kittel.

All stages in the 2017 Dubai Tour come with time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds. Two intermediate sprints – after 39.7 and 84.5 kilometres – bring 3, 2 and 1 second each.