It’s only a few hundred metres between start and finish, yet the riders cover 189 kilometres in stage 1. A large loop through the desert is responsible.
The route is similar to the 1st stage of the 2017 edition, when Mark Cavendish outsprinted André Greipel and Nicolo Bonifazio.
The route can be divided into three sections. In a straight line the riders race to Liwa Oase, a section of 59 kilometres. A loop around the oasis amounts to 70 kilometres before the race returns to Madinat Zayed. The parcours features some hills, but the sprinters do not need to worry. Strong winds could me more decisive on how the race unfolds. The course is open, especially on the straight sections.
The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the two intermediate sprints (at kilometre 55.0 and at kilometre 129.7) come with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Read also: results/ace report 1st stage 2018 Abu Dhabi Tour.
Abu Dhabi Tour 2018 stage 1: Route maps, height profiles, and more
Click on the images to zoom
Related articles Favourites - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Overview - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Winners and records - Abu Dhabi Tour Valverde takes mountain stage and GC victory - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Rohan Dennis wins time trial and takes overall lead - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Bauhaus bests Kittel in millimetres sprint, Viviani still in lead - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Viviani sprints to victory and overall lead - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Route stage 2: Yas Island – Yas Island - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Route stage 3: Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Route stage 4: ITT Al Maryah - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 Route stage 5: Al Ain - Jebel Hafeet - Abu Dhabi Tour 20 More articles Tour de Pologne 2020: Sprint triumph Ballerini, Evenepoel wins GC
Tour de l'Ain 2020: Roglic wins Queen Stage and GC
Critérium du Dauphiné 2020: The Route
Critérium du Dauphiné 2020: Riders
Critérium du Dauphiné 2020 Route stage 1: Clermont-Ferrand - Saint-Christo-en-Jarez
Critérium du Dauphiné 2020: Favourites
Critérium du Dauphiné 2020 Route stage 2: Vienne - Col de Porte
Critérium du Dauphiné 2020 Route stage 3: Corenc - Saint-Martin-de-Belleville
Critérium du Dauphiné 2020 Route stage 4: Ugine - Megève
Critérium du Dauphiné 2020 Route stage 5: Megève - Megève
Critérium du Dauphiné: Winners and records
Tour of Lombardy 2020: The Route
Tour of Lombardy 2020: Riders
Tour of Lombardy 2020: Favourites
Cycling Calendar 2020
Tour de France 2020: The Route
Tour de France 2020: Riders
Tour de France 2020: GC Favourites
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 1: Nice - Nice
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 1: Fight for yellow
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 2: Nice - Nice
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 2: Climbers with descending skills
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 3: Nice - Sisteron
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 3: Sisteron's sprint fest
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 4: Sisteron - Orcières-Merlette
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 4: Attackers or GC riders
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 5: Gap - Privas
Tour de France 2020 Favourites stage 5: Strong sprinters on false flat finish
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 6: Le Teil - Mont Aigoual
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 7: Millau - Lavaur
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 8: Cazères - Loudenvielle
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 9: Pau - Laruns
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 10: Île d'Oléron - Île de Ré
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 11: Châtelaillon-Plage - Poitiers
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 12: Chauvigny - Sarran Corrèze
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 13: Châtel-Guyon - Puy Mary
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 14: Clermont-Ferrand - Lyon
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 15: Lyon - Grand Colombier
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 16: La Tour-du-Pin - Villard-de-Lans
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 17: Grenoble - Col de la Loze
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 18: Méribel - La Roche-sur-Foron
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 19: Bourg-en-Bresse - Champagnole
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 20: Lure - La Planche des Belles Filles
Tour de France 2020 Route stage 21: Mantes-la-Jolie - Paris
Profile final kilometres
Details start 1st stage
Details finish 1st stage
Madinat Zayed at Google Maps
Instagram @abudhabitouroff…
Abu Dhabi Tour Tweets