UAE Tour 2020: Favourites

[Underneath article was written before the start of the UAE Tour and has not been updated]

Valverde knows how to regulate himself in the demanding climb to Jebel Hafeet. He triumphed at the top on the 2018 Abu Dhabi Tour and repeated that success in last year’s inaugural edition of the UAE Tour. Probably, the GC battle will come down to this 10.8 kilometres climb above Al Ain, as the ascent features twice this year. On stage 3 and on stage 5, Jebel Hafeet will serve as the finish climb.

The 2nd stage is played out on a lumpy route with a punchy finale at the Hatta Dam. A fight for seconds is to be expected, but the real GC battle is likely to ignite on Jebel Hafeet.

All other stages are tailor-made for fast finishers.

Favourites UAE Tour 2020

*** Tadej Pogacar, Alejandro Valverde, Adam Yates, David Gaudu
** Chris Froome, Laurens De Plus, Emanuel Buchmann, Wilco Kelderman
* Wout Poels, Rafal Majka, Ilnur Zakarin, Giulio Ciccone, Carl Fredrik Hagen