One of the predecessors of the UAE Tour, the Abu Dhabi Tour, featured similar races in 2017 and 2018. Respectively, Mark Cavendish and Alexander Kristoff sprinted to victory.
The route can be divided into two sections. The riders cross the desert in a straight line to the Liwa Oasis and continue towards the Moreeb Dune. After two short loops they return to Madinat Zayed on the same roads.
The parcours features some minor hills, but strong winds could be more decisive on how the race unfolds. The course is open, especially on the prolonged straight sections through the desert.
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprints come with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 1.
Another interesting read: results 1st stage 2022 UAE Tour.
UAE Tour 2022 – stage 1: route, profile, tweets
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