UAE Tour 2024 Route stage 3: Al Marjan Island – Jebel Jais
It will be the fifth time a pro-peloton visits Jebel Jais. On the first three occasions, the consistent but low-gradient climb made it hard to open up proper time gaps. Primoz Roglic outsprinted Tom Dumoulin in 2019, while Jonas Vingegaard took the spoils in 2021 and Tadej Pogacar in 2022, the first with a late attack, the latter with a sprint.
Last year though, team mates Albert Torres and Einer Rubio launched a duo-attack with 11 kilometres to go. Rubio pushed on alone to open up a 1 minute gap in the ensuing 5 kilometres. He held off the GC group to celebrate his first win as a professional.
What's it going to be this time? The first part of the race approaches Jebel Jais on flat desert roads. After the second passage through Ras al-Khaimah the road begins to rise false flat before Jebel Jais kicks in with 21.1 kilometres remaining. The average gradient sits at 5.4%, predominantly 4 to 5% in the first part and 5 to 7% in the second. The steepest ramp at 9% appears 2 kilometres from the finish. The average gradient for the remainder of the route is 7.1%.
Climbing Jebel Jais is as if climbing the moon, as the surrounds are barren and rocky.
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 3.
Another interesting read: results 3rd stage 2024 UAE Tour.
