Stephen Clancy takes his place among the WorldTour big names during the opening stage of the Dubai Tour (2.HC). The Limerick man came home in a large group 16 seconds behind stage winner Marcel Kittel. The 173-kilometre stage was completed in a leg-screaming 3:35:21.
By Brian Canty
Stephen Clancy has taken a very good result for himself and his Team Novo Nordisk squad; finishing the opening stage of the Dubai Tour (2.HC) just 16 seconds behind winner Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep).
The Limerick man has raced 2.HC-ranked events in the past but never against the calibre of rider he’s facing this week in the Gulf.
After Wednesday's stage Clancy took to social media and posted two speed numbers that pretty much summed up his, and the peloton’s, day.
His average speed for the 173-kilometre stage was an eye-watering 47.1 kilometres per hour.
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Perhaps even more impressive was the 103 kilometres per hour he clocked while descending the day’s only significant – though uncategorised - climb.
Speed was the story of the day @dubaitour stage 1.
Chapeau @PlanetCharles in break & @mcverschoor in sprint. pic.twitter.com/NwnDtdT0oJ
— Stephen Clancy (@Clancy_Stephen) February 3, 2016
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Speed will likely be the order of the day on Thursday's stage 2 as the riders tackle a pan-flat 183-kilometre course from Dubai to the Palm Jumeirah Atlantis in the city.
It was a welcome return to winning ways for Kittel at the end of the opening stage. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) finished runner-up, with Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) rounding out the podium.
Last year saw Kittel take one win during a horrid campaign, compared to his rampant 2014 when his victories included four stages at the Tour de France and three at the Dubai Tour.
As well as the stage win on Wednesday, Kittel grabbed a six-second time bonus which puts him into the driving seat going into stage 2.
The only other Irishman in the race is Matt Brammeier and he finished some 2:37 down in 188th place.
Despite only coming back to racing after a long lay off following his horrific crash at the Tour of Utah last summer, Brammeier is already shaping up very nicely for Dimension Data.
And with Cavendish one of the favourites to take the opening stage, Brammeier did Trojan work in bringing back the six-man break that held a maximum advantage of around three minutes.
Marcel Kittel back to winning ways after a troubled 2015 season
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Feb 3rd-6th: Dubai Tour (2.HC)
Stage 1: Dubai - Fujairah (173km)
1 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step 3:35:21
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
3 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
4 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - Merida
5 Andrea Palini (Ita) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club
6 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team
7 Chris Opie (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
8 Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky
9 Michal Kolar (Svk) Tinkoff Team
10 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
11 Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin
12 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team
13 Grzegorz Stepniak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
14 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
15 Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team
71 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk @16 secs
118 Matt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data @2:47
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