Fully German podium with Kittel and Ackermann ahead of race leader Viviani.
Tomorrow’s ITT stage starting order attached.

Abu Dhabi (Al Marina), 23 February 2018 – Phil Bauhaus claimed Team Sunweb’s first win of the 2018 season as a build up for further successes as he outsprinted two of his German compatriots, Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin) and Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe). Fourth on the line, Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) retained the red jersey ahead of the Individual Time Trial in which another Team Sunweb rider, ITT World Champion Tom Dumoulin, is expected to shine.

Tomorrow, the first rider to start will be Charles Planet (Team Novo Nordisk) at 13:15. The last rider to start will be the Red Jersey, Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors), at 15:30. Starting order can be downloaded here.

STAGE RESULT
1 – Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb) 133km in 3h02’55”, average speed 43.626km/h
2 – Marcel Kittel (Team Katusha Alpecin) s.t.
3 – Pascal Ackermann (Bora – Hansgrohe) s.t.
4 – Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) s.t.
5 – Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton – Scott ) s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors)
2 – Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) at 3″
3 – Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb) at 3″

JERSEYS

The Red Jersey, sponsored by the Al Maryah Island (General individual classification by time) – Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors)
The Green Jersey, sponsored by Emirates Post (General individual classification by points) – Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors), will be worn by Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates)
The White Jersey, sponsored by Abu Dhabi Sports Channel (Best Young Rider born after 1 January 1993) – Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb)
The Black Jersey, sponsored by Etihad Airways (Intermediate Sprint Jersey Classification) – Nikolay Trusov (Gazprom – Rusvelo)

DOWNLOAD

Stage 3 Results
Stage 3 Photo Gallery
Stage 4 Starting Order
Abu Dhabi Tour Roadbook
Abu Dhabi Tour route details
PRESS CONFERENCE
Stage 3 winner Phil Bauhaus said in the press conference: “I wasn’t sure that I’d won when I crossed the line. It was really close, especially with Marcel Kittel coming very fast from behind. I was super happy when I was told I won. I came in good position behind Elia Viviani in the last corner and I could start my sprint from his back wheel. I’m very proud to take the win against those big names. Every win is important. This one is different from last year’s at the Dauphiné. It’s early in the season. It’s also the first win for our team. We’ll build our confidence up on the win I got today.”

Race leader Elia Viviani declared: “We were where we wanted to be in the last corner. It’s not easy to plan a sprint. Fabio Sabatini left me with 150m to go, which wasn’t far out but yet, some guys came from behind. We missed Morkov who had a puncture with 5km to go but Hodeg replaced him very well, so it’s not an excuse. I did a good sprint but the Germans did an even better sprint. It’s cool to ride the time trial tomorrow with the red jersey. I’ll go full gas to respect the jersey even though it’s probably four kilometers too long for me to defend the lead and I might go for the intermediate sprint on Sunday to win the points classification.”

Intermediate sprints leader Nikolai Trusov said: “Our goal at the start of today’s stage was that I’d make the breakaway to defend the jersey of the intermediate sprints. But I couldn’t do it. After the first intermediate sprint, we realized that a Bardiani CSF rider [Marco Maronese] was threatening my lead, so to save the jersey, we had to close the gap and go for the second sprint. It’s very nice to remain at the top of this classification and we’ll fight for it till the very end of the Abu Dhabi Tour.”

VELON DATA
Data collected by Velon’s devices on the riders’ bikes tells the detailed story of today’s stage: Data and an explanation guide can be downloaded here.

TOMORROW’S STAGE

Stage 4 – Al Maryah Island Stage (Individual Time Trial – 12.6km)
Split time: km 7.1
First rider start: 13:15
Last rider finish: Approx. 15:45
Race Headquarters: Yas Events Centre, Yas Island, Entrance Gate 20, Yas West Entrance

ROUTE
Stage 4’s 12.6km Individual Time Trial is held entirely on wide and mostly straight roads with relatively broad bends. The U-turn and time check point are at km 7.1.

Last kilometres
The last section is on wide roads with broader bends and a perfect surface. The final 350m stretch is on tarmac.

POINTS OF INTEREST
Al Maryah island
Al Maryah Island is Abu Dhabi’s new Central Business District, with dramatic turquoise sea views, the five-star Rosewood Abu Dhabi sitting at the core of the vibrant Sowwah Square and adjacent to it, the luxurious Galleria Mall.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi opened in 2015 and is part of Mubadala’s network of world-class healthcare providers, bringing the highest international standards of patient care with 12 institutes including 5 centers of excellence in heart and vascular, neurology, digestive diseases, eye and respiratory and critical care. The 364-bed facility was developed in line with the Abu Dhabi government’s Economic Vision 2030 to develop a robust, world-class healthcare sector in the emirate.

Rosewood Abu Dhabi
The five-star Rosewood Abu Dhabi arrived on Al Maryah Island in May 2013 and features 154 spacious guestrooms and 35 suites, along with 131 serviced residences. The tower was designed by renowned New York architecture firm Handel Architects and was inspired by the glistening Arabian Gulf and the vast desert that surrounds Abu Dhabi city.

Four Season Hotel Abu Dhabi
The five-star Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi opened in 2016 and enjoys expansive views of both the city’s skyline and sparkling waves of the Arabian Gulf. The luxury hotel features 200 rooms and 38 suites, boasts striking architecture and unique design elements, and is a favorite with premium business travelers offering world-class standards of luxury and service.

The Galleria
In the capital’s new Central Business District on Al Maryah Island, with spectacular waterfront and cityscape, The Galleria has over 130 of the world’s most renowned brand outlets – including 50 Abu Dhabi ‘firsts’.

Abu Dhabi Global Market
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) is a broad-based international financial center for local, regional and international institutions. ADGM was formed in line with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision and is part of a comprehensive plan for long-term transformation of the capital’s economy by focusing on knowledge-based industries.

Abu Dhabi Global Market Square
Abu Dhabi Global Market Square (ADGM Square) is the commercial heart of Al Maryah Island. The area consists of four Grade A office towers, Al Sila, Al Sarab, Al Maqam and Al Khatem; as well as the Abu Dhabi Global Market Building. ADGM Square is seamlessly connected to two luxury hotels, Rosewood Abu Dhabi, Four Seasons Abu Dhabi; retail and dining destination The Galleria; and a 5.5km pedestrian promenade.

Al Maryah Central
A retail-led, mixed-use development on Al Maryah Island, Al Maryah Central is set to open in 2018 and will become the new flagship shopping, dining, and entertainment experience in the capital. It will feature the first Bloomingdale’s in Abu Dhabi, the first Macy’s outside of the USA, and more than 500 sought-after brands. Al Maryah Central will also be home to 100 restaurants, and offer a wide variety of entertainment options.

Al Reem Island
This residential and commercial project off Abu Dhabi island’s coast, is home to one of the emirate’s architectural landmarks – the linked, Stonehenge-style Gate Towers. In the heart of the island, with an imposing central dome, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi was the first French higher-education institution to open in the Gulf, and the university’s first international campus.

TOMORROW’S STAGE TV COVERAGE
Al Maryah Island (Individual Time Trial, 12.6km)

Abu Dhabi Sports Channel 1 (Arabic) 12:45­ 16:30 GST (LIVE)
Abu Dhabi Sports Channel 6 (English) 12:45­ 16:30 GST (LIVE)
Eurosport 2 12:00 ­13:00 CET (LIVE)
Eurosport Asia Pacific 11:00 ­13:00 CET (LIVE)
Rai Sport / Rai Sport +HD 17:00 ­19:00 CET (Delayed)
La chaîne L’Équipe 11:00­ 13:00 CET (LIVE)
Kwese Sport 1 12:00 ­14:00 CAT (LIVE)
SuperSport SS6 12:00 ­14:00 CAT (LIVE)
fubo.TV 05:00 ­07:00 EST (LIVE)
ESPN 3 07:00-09:00 ART (LIVE)
DAZN 19:00 ­21:00 JST (LIVE)
SKY Sport NZ 3 23:00­ 01:00 NZST (LIVE)
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Photo Credit: LaPresse – Ferrari / Paolone

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