Dubai Tour: Del Valle clinches third stage

Juan Jose Lobato del Valle of Spain clinches third stage

Dubai - Juan Jose Lobato del Valle of Spain finished in a time of 4 hours 13 minutes and 24 seconds.

Movistar team's Juan Jose Lobato del Valle of Spain cycled his way to the top of the Hatta hills, and then on to the dam area before his rivals could, to clinch the third stage of the Dubai Tour-2016 on Friday.
The 27-year old climbing specialist, finished in a time of 4 hours 13 minutes and 24 seconds, to push Trek-Segafredo's consistent 'allrounder' Giacomo Nizzolo (Italy) and Swiss rider Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing) into the silver and bronze positions.
Nizzolo who has been performing well with two third-placed finishes in the first and second stages, has taken over the Blue Jersey (leader) in the overall Tour standings.
"What did the trick today (Friday) was the move to accelerate from the 3km point from Hatta Dam. A hesitation here could have cost us the crucial seconds," said Del Valle.
The Westin third stage from the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) crossed Labab, Al Malabha, Al Madam, Hatta before the energy sapped riders reached the finishing point at Hatta Dam some 172km away from the club at Dubai Marina.
There was a small mishap during the third stage when Dimension Data's (South Africa) Bernhard Eisel of Austria had to withdraw after suffering a fracture on his left collarbone.
For a change, the people of Hatta lined up on the roads in the village areas to cheer the riders, something that has been missing in the event so far. Perhaps, the final stage in Dubai with the grand finish at the Burj Khalifa on Saturday (today) will draw more attention.
On Thursday in the second stage (Nakheel), Elia Viviani took over the Tour leadership (Blue Jersey) from the first stage winner Marcel Kittel of Germany who rides for the Belgian outfit Etixx-Quick-Step.
Italy grabbed the top four places in the second stage as sprint ace Viviani of British entry - Team Sky - took command on day two with a stirring finish. The 26-year old Italian who won a leg of the Giro Italia last season, won the second stage in Dubai in 2015.
In the third stage, 23km away from home, on one of the few down slopes, the chasing pack were a minute and 16 seconds adrift when Belgian Philippe Gilbert of BMC Racing and his teammates were sticking closer to each other trying to chalk out a move. The difference in gap was lessened in the next five kilometres as McCormick led the pack, 27 seconds ahead of the chasers as, Lozano, Perez and Abelouche pumped up more steam as the 10km from the finish mark approached. By this time there was no chasing bunch threats for the front men.
Kazakh star Dmitriy Gruzdev of the Astana Pro outfit pulled away with some fantastic uphill work to lead the race with the help of support from his sky blue clad colleagues. Defending Tour champion Mark Cavendish was seen trying to push his riders of Dimension Data to a better climb rate and was four seconds off the stage leader at that point.
The cat and mouse game continued with these two teams as the two Astana riders in front kept looking backwards to get a view of the trailing pack just three seconds behind and hardly 5km left. Then came the climax as they sprinted to challenge Del Valle who in the meanwhile shot ahead, 2.5km from the finishing arch.