CYCLING – TEAM Bahrain Victorious are set to take on the UAE Tour, the only UCI WorldTour race in the Middle East, with a well-rounded squad built for both the mountains and the sprints.
Pello Bilbao will lead the team, supported by strong climbers Torstein Traen and Rainer Kepplinger for the mountain stages. In the fast finishes, Phil Bauhaus will be the team’s designated sprinter, backed by a lead-out train consisting of Daniel Skerl, and the experienced Andrea Pasqualon. Max van der Meulen will offer all-around support.
The UAE Tour, starting on Monday, promises a mix of sprint opportunities and decisive climbing stages, along with a crucial time trial. The race follows its usual format, featuring two summit finishes at Jebel Jais and Jebel Hafeet, as well as an individual time trial on Stage 2 – three key stages that will shape the general classification unless echelons come into play.
The opening stage, from Madinat Zayed Shams Solar Park to Liwa Palace, covers 138 kilometres of desert terrain, featuring rolling dunes and steep gradients in the Moreeb Dune circuit before a challenging uphill sprint finish.
Stage 2’s Al Hudayriyat Island ITT is a 12.2km flat and fast course, offering GC contenders like Bilbao an early opportunity to gain time.
Stage 3, the first summit finish from Ras Al Khaimah to Jebel Jais, features a 20km climb with an average gradient of 5 per cent, peaking at 9pc near the finish – an important stage for Bilbao to make an impact.
Stage 4, a 181km sprint stage from Fujairah Qidfa Beach to Umm Al Quwain, crosses multiple Emirates, where wind and sand could play a crucial role.
Stage 5, spanning 160km from the American University of Dubai to Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, is another high-speed stage featuring the open desert roads of Dubai, where Bauhaus and his lead-out train will aim for victory.
Stage 6, a 167km route through key Abu Dhabi landmarks such as Khalifa City, Yas Island, and Qasr Al Hosn, is expected to conclude in a mass sprint.
Finally, the queen stage – Stage 7 – takes the peloton from Al Ain Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium to the summit of Jebel Hafeet, a decisive 10km climb with 8-9pc gradients, peaking at 11pc, which is likely to determine the overall winner of the UAE Tour.
Team Bahrain Victorious sports director Neil Stephens comments: “We are really looking forward to starting the UAE Tour 2025, especially coming off a high note with a win in Valencia for Buitrago. Our road captain, Bilbao, also finished on the podium there, and we would love to see him on the podium again at the UAE Tour.
“It’s a very similar race to last year, with two summit finishes on Jebel Hafeet and Jebel Jais, an ITT on Stage 2, and four stages for the sprinters. We’ve got Bauhaus for the sprints, and he raced well in Australia, but we’ll be aiming to go one better and secure a win here. Nikias, who usually leads out Phil, won’t be available for UAE this year, but this presents a great opportunity for our young talent, Daniel Skerl. He worked well with Phil in Australia, and we’re looking to fine-tune our sprint execution for UAE.
“Kepplinger is coming into the race in solid form after Saudi and Valenciana, while Torstein will provide additional mountain support. Young Max van der Meulen will offer all-around support. Lastly, we have the experience of Pasqualon, who will help position the lead-out and keep Pello in a good position on the GC stages.
“A good outcome for us would be securing a podium in the GC and winning a stage.”
Pello Bilbao is eager to fight for his third podium at this race. “I already have a lot of experience in this race, and the route remains quite similar to previous editions. Maybe the first stage has a little kick at the end, which could make a difference if the wind plays a role, but overall, the race profile is familiar to me. This suits me well – I know what to expect and how to perform here,” he said.
“We have a really complete team. We can fight for the bunch sprints with Phil, who has a strong lead-out train, and I’ll also take advantage of that support on the mountain stages to position myself before the final climbs and fight for the overall.
“It’s going to be difficult with Tadej back on the start line, but I will fight for a place on the podium, something I’ve already achieved twice before. I’m coming into the race in good shape after Valencia, and my morale is high leading into the UAE Tour.”
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