Nizzolo wins first stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour

The second Abu Dhabi Tour kicked off Thursday in Madinat Zayed, the United Arab Emirates, with Italian national champion Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) holding off John Degenkolb (Germany/Giant-Alpecin) and Mark Cavendish (Great Britain/Dimension Data) for the victory.

What a sprint finish that was! #RideToAbuDhabi @Giacomonizzolo pic.twitter.com/WJoMzruinE

— Abu Dhabi Tour (@Abu_Dhabi_Tour) October 20, 2016

The riders had 147-km to roll on the first stage of four, with the route and out-and-back with Liwa the turn around point.

Four riders used a tailwind through the desert to shuffle away on the first leg of the stage. With 75-km to go they held a 3:30 advantage before turning into the headwind.

And here's the break! #RideToAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/xtPx1mnM8H

— Abu Dhabi Tour (@Abu_Dhabi_Tour) October 20, 2016

Dimension Data did most of the chasing in the peloton until Lotto-Soudal and Giant-Alpecin pitched in. With 19-km to go and the gap still 2:15, Nizzolo’s Trek-Segafredo finally committed to bringing the quartet back.

Finally, the last of the escapees was brought to heel with 7-km remaining. Team Wiggins was seen at the front, but Dimension Data moved up Cavendish. Sky and One Pro took over the front. When it was time for the final moves, Degenkolb grabbed Nizzolo’s wheel instead of his lead out man’s, but he couldn’t make it around the Italian. Cavendish didn’t seem to fire fully.

Nizzolo, thwarted at getting stage victories in the Giro d’Italia while winning two consecutive points jerseys, was pleased with his triumph.

There are no Canadians at the 2016 Abu Dhabi Tour. The real scrap will come on Saturday’s third stage, which ends on the Jebel Hafeet climb.

2016 Abu Dhabi Tour Stage 1
1) Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) 3:15:39
2) John Degenkolb (Germany/Giant-Alpecin) s.t.
3) Mark Cavendish (Great Britain/Dimension Data) s.t.