Favorites stage 7 UAE Tour | Tadej Pogacar and his 100,000 watts per kilogram on Jebel Hafeet
Cycling
The sprints were wonderful, but on the final day of the UAE Tour, it is traditionally time for Jebel Hafeet. The GC will be finalized, with Tadej Pogacar as the GC leader and the big favorite. Can anyone keep up with him on the notorious slopes, or will it be easy for the world champion? IDLProCycling.com shows you what to expect.
Course stage 7 UAE Tour 2025
The final stage, which starts in Al Ain and finishes at the top of Jebel Hafeet, has become a tradition in the UAE Tour. If the GC has not yet been decided, it will be decided on this final day. But with the versatile Pogacar at the start, we assume that it has long been known who will win the seventh edition of the stage race... The world champion.
The world champion knows the final climb inside out, having competed on it several times. In 2020, he won on Jebel Hafeet but had to admit defeat in the GC to Adam Yates, now his teammate. He did win in 2021 and 2022, both times motivated by his victory on Jebel Hafeet. So, after a two-year absence, he will return to familiar territory on Sunday.
At 9.2 kilometers and an average gradient of 7.2 percent, Jebel Hafeet is a tough climb. You can count on UAE Team Emirates-XRG, making it difficult for the riders from the start. With maximum gradients well above 10 percent, the Slovenian can take advantage.
Times
Start: 02:45 AM EST
Finish: 07:30 AM EST
Weather stage 7 UAE Tour 2025
Jebel Hafeet has several open stretches, making the wind an essential factor. If it is a headwind, we often see a more compact race that is decided in the final stages. If the wind is from behind, it is easier to make a difference. On Sunday, the wind is expected to be from the southwest, which means it will be a headwind. Will Pogacar wait longer as a result?
Favorites stage 7 UAE Tour 2025
The big question is: who will challenge Tadej Pogacar? Will anyone join him, or will the other riders play it safe when the Slovenian from UAE Team Emirates-XRG accelerates? There have been too many examples of leaders who tried and failed, but who knows what is possible tomorrow? With a headwind, someone might have a great day...
Let's start with the defending champion Lennert Van Eetvelt, who forced the decision on Jebel Hafeet last year for Lotto. He was in the breakaway with Pogacar on day five, so he knows what is required. We at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe are eagerly awaiting Finn Fisher-Black, who was Pogi's teammate last year and now has the chance to compete with him.
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Other riders who already showed their skills in the uphill sprint on day three on Jebel Jais were Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL), Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), and Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). However, the latter had a nasty crash on Thursday. Pello Bilbao is usually among the best on the final day of the UAE Tour on behalf of Bahrain Victorious, and we expect no less this time.
Are there any outsiders, like Van Eetvelt, who surprised everyone last year with a stage and overall victory? Well, Matthew Riccitello is riding hard for Israel-Premier Tech, Harald Tejada is in excellent form with the flying XDS Astana Team, and Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost), Michael Storer (Tudor), and Junior Lecerf (Soudal-Quick Step) are also interesting names we should keep an eye on.
Then there is Carlos Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadiers), who may not be at his best after a crash on day five. Joshua Tarling is second in the INEOS classification, but Jebel Hafeet is usually too tough for him. We expect the same for Iván Romeo of Movistar, but they may surprise us...
Favorites stage 7 UAE Tour 2025, according to IDLProCycling.com
Top favorites: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
Outsiders: Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto), Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek)
Longshots: Carlos Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadiers), Matthew Riccitello (Israel-Premier Tech), Harald Tejada (XDS Astana Team), Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost), Michael Storer (Tudor), Iván Romeo (Movistar) and Junior Lecerf (Soudal-Quick Step)
Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])
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Latest Comments
- Remco is still very young. And injuries can absolutely keep you from overdoing it and getting worse. The recent Remco accident didn't keep him from being able to ride a recumbent inside. Wout's knee is a different story thoughVeganpotter23-01-2025
- Van der Poel style is winning by a half a lap and leading the race from the end of the second lap.
Barnes127420-01-2025 - If she thinks talent alone will put her there she will not see many podium finishes much less a GC finish.....work as a team utilizing tactics to consistently be at the top.Germanrazor10-01-2025
- This was very informative! Luiz Antonio Duarte Ferreiraluizantonioduarteferreira02-01-2025
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024