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مرحباً (MARHABAN!) FROM STAGE 2 OF THE ABU DHABI TOUR

Abu Dhabi, 21 October 2016 – (Marhaban!) from Stage 2 of the Abu Dhabi Tour (20-23 October 2016), organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council with the collaboration of RCS Sport. Starting and finishing in Abu Dhabi after 115km, the route will lead, via two intermediate sprints, to the fantastic finish in Al Marina.


During the stage, 36 Green Jersey Points (of a race total of 152), 16 Black Jersey Points (of a race total of 72), and 16 seconds in time bonuses are up for grabs.


The peloton, 106 riders strong, passed km 0 at 14.13.

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Classifications

Abu Dhabi Tour official roadbook

Abu Dhabi Tour route details

WEATHER

Abu Dhabi, 2.00pm: sunny, 33°C. Wind: 11kph, N.

Abu Dhabi, 5:00pm: sunny, 35°C. Wind: 19kph, W.


 

 STAGE AND TIMINGS

Stage 2 – Nation Towers Stage (115km)

From Abu Dhabi to Abu Dhabi (Al Marina)

Finish: Approx. 5.00pm

Race Headquarters: The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Nation Towers, Corniche Abu Dhabi (UAE)


JERSEYS

RED JERSEY, sponsored by Abu Dhabi Sports Council (General Classification by time) – Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) 

GREEN JERSEY, sponsored by Nation Towers (General Classification by points) – Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo); jersey will be worn by John Degenkolb (Team Giant - Alpecin)

WHITE JERSEY, sponsored by Abu Dhabi Sports (Best Young Rider, born after 1 January 1991) – Dion Smith (One Pro Cycling)

BLACK JERSEY, sponsored by Etihad (Intermediate Sprint Classification) – Jens Keukeleire (Orica - BikeExchange)

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1 - Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo)

2 - John Degenkolb (Team Giant - Alpecin) at 4"

3 - Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data) at 6"

ROUTE

The second stage is mostly in the city. After the start, the peloton will travel on wide roads towards the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and then towards Yas Island with a passage through Khalifa City, where there are several roundabouts and speed humps. After the Yas Island first Intermediate Sprint, the race goes to the Sheikh Zayed bin Highway towards Abu Dhabi Corniche. It follows a route within Reem Island – including the second Intermediate Sprint – then returns to the Corniche finish line. The entire route is on wide boulevards with road furniture constantly dividing the lanes.


Last km

 

The final 5km are on increasingly large roads with large semi-curves leading to the straight finish on asphalt.


POINTS OF INTEREST

NATION TOWERS - 115km to go

Nation Towers is a luxury complex comprising two towers that have world class facilities including The St. Regis Abu Dhabi hotel, loft apartments, office space, retail, cinemas, recreational amenities, a beach club and ample parking for residents and visitors.


ST. REGIS HOTEL - 115km to go

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi soars to new heights of splendour and service beyond expectation: in the vibrant heart of Abu Dhabi, it's the finest address in the city. Each of the hotel’s 283 rooms revels in a magnificent view of the alluring Abu Dhabi Corniche. The Abu Dhabi Suite, high on the skybridge between the two Nation Towers has an astonishing 360 degrees view. The signature St. Regis Butler Service is complimentary for every room in the hotel. Remède Spa in Abu Dhabi creates a sanctuary for guests and an experience which borders on mystical.

 

EMIRATES PALACE - 115km to go

A real iconic Abu Dhabi landmark. During daytime, the hotel’s golden-sandy colour contrasts with its fresh green gardens, silvery water fountains and the blue sky. At night, the hotel’s lighting changes subtly, featuring a majestic rainbow-changing effect over the main dome. The main Palace building stretches over a kilometre from wing to wing, and its gardens and surroundings spread across 100 hectares. The hotel features 114 domes, with the central dome at an imposing 72.6m above ground.

 

ZAYED SPORT CITY - 106km to go

This giant sports complex is home to everything from basketball and beach volleyball facilities to tennis courts, a football stadium and a fitness centre. It also has a bowling alley and an ice rink open to visitors. The ZSC’s International Tennis Centre – with six training courts and a centre court with a spectator capacity of 5,000 – hosts the annual Mubadala World Tennis Championship.


ADNEC - 105km to go

The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre is the largest exhibition centre in the Middle East with a total space of 133,000m2. It was opened by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates in 2007. ADNEC is owned by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company and last summer hosted the very first Abu Dhabi Sports Festival organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC).


SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE - 96km to go

This architectural work of art is one the world’s largest mosques, with a capacity for an astonishing 40,000 worshippers. It features 82 domes, over 1,000 columns, 24 carat gold gilded chandeliers and the world's largest hand knotted carpet. The mosque's first ceremony was the funeral of its namesake, Sheikh Zayed, who is buried at the site. Reflective pools surround the mosque, amplifying its beauty: the striking white and gold colours shining in the sun are transformed at night by a unique lightning system which reflects the phases of the moon.


AL RAHA HOTEL - 67km to go

Set in landscaped gardens along a stretch of white sandy beach, this five-star hotel is on the Al Raha Corniche. It has rooms and suites including a brand new, luxuriously furnished wing. There are also 24 exclusive, seafront villas which have a choice of 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms, adjacent to the main hotel.


ALDAR HQ - 65km to go

The world’s first round skyscraper, Aldar HQ stands on a raised peninsula and offers stunning views over the city and the coast. At 110m high with 23 floors and it’s considered as one of the world’s most beautiful company offices. (Aldar is an investment company operating in the real estate sector with its HQ in Abu Dhabi. It has implemented the entire Yas Island project).


ETIHAD AIRWAYS HQ - 64km to go

Etihad Airways has its head office and training center in Khalifa City, near Abu Dhabi International Airport.


MASDAR - 62km to go

Masdar is the Emirate’s pioneering vision of a city of the future. With the goal of becoming the world’s most sustainable eco-city, Masdar is leading the way by developing a “greenprint” for how cities can accommodate rapid urbanisation and dramatically reduce energy, water and waste. The city combines ancient Arabic architectural techniques with modern technology and is built around a huge central Arabic wind tunnel that channels a cooling breeze through the streets and alleys making it comfortable to stroll around even during high summer temperatures. More than a thousand people live and work at Masdar City, which sprawls around the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology – a research university dedicated to cutting-edge solutions in the fields of energy and sustainability.


YAS ISLAND - 60km to go

As an emerging leisure destination only 30 minutes from the UAE capital, Yas Island features the state-of-the-art Yas Marina Circuit that plays host to the Formula1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix every year, as well as theme parks, exclusive hotels and golf courses.

 

YAS WATERWORLD - 55km to go

Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi is inspired by the UAE’s rich heritage of pearl diving through its unique story of ‘The Legend of the Lost Pearl’. The UAE’s first mega waterpark is home to 45 exhilarating rides, slides and attractions – five of which can be found nowhere else in the world. Top attractions are Dawwama – the world’s first hydro-magnetic tornado waterslide, as well as the globe’s first interactive water and laser rollercoaster, Bandit Bomber.

 

FERRARI WORLD, ABU DHABI - 55km to go

The world’s first Ferrari-branded theme park is home to a winning mix of Ferrari inspired rides and attractions, the biggest Ferrari Store and a range of authentic Italian dining options. Attractions include the highest rollercoaster loop in the world (Flying Aces) and the world’s fastest rollercoaster (Formula Rossa) with a top speed of 250kmph achieved in a mere 4.9 seconds.


YAS MALL - 53km to go

With a surface of 235,000m2 and 10,000 parking places, the Yas Mall is the largest mall in Abu Dhabi and the second largest in the Emirates. With over 60 restaurants and coffee shops, Yas Mall also features a 4D movie hall, the super maxiscreen of the VOX movie theatre and, among other things, the first Lego Concept Store in the region.

 

SAADIYAT ISLAND - 35km to go

Just seven minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 20 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport, the 27km2 Saadiyat Island is undergoing a remarkable transformation into a world class leisure, residential, business and cultural hub of global proportions, housing the world's largest single concentration of premier cultural assets. These will include the Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi - all designed by Pritzker prize winners.


LOUVRE ABU DHABI - 35km to go

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is part of the tourist and cultural development for Saadiyat Island, a complex which is planned to host three further museums, including a Guggenheim Museum and the Zayed National Museum. The Louvre Abu Dhabi will welcome visitors in 2017 and its opening date is expected to be announced soon.

 

MANARAT AL SAADIYAT - 35km to go

 

Manarat Al Saadiyat (in Arabic literally means 'a place of enlightenment') is a 15,400m2 arts and culture centre, designed to bring the vision of the island to life through The Saadiyat Story. The venue also features four gallery spaces. The main galleries of Manarat Al Saadiyat constitute of permanent spaces for a series of exhibitions and educational programmes organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority.


UAE PAVILION - 35km
 to go

Moved piece by piece from Shanghai, where it welcomed almost two million visitors to the UAE’s national exhibition during the World Expo 2010, the UAE Pavilion is emerging as a new landmark exhibition and events venue. Hosting some of the country’s most important cultural functions, the striking dune-shaped structure was designed by London’s acclaimed Foster and Partners.


SADIYAAT BEACH - 33km to go

Set on the island’s serene natural shores, the 400m beach is a great spot for a day out, and to enjoy Abu Dhabi’s clean, warm turquoise waters. There are lounge chairs, showers, bathrooms, lockers, changing rooms, towels, umbrellas, ample parking and lifeguards are on duty throughout the day. There’s a snack lounge and shop selling beachwear and sports equipment, while areas on the beach can also be booked for special events.


NEW YORK UNIVERSITY - 30km to go

NYU Abu Dhabi is a research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science college in the Marina district of Saadiyat Island. It draws students from around the world, and prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of our interconnected world. Together with New York University in New York City and New York University Shanghai, the portal campus is part of NYU’s Global Network University.


AL MARYAH ISLAND - 22km to go

Al Maryah Island is a 114 hectare mixed-use development, and the capital’s International Financial Center. Following the issuance of Federal Decree in February 2013 and located on Al Maryah Island, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) was established as a financial free zone. Situated at the midpoint between Abu Dhabi’s existing downtown district, Reem Island and the new cultural district on Saadiyat Island, Al Maryah Island is comprised of commercial, hotel, retail, leisure, healthcare, and residential components. The most famous is the luxury shopping mall The Galleria. Boasting landmark architecture and a state-of-the-art, multi-tiered transport infrastructure, Al Maryah Island is establishing itself as a lively 24-hour urban hub at the heart of the city.


AL REEM ISLAND - 20km to go

In Al Reem Island, a residential and commercial district off the Abu Dhabi coast, you can see one of the architectural symbols of the Emirates: the Gate Towers, a complex of interlinked towers reminiscent of Stonehenge. The Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is located in the centre of the Island. Characterized by a grand central dome, the Emirate seat of the Parisian university is the first French high-education institution that was inaugurated in the Gulf as well as the first international university campus.

 

ABU DHABI CORNICHE - 10km to go

The Corniche Road spreads across an impressive 8km of manicured waterfront that includes children’s play areas, separate cycle and pedestrian pathways, cafés and restaurants, and the Corniche Beach - a lifeguarded beach park where the sea has been awarded the International Blue Flag.


ADNOC HQ - 2km to go

The ADNOC HQ is hosted in a skyscraper on the Abu Dhabi Corniche. The building incorporates energy efficiency and sustainable engineering technologies, such as a double skin façade, photovoltaic glazing and LED exterior lighting. Designed by HOK, the overall building complex consists of more than 65 floors with an office tower, Corniche Club, SPC and Crisis Management Centre, a heritage museum and other supporting facilities.

 

ETIHAD TOWERS - 2km to go

This five tower complex invites residents and visitors to live, work, stay, shop and dine in one destination with panoramic city and Arabian Gulf views. The complex also includes three residential towers and the 280m high, five-star Jumeirah at Etihad Towers hotel. The Avenue at Etihad Towers is one of the world’s most expensive and exclusive collections of boutique shops, with many having luxurious private rooms for VIP shopping.

 

BIG FLAG - Finish

 

A 122m pennon (Guinness World Record in 2001) holds an imposing flag of impressive size (20m x 40m). It was inaugurated to celebrate the country’s 30th anniversary.


TV COVERAGE

The 2016 Abu Dhabi Tour is being shown in 177 countries, across all five continents; 13 TV networks are broadcasting the race, seven of them live.

Abu Dhabi Sports, host broadcaster of the event, is producing and showing the full coverage of each stage, from the first turn of the pedals to the finish line victories, in the United Arab Emirates and across the whole Middle East and North Africa region.

Eurosport is broadcasting the event live on its European and Asia Pacific channels, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Live coverage is also available to cycling audiences in Italy (on the free-to-air channel Rai Sport 1), China (thanks to LETV), Japan (on the new platform DAZN), New Zealand (on Sky Sports network), Mexico and Central America (thanks to TDN).

Highlights of the race are being offered by ESPN all across South America and the Caribbean, by Fox Sports in Australia, by True Visions in Thailand and by FPT Telecom in Vietnam. Next month, highlights will also be available on Cycling TV.

 

The press agency SNTV is distributing the event news via its international circuits.

#RideToAbuDhabi

The Abu Dhabi Tour, organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council with the collaboration of RCS Sport, will take place from 20 to 23 October. 


Abu Dhabi Tour Media Kit

From the official online pressroom the media can download high resolution pictures of the 2015 race, the various press conferences, the opening ceremony and the final evening which was dedicated to the very first UCI Cycling Gala.

In order to download the pictures, just go to http://pressroom.rcssport.it/ (username: press / password: press), select “Scarica contenuti/Download contents” on the top right, choose “2015” or "2016" from the menu on the left, then “Ciclismo”, and then “Abu Dhabi Tour”. The photos are free of charge for editorial use, as long as both the Abu Dhabi Tour and the photographer’s name is quoted.  

 

 

In addition to the photos, the official promo video is available for the same purposes. The clip is free of charge for editorial use exclusively on internet, as long as Abu Dhabi Tour is accredited. Here is the link.



SHIFT Active Media

Manolo Bertocchi

 RCS Sport Cycling Press Office
Ph.: (+44) 1225 448333
Ph. (+44) 7979 241227
E-mail: manolo@shiftactivemedia.com
Tw.: @Shiftactive @ItalianManolo

RCS Sport

Stefano Diciatteo
 
RCS Sport Press Office Coordinator
Ph.: (+39) 02 25848758
Mob.: (+39) 335 5468466
E-mail: Stefano.diciatteo@rcs.it
Tw.: @rcssport - @stedicia

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