Abu Dhabi: Cavendish wins finale as Kangert claims GC

Mark Cavendish closed out a strong 2016 campaign in impressive fashion Sunday, taking a clear sprint victory in the fourth and final stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour.

Racing well into the evening in the United Arab Emirates, the Dimension Data rider bested Trek – Segafredo’s Giacomo Nizzolo under the lights on the Yas Marina Formula One circuit. Sky’s Elia Viviani finished third on the stage.

Astana’s Tanel Kangert, who surged into the race lead Saturday in the queen stage atop Jebel Hafeet, finished safely in the bunch to wrap up the general classification win, with Sky’s Nicolas Roche closing out the race as overall runner-up and Lampre – Merida’s Diego Ulissi rounding out the GC podium.

Top 10, stage 4

• 1. Mark CAVENDISH, DIMENSION DATA, in 3:07:44
• 2. Giacomo NIZZOLO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 3. Elia VIVIANI, TEAM SKY, at :00
• 4. Magnus Cort NIELSEN, OBE, at :00
• 5. Jean-Pierre DRUCKER, BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 6. Ramon SINKELDAM, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :00
• 7. Michael MATTHEWS, OBE, at :00
• 8. Sacha MODOLO, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :00
• 9. Mark RENSHAW, DIMENSION DATA, at :00
• 10. Michal KOLÁR, TINKOFF, at :00

Top 10 overall

• 1. Tanel KANGERT, ASTANA PRO TEAM, in 12:27:34
• 2. Nicolas ROCHE, TEAM SKY, at :21
• 3. Diego ULISSI, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :43
• 4. Vincenzo NIBALI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 1:00
• 5. Alberto CONTADOR VELASCO, TINKOFF, at 1:00
• 6. Julien BERNARD, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 1:02
• 7. Ben HERMANS, BMC RACING TEAM, at 1:29
• 8. Martijn TUSVELD, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at 1:38
• 9. Winner ANACONA GOMEZ, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 1:38
• 10. Jesper HANSEN, TINKOFF, at 1:38

Sergey Firsanov (Gazprom – Rusvelo), Yauhen Sobal (Minsk), Michal Paluta (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Kristian House (One Pro Cycling), and Fredrik Frisson (Lotto – Soudal) formed a main breakaway that was always going to face a huge challenge on pancake-flat 143-kilometer day tailored perfectly to the sprinting heavyweights.

The escapees were never given much breathing room, with a gap that topped out around two minutes, but it took some time for the peloton to make the final catch.

Paluta, House, and Frisson dropped Firsanov and Sobel with around 15km to go, just as BMC’s Floris Gerts jumped clear of the bunch and tried to bridge the gap. Gerts caught Firsanov and Sobel, but the trio out front held on for a few more minutes. The peloton swept everyone up before long, however, with the race altogether in preparation for a bunch sprint by the time the riders rolled into the final 4km.

Dimension Data’s Mark Renshaw led the peloton through the final corner with a small gap to the sprinters winding up to speed behind, and as the quick men hit the finishing straight it was a two-man battle between Cavendish and Nizzolo. The Briton held off the Italian by a little less than a bike length to take the victory, his second of the race after he nabbed the win in stage 2.

“I’m really, really happy with that. I missed this stage last year,” Cavendish said.

“To ride around the Yas Marina circuit, it’s an amazing feeling. I couldn’t help it, I was making motor car sounds round every corner.”

Kangert rolled across the line moments later to put a bow on the overall win.

“I must say it was more difficult than it might look like because the corners were really tight. I was surprised they were so tight for car racing,” he said.

“It made the race special with the lights and the dark. In the end I was pretty tired just keeping the wheels. I can’t say there wasn’t any pressure because there was, and I felt it. I was excited to race in the leader’s jersey. It was my first time leading a professional race. I’m happy everything went well and I might be back soon to defend the title in February.”

The pro peloton will return to Abu Dhabi in just a few months as the race makes its WorldTour debut in 2017 with a new spot on the calendar.

Stage 4 results

• 1. Mark CAVENDISH, DIMENSION DATA, in 3:07:44
• 2. Giacomo NIZZOLO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :00
• 3. Elia VIVIANI, TEAM SKY, at :00
• 4. Magnus Cort NIELSEN, OBE, at :00
• 5. Jean-Pierre DRUCKER, BMC RACING TEAM, at :00
• 6. Ramon SINKELDAM, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :00
• 7. Michael MATTHEWS, OBE, at :00
• 8. Sacha MODOLO, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :00
• 9. Mark RENSHAW, DIMENSION DATA, at :00
• 10. Michal KOLÁR, TINKOFF, at :00
• 11. Andrea GUARDINI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :00
• 12. Christopher LATHAM, WGN, at :00
• 13. Steele VON HOFF, ONE PRO CYCLING, at :00
• 14. Roman MAIKIN, GAZ, at :00
• 15. Jakub MARECZKO, WIL, at :00
• 16. Koen DE KORT, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :00
• 17. Jelle WALLAYS, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :06
• 18. Siarhei PAPOK, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at :06
• 19. Diego ULISSI, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :06
• 20. Vincenzo NIBALI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :06
• 21. Nicolas ROCHE, TEAM SKY, at :06
• 22. Karol DOMAGALSKI, ONE PRO CYCLING, at :06
• 23. Tanel KANGERT, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :06
• 24. Dayer Uberney QUINTANA ROJAS, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :06
• 25. John DEGENKOLB, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :06
• 26. Alexander KOLOBNEV, GAZ, at :06
• 27. Owain DOULL, TEAM SKY, at :06
• 28. Julien BERNARD, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :06
• 29. Luka PIBERNIK, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :06
• 30. Davide REBELLIN, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at :06
• 31. Alan BANASZEK, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at :06
• 32. Martijn TUSVELD, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :06
• 33. Winner ANACONA GOMEZ, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :06
• 34. Alberto CONTADOR VELASCO, TINKOFF, at :06
• 35. Jesper HANSEN, TINKOFF, at :06
• 36. Dion SMITH, ONE PRO CYCLING, at :06
• 37. Floris GERFS, BMC RACING TEAM, at :06
• 38. Jan POLANC, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :06
• 39. Daniel PEARSON, WGN, at :06
• 40. Yousef MIRZA BANIHAMMAD, ANS, at :06
• 41. Chun Kai FENG, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :06
• 42. Ben HERMANS, BMC RACING TEAM, at :06
• 43. Erik BASKA, TINKOFF, at :06
• 44. Juraj SAGAN, TINKOFF, at :16
• 45. Jaber ALMANSOORI, ANS, at :17
• 46. Stanislau BAZHKOU, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at :17
• 47. Jens KEUKELEIRE, OBE, at :20
• 48. Filippo POZZATO, WIL, at :20
• 49. Manuel BELLETTI, WIL, at :20
• 50. Michael O’LOUGHLIN, WGN, at :20
• 51. Thomas DE GENDT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :20
• 52. Danny VAN POPPEL, TEAM SKY, at :20
• 53. Kanstantsin KLIMIANKOU, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at :20
• 54. Matteo DRAPERI, WIL, at :20
• 55. Eugert ZHUPA, WIL, at :20
• 56. Gatis SMUKULIS, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at :20
• 57. Ahmed ALMANSORY, ANS, at :20
• 58. Carlos Alberto BETANCUR GOMEZ, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :20
• 59. Jesus HERNANDEZ BLAZQUEZ, TINKOFF, at :20
• 60. Andrey AMADOR BIKKAZAKOVA, MOVISTAR TEAM, at :20
• 61. Jan HIRT, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at :20
• 62. Michael SCHÄR, BMC RACING TEAM, at :20
• 63. Sander ARMEE, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :28
• 64. Lukasz OWSIAN, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at :28
• 65. Maciej PATERSKI, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at :28
• 66. Hayden MCCORMICK, ONE PRO CYCLING, at :28
• 67. Tom BOHLI, BMC RACING TEAM, at :28
• 68. Youcef REGUIGUI, DIMENSION DATA, at :31
• 69. Andrew FENN, TEAM SKY, at :31
• 70. Marco COLEDAN, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at :33
• 71. Jonathan DIBBEN, WGN, at :33
• 72. James Knox, WGN, at :35
• 73. Tobias LUDVIGSSON, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at :37
• 74. Andrei SOLOMENNIKOV, GAZ, at :37
• 75. Majid ALBALUSHI, ANS, at :37
• 76. Samuel WILLIAMS, ONE PRO CYCLING, at :41
• 77. Jelle VANENDERT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at :45
• 78. Bernhard EISEL, DIMENSION DATA, at 1:03
• 79. Greg VAN AVERMAET, BMC RACING TEAM, at 1:06
• 80. Badr Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED ALHAMMADI, ANS, at 1:19
• 81. Anton IVASHKIN, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 1:22
• 82. Zico WAEYTENS, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at 1:26
• 83. Mekseb DEBESAY, DIMENSION DATA, at 1:46
• 84. Sergey FIRSANOV, GAZ, at 1:46
• 85. Evgeny SHALUNOV, GAZ, at 1:54
• 86. Artem NYCH, GAZ, at 1:54
• 87. Niccolo BONIFAZIO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 1:55
• 88. Kiel REIJNEN, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 2:09
• 89. Carlos VERONA QUINTANILLA, OBE, at 2:11
• 90. Mitchell DOCKER, OBE, at 2:11
• 91. Nasser ALMEMARI, ANS, at 2:22
• 92. Valerio AGNOLI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 2:24
• 93. Frederik FRISON, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 2:25
• 94. Andrew TENNANT, WGN, at 2:36
• 95. Jacopo MOSCA, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 2:50
• 96. Floris GERFS, BMC RACING TEAM, at 2:52
• 97. Alessandro VANOTTI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 2:58
• 98. Jay Robert THOMSON, DIMENSION DATA, at 2:58
• 99. Kristian HOUSE, ONE PRO CYCLING, at 2:58
• 100. Michal PALUTA, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 2:58
• 101. Yauhen SOBAL, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 2:58
• 102. Oleksandr GOLOVASH, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 2:58
• DNS Edward RAVASI, LAMPRE – MERIDA

General classification

• 1. Tanel KANGERT, ASTANA PRO TEAM, in 12:27:34
• 2. Nicolas ROCHE, TEAM SKY, at :21
• 3. Diego ULISSI, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at :43
• 4. Vincenzo NIBALI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 1:00
• 5. Alberto CONTADOR VELASCO, TINKOFF, at 1:00
• 6. Julien BERNARD, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 1:02
• 7. Ben HERMANS, BMC RACING TEAM, at 1:29
• 8. Martijn TUSVELD, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at 1:38
• 9. Winner ANACONA GOMEZ, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 1:38
• 10. Jesper HANSEN, TINKOFF, at 1:38
• 11. Daniel PEARSON, WGN, at 2:19
• 12. Karol DOMAGALSKI, ONE PRO CYCLING, at 2:28
• 13. Jelle WALLAYS, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 2:32
• 14. Davide REBELLIN, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 2:41
• 15. Dayer Uberney QUINTANA ROJAS, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 2:53
• 16. Dion SMITH, ONE PRO CYCLING, at 2:58
• 17. Jens KEUKELEIRE, OBE, at 3:07
• 18. Alexander KOLOBNEV, GAZ, at 3:45
• 19. Hayden MCCORMICK, ONE PRO CYCLING, at 4:12
• 20. Koen DE KORT, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at 4:43
• 21. Mekseb DEBESAY, DIMENSION DATA, at 5:36
• 22. Carlos VERONA QUINTANILLA, OBE, at 6:21
• 23. Michael MATTHEWS, OBE, at 6:43
• 24. Tobias LUDVIGSSON, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at 7:36
• 25. Mark CAVENDISH, DIMENSION DATA, at 8:22
• 26. Jacopo MOSCA, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 9:18
• 27. Michael SCHÄR, BMC RACING TEAM, at 9:59
• 28. Christopher LATHAM, WGN, at 12:19
• 29. Magnus Cort NIELSEN, OBE, at 12:19
• 30. Jean-Pierre DRUCKER, BMC RACING TEAM, at 12:19
• 31. Steele VON HOFF, ONE PRO CYCLING, at 12:19
• 32. Roman MAIKIN, GAZ, at 12:19
• 33. Siarhei PAPOK, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 12:25
• 34. Luka PIBERNIK, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at 12:28
• 35. Floris GERFS, BMC RACING TEAM, at 12:28
• 36. Michael O’LOUGHLIN, WGN, at 12:41
• 37. Filippo POZZATO, WIL, at 12:42
• 38. Eugert ZHUPA, WIL, at 12:53
• 39. Greg VAN AVERMAET, BMC RACING TEAM, at 13:24
• 40. Giacomo NIZZOLO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 13:32
• 41. Youcef REGUIGUI, DIMENSION DATA, at 13:39
• 42. Carlos Alberto BETANCUR GOMEZ, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 15:00
• 43. Jan POLANC, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at 15:06
• 44. Jan HIRT, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 15:13
• 45. Lukasz OWSIAN, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 15:15
• 46. Jaber ALMANSOORI, ANS, at 15:17
• 47. Jesus HERNANDEZ BLAZQUEZ, TINKOFF, at 15:20
• 48. Andrey AMADOR BIKKAZAKOVA, MOVISTAR TEAM, at 15:24
• 49. Mitchell DOCKER, OBE, at 15:51
• 50. Maciej PATERSKI, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 16:14
• 51. Sergey FIRSANOV, GAZ, at 16:44
• 52. Kanstantsin KLIMIANKOU, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 17:42
• 53. John DEGENKOLB, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at 17:48
• 54. Ramon SINKELDAM, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at 17:56
• 55. Elia VIVIANI, TEAM SKY, at 18:38
• 56. Andrea GUARDINI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 18:44
• 57. Andrei SOLOMENNIKOV, GAZ, at 18:44
• 58. Yousef MIRZA BANIHAMMAD, ANS, at 18:54
• 59. Chun Kai FENG, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at 18:57
• 60. Ahmed ALMANSORY, ANS, at 19:11
• 61. Manuel BELLETTI, WIL, at 19:11
• 62. Frederik FRISON, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 19:12
• 63. Bernhard EISEL, DIMENSION DATA, at 19:25
• 64. Sacha MODOLO, LAMPRE – MERIDA, at 19:31
• 65. Marco COLEDAN, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 19:39
• 66. Samuel WILLIAMS, ONE PRO CYCLING, at 19:49
• 67. Yauhen SOBAL, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 20:03
• 68. Gatis SMUKULIS, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 20:06
• 69. Michal PALUTA, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 20:09
• 70. Thomas DE GENDT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 20:10
• 71. Sander ARMEE, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 20:18
• 72. Evgeny SHALUNOV, GAZ, at 20:45
• 73. Alan BANASZEK, CCC SPRANDI POLKOWICE, at 20:46
• 74. Michal KOLÁR, TINKOFF, at 20:50
• 75. Mark RENSHAW, DIMENSION DATA, at 20:51
• 76. Zico WAEYTENS, TEAM GIANT – ALPECIN, at 21:07
• 77. Tom BOHLI, BMC RACING TEAM, at 21:29
• 78. Artem NYCH, GAZ, at 21:37
• 79. Stanislau BAZHKOU, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 22:31
• 80. Badr Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED ALHAMMADI, ANS, at 22:32
• 81. Jelle VANENDERT, LOTTO SOUDAL, at 22:38
• 82. Majid ALBALUSHI, ANS, at 22:58
• 83. Jakub MARECZKO, WIL, at 23:05
• 84. Erik BASKA, TINKOFF, at 23:32
• 85. Oleksandr GOLOVASH, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 23:38
• 86. Andrew FENN, TEAM SKY, at 23:39
• 87. Juraj SAGAN, TINKOFF, at 23:41
• 88. Matteo DRAPERI, WIL, at 23:49
• 89. James Knox, WGN, at 24:00
• 90. Jonathan DIBBEN, WGN, at 24:12
• 91. Anton IVASHKIN, MINSK CYCLING CLUB, at 24:30
• 92. Danny VAN POPPEL, TEAM SKY, at 24:48
• 93. Owain DOULL, TEAM SKY, at 24:51
• 94. Kiel REIJNEN, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 25:17
• 95. Kristian HOUSE, ONE PRO CYCLING, at 25:17
• 96. Valerio AGNOLI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 25:19
• 97. Andrew TENNANT, WGN, at 26:05
• 98. Alessandro VANOTTI, ASTANA PRO TEAM, at 26:53
• 99. Jay Robert THOMSON, DIMENSION DATA, at 26:55
• 100. Niccolo BONIFAZIO, TREK – SEGAFREDO, at 29:05
• 101. Nasser ALMEMARI, ANS, at 29:59
• 102. Michal KWIATKOWSKI, TEAM SKY, at 30:42