Team Dimension Data’s Mark Cavendish won the final stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour under the lights of the Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday evening.
The peloton lined up for 26 laps of the flat 5.5km circuit, with a sprint finale on everyone’s mind.
Team Dimension Data’s Mark Cavendish won the Abu Dhabi Tour final stage on Sunday evening. Photo: Stiehl Photography
Team DiData were fully focused on delivering Cavendish to what would be their 32nd victory of the season and when a five-rider break went clear early on, they had no problem helping to control the pace.
Jay Thomson and Mekseb Debesay were rolling through with the Astana Team, who were riding in defence of the overall race lead.
This would be the case for around 120km before the African team took control of proceedings for the final 25km.
Thomson and Debesay relayed at the head of affairs to close the 1’15” gap to the lead riders, while Cavendish lined up behind his lead-out team of Bernie Eisel, Youcef Reguigui and Mark Renshaw.
Thomson and Debesay were phenomenal, only pulling off the front with 7km to go when the last of the breakaway riders were brought back into the fold.
Eisel then captained their train as they started the final lap, keeping Cavendish well-placed heading into the final few corners.
The DiData rider hit the front with 2km to go and when he was done, Reguigui stepped into the gap.
Despite a Giant-Alpecin rider slipping into their train before the final corner at 300m to go, the African team produced the perfect finale.
Renshaw led through the last right-hander and when the road opened for Cavendish, there was no stopping the Manx Missile from winning on the home straight.
The stage podium was completed by Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) and Elia Viviani (Team Sky) respectively.
Cavendish also won the Abu Dhabi Tour green points jersey.
