Tanel Kangert is one of Astana's hard working team riders that spend much of their season at the service of Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru. But with Nibali still recovering after fracturing his collarbone at the Rio Olympics, Kangert got his big day out as team leader on the climb to Jebel Hafeet. He didn't disappoint, ably stepping up as team leader and winning the all-important mountain stage to set up overall success at the Abu Dhabi Tour.
He attacked confidently with Nicolas Roche (Team Sky) with six kilometres of the climb remaining and then turned the screws on the Irishman by pushing an extra 30 watts with three kilometres to go. It was enough to propel him clear alone and he had time to zip up his jersey and celebrate arguably the biggest victory of his career.
"I know its sounds like a cliché when riders thank their team but I have to thank Astana today because I had liberty to do what I wanted," he explained.
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"Nibali told me it was his turn to help me this time and he did a good job behind. I knew that I could have done a top 10 or if I was lucky even a top five but being in the lead is quite special for me. I've had my own chances in the past but it was perhaps the wrong time. For example two years ago I was sick when I had chances to target the GC at Vuelta [a España]. It's doesn't always work out."
Kangert travelled to Qatar and trained in the heat for the team time trial World Championships but then returned home to Estonia to train for the Abu Dhabi Tour. Roche had noticed Kangert's form, and Kangert had seen that Roche was going to lead Team Sky's chances.
"He told me he was watching me, that meant he wanted to win, so I kept my eye on him, too," Kangert explained, revealing how he dispatched the Irishman with three kilometres to go.
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