Defending champion Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates), Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb), Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates), and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) are among the riders set to contest the general classification at this year's Abu Dhabi Tour. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin), Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal), Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) and Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) will headline the sprint competition.
Other riders confirmed for Abu Dhabi are Ilnur Zakarin, Miguel Angel Lopez, Julian Alaphilippe, Domenico Pozzovivo and Pierre Rolland.
Cavendish is an ambassador for the race and attended the launch event in Abu Dhabi. "Last season was horrible for me. I had a lot of health problems, but the one win I got was here in Abu Dhabi – a very special place for me and in certain terms, a second home for me and for my family too," he said.
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"Last year, I was very proud to wear the red jersey as leader at the end of stages one and two and win the final green jersey for the second year consecutively. I hope to repeat that success in 2018 and to be on the final podium again."
In addition to the teams and star riders, organisers have also confirmed the 20 teams that will take part in next month's race. A total of 17 WorldTour teams and three Pro Continental outfits are due to line-up on February 25th, with FDJ the only team opting out of the Middle East race. From the Pro Continental ranks, Bardiani CSF, Gazprom-Rusvelo and Novo Nordisk have been handed invitations.
The route of the new-look race has also been announced with a time trial the day before the race's climax on Jebel Hafeet. The Abu Dhabi Tour was promoted to WorldTour status last year and is expanding from four to five days for the 2018 edition.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/costa-dumoulin-aru-cavendish-and-kittel-to-ride-abu-dhabi-tour
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