Mark Cavendish wins Abu Dhabi Tour stage two to take overall lead
Mark Cavendish moves into overall race lead at the 2016 Abu Dhabi Tour after stage two victory


Having missed out on victory on the opening stage of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Tour, Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) timed his sprint perfectly on day two to take the win and put himself into the overall race lead.
Third behind Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) and John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin) on Thursday, Cavendish put his Dimension Data team to work during the stage to ensure the ideal set-up. The Manxman repaid them with victory, the first for a British rider in the race.
Italian Elia Viviani (Team Sky) placed second with Andrea Guardini (Astana) in third.
Cavendish's bonus seconds for the win saw him take the race lead from Nizzolo.
On another relatively short stage, the day's escape group of Stanislau Bazhkou (Minsk), Jens Keukeleire (Orica-GreenEdge), Jan Polanc (Lampre Merida), Dion Smith (One Pro Cycling), Samuel Williams (One Pro Cycling) and Eugert Zhupa (Willier-Southeast) was given little room to grow a large time gap.
Keukeleire and Smith were both in the previous day's break. Both were in the hunt for bonus seconds in the intermediate sprint to move up the general classification having started the day in fourth and fifth respectively. Keukeleire moved up to third for his effort.
>>> Owain Doull on Team Sky: ‘This pressure is nothing like the Olympic team pursuit’
Bazhkou dropped out of the break with 20km to go, leaving five out front with a one minute and 45 second gap.
The peloton left it very late as the break went under the flamme rouge with 10 seconds over the chasing bunch, as Team Sky hit the front. As the break were scooped up with around 500m to go, the sprinters started to open up their efforts.
Viviani hit the front first, but Cavendish managed to out-accelerate his Olympic omnium rival to win.
The 2016 Abu Dhabi Tour hits its most decisive stage on Saturday, the only stage that features a significant hill. The 11km climb to Jebel Hafeet will give the climbers a chance to shine and move up the overall classification. The race concludes on Sunday, October 23.
>>> Abu Dhabi Tour: Stage-by-stage
Result
Abu Dhabi Tour 2016, stage two: Abu Dhabi to Abu Dhabi (Al Marina), 115km
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data in 2-32-21
2. Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky
3. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana
4. Jakub Mareczko (Ita) Wilier-Southeast
5. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing
6. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
7. Chris Latham (GBr) Team Wiggins
8. Michael Kolar (Svk) Tinkoff
9. Steele Von Hoff (Aus) One Pro Cycling
10. Magnus Cort Nielsen (Den) Orica-BikeExchange all same time
General classification after stage two
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data in 5-48-06
2. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo at 4 secs
3. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-BikeExchange at 5 secs
4. Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky at 8 secs
5. John Degenkolb (Ger) Giant-Alpecin at 8 secs
6. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana at 10 secs
7. Dion Smith (NZl) One Pro Cycling at 10 secs
8. Chris Latham (GBr) Team Wiggins at 14 secs
9. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing at 14 secs
10. Michael Kolar (Svk) Tinkoff at 14 secs
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, n exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
-
“That was f***king hard!” Annemiek van Vleuten reacts after winning stage four of the Giro Donne
The Dutch rider warns that she is not in her best shape yet after arriving at the race from an altitude camp.
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
The best 4th of July cycling deals
Save big on apparel, accessories, tools with these 4th of July cycling deals!
By Cycling Weekly • Published
-
No Mark Cavendish or Julian Alaphilippe at Tour de France for Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
Fabio Jakobsen selected as team's sprinter for the race which begins on Friday in Copenhagen
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Julian Alaphilippe expected to miss the Tour de France
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl set to leave out the two-time world champion
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Mark Cavendish sprints to his second British National Road title
The Manx missile put in a stellar performance in Scotland to secure the second National road title of his illustrious career
By Pete Trifunovic • Published
-
Bradley Wiggins: It would be a 'real shame' if Mark Cavendish wasn't at the Tour de France
Cavendish's former teammate and Madison partner thinks it would be "crazy" not to pick him
By Adam Becket • Published
-
A look at Mark Cavendish's big day out on stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia
The Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider made the time cut, but did so much more
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Odd one out: Why was Mark Cavendish in the early break on Giro d'Italia queen stage?
It really is not a day for the fast men in the Alps
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Mark Cavendish wants to continue for 'at least' two more years
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl sprinter turns 37 this weekend
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'In the end, what can you do?' — Mark Cavendish misses out on Giro d'Italia stage five sprint
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl sprinter distanced by peloton on climb
By Adam Becket • Published