Get ready for a thrilling showdown in Stage 2 of the UAE Tour, where the race’s first major test will shake up the standings and reveal the true contenders. But here’s where it gets controversial: Remco Evenepoel, the pre-race favorite, has opted for a surprisingly early start, while Isaac del Toro, the current race leader, is forced to bring up the rear. This strategic twist adds an extra layer of intrigue to the 12.2-kilometer individual time trial around Hudayriyat Island, which is expected to set the early hierarchy among the overall contenders.
The time trial is divided into two distinct phases: the early starters, who will set the benchmark times, and the late starters, who will have the advantage of knowing exactly what they need to beat. And this is the part most people miss: while riders like Evenepoel and Joshua Tarling have the freedom to choose their start times, del Toro’s position as the GC leader leaves him no choice but to start last. This rule, dictated by his place atop the general classification, could either make or break his defense of the leader’s jersey.
Kicking things off at 12:50 CET is Remi Cavagna, tasked with setting the initial pace. Evenepoel, starting at 12:54 local time, positions himself early to potentially set a time that others will chase, rather than playing catch-up. Tarling follows at 13:15, with conditions expected to remain consistent throughout his ride. Ethan Hayter, another strong contender, begins at 13:22, joining a group of early to mid-window specialists. Meanwhile, del Toro, the Stage 1 winner, will be the last rider to start at 15:14, giving him a clear target but also the pressure of maintaining his lead.
Here’s a thought-provoking question: Does starting last give del Toro an unfair disadvantage, or does it simply level the playing field in a race where every second counts? With bonus seconds already reshaping the standings, Stage 2 is poised to deliver the first significant gaps in the GC. Will Evenepoel’s early start pay off, or will del Toro’s late position prove to be a strategic masterstroke? Only time will tell.
Below is the full start order, complete with local times (CET times are 3 hours behind):
Local Start Time | Rider | Nation
---------------------|--------------------|----------
12:50 | Remi Cavagna | FRA
12:51 | Emmanuel Houcou | FRA
12:52 | Mattia Gaffuri | ITA
12:53 | Lucas Plapp | AUS
12:54 | Remco Evenepoel | BEL
12:55 | Artem Shmidt | USA
12:56 | Michael Storer | AUS
12:57 | Sean Quinn | USA
12:58 | Luca Vergallito | ITA
12:59 | Jan Hirt | CZE
13:00 | Stefan De Bod | RSA
13:01 | Ilan Van Wilder | BEL
13:02 | Harold Tejada | COL
13:03 | Baptiste Veistroffer| FRA
13:04 | Ben Tulett | GBR
13:05 | Derek Gee | CAN
13:06 | Damiano Caruso | ITA
13:07 | Stefan Bissegger | SUI
13:08 | Adam Yates | GBR
13:09 | David Gaudu | FRA
13:10 | Nicolo Parisini | ITA
13:11 | Matthew Dinham | AUS
13:12 | Pablo Castrillo | ESP
13:13 | Ben O'Connor | AUS
13:14 | Finn Fisher-Black | NZL
13:15 | Joshua Tarling | GBR
13:16 | Arthur Kluckers | LUX
13:17 | Georg Steinhauser | GER
13:18 | Gerben Thijssen | BEL
13:19 | Anders Johannessen | NOR
13:20 | Pier-Andre Cote | CAN
13:21 | Byron Munton | RSA
13:22 | Ethan Hayter | GBR
13:23 | Sergi Higuita | COL
13:24 | Lennert Van Eetvelt| BEL
13:25 | Jorgen Nordhagen | NOR
13:26 | Maximilian Walscheid| GER
13:27 | Antonio Tiberi | ITA
13:28 | Felix Gall | AUT
13:29 | Florian Vermeersch | BEL
13:30 | Lewis Bower | NZL
13:31 | Nikolas Zukowsky | CAN
13:32 | Fabio Jakobsen | NED
13:33 | Lorenzo Milesi | ITA
13:34 | Luke Durbridge | AUS
13:35 | Callum Thornley | GBR
13:36 | Enzo Svestad-Bardseng| NOR
13:37 | Aivaras Mikutis | LTU
13:38 | Markel Beloki | ESP
13:39 | Florian Senechal | FRA
13:40 | Anthon Charmig | DEN
13:41 | George Bennett | NZL
13:42 | Cole Kessler | USA
13:43 | Junior Lecerf | BEL
13:44 | Lev Gonov | KAZ
13:45 | Steffy De Schuyteneer| BEL
13:46 | Wilco Kelderman | NED
13:47 | Jonathan Milan | ITA
13:48 | Afonso Eulalio | POR
13:49 | Daan Hoole | NED
13:50 | Nils Politt | GER
13:51 | Johan Jacobs | SUI
13:52 | Harm Vanhoucke | BEL
13:53 | James Knox | GBR
13:54 | Nairo Quintana | COL
13:55 | Finlay Pickering | GBR
13:56 | Mattia Cattaneo | ITA
13:57 | Peter Oxenberg | DEN
13:58 | Mathys Rondel | FRA
13:59 | Jardi Christ Van Der Lee| NED
14:00 | Jonas Rickaert | BEL
14:01 | Tobias Johannessen | NOR
14:02 | Ethan Vernon | GBR
14:03 | Ezra Caudell | USA
14:04 | Bert Van Lerberghe | BEL
14:05 | Alessandro Romele | ITA
14:06 | Jelle Van Sintmaartensdijk| NED
14:07 | Tijmen Graat | NED
14:08 | Patrick Konrad | AUT
14:09 | Mathijs Paasschens | NED
14:10 | Gregor Muhlberger | AUT
14:11 | Rune Herregodts | BEL
14:12 | Enzo Paleni | FRA
14:13 | Damien Howson | AUS
14:14 | Tim Naberman | NED
14:15 | Manlio Moro | ITA
14:16 | Patrick Gamper | AUT
14:17 | Gianni Moscon | ITA
14:18 | Samuel Welsford | AUS
14:19 | Hannes Wilksch | GER
14:20 | Alastair Mackellar | AUS
14:21 | Jonas Geens | BEL
14:22 | Anders Skaarseth | NOR
14:23 | Ryan Mullen | IRL
14:24 | Riley Pickrell | CAN
14:25 | Alberto Dainese | ITA
14:26 | Gleb Syritsa | RUS
14:27 | Simone Gualdi | ITA
14:28 | Steven Kruijswijk | NED
14:29 | Amaury Ghebregzabhier| ERI
14:30 | Rainer Kepplinger | AUT
14:31 | Cees Bol | NED
14:32 | Kevin Vermaerke | USA
14:33 | Matteo Milan | ITA
14:34 | Christopher Harper | AUS
14:35 | Niklas Markl | GER
14:36 | Pavel Novak | CZE
14:37 | Luka Mezgec | SLO
14:38 | Jarrad Drizners | AUS
14:39 | Connor Swift | GBR
14:40 | Robin Froidevaux | SUI
14:41 | Matty Schwaerzbachner| SUI
14:42 | Silvan Dillier | SUI
14:43 | Erlend Blikra | NOR
14:44 | Nadav Raisberg | ISR
14:45 | Sean Christian | USA
14:46 | Ayco Bastiaens | BEL
14:47 | Harold Martin Lopez| ECU
14:48 | Felix Grossschartner| AUT
14:49 | Owain Doull | GBR
14:50 | Edward Theuns | BEL
14:51 | Nikias Arndt | GER
14:52 | Robbe Ghys | BEL
14:53 | Juan Sebastian Molano| COL
14:54 | Axel Huens | FRA
14:55 | Edward Dunbar | IRL
14:56 | Casper Van Uden | NED
14:57 | Albert Torres | ESP
14:58 | Rudy Porter | AUS
14:59 | Emil Herzog | GER
15:00 | Ben Swift | GBR
15:01 | Sebastian Kolze Changizi| DEN
15:02 | Madis Mihkels | EST
15:03 | Simon Dehairs | BEL
15:04 | Carl-Frederik Bevort| DEN
15:05 | Dion Smith | NZL
15:06 | Mark Stewart | GBR
15:07 | Warre Vangheluwe | BEL
15:08 | Matteo Malucelli | ITA
15:09 | Jasper De Buyst | BEL
15:10 | Pietro Mattio | ITA
15:11 | Simone Consonni | ITA
15:12 | Daniel Skerl | ITA
15:13 | Gianluca Pollefliet| BEL
15:14 | Isaac Del Toro | MEX
What’s your take? Do you think Evenepoel’s early start gives him an edge, or will del Toro’s late position prove to be a game-changer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
