Tante emozioni nella prima tappa del Saudi Tour, a dispetto del panorama uniforme del deserto attraversato per raggiungere il traguardo di Jaww. A conquistare il triondo è stato Alberto Rui Costa, tornato a vincere dopo tre anni di astinenza. Sullo strappo finale al 7% l'ex iridato ha saputo scattare al momento giusto raggiungendo Kron e resistendo al ritorno di un coriaceo e mai domo Heinrich Hausler di un ottimo Nacer Bouhanni.

La tappa si è animata a 68 km dal traguardo quando la Bahrain McLaren ha dato vita ad un primo ventaglio che ha spezzato il gruppo. Sei chilometri più tardi, una caduta - nella quale è rimasto coinvolto tra gli altri Niccolò Bonifazio - ha nuovamente spaccato il gruppo. Ai -20 l'attacco portato da Haussler, Kron, De Backer e Siskevicius che hanno resistito all'attacco fino agli ultimi metri, quando il gruppo li ha recuperati, Kron ha accelerato seguito da Haussler che si è dovuto arrendere all'allungo finale di Rui Costa.

«Come da previsioni, la tappa è stata impegnativa, soprattutto per il forte vento - ha spiegato Rui Costa dopo le premiazioni -. Abbiamo fatto del nostro meglio per non farci sorprendere da queste variabili. Sapevo chi avrei dovuto controllare nel finale e che il punto perfetto per scattare sarebbe stato a 300 metri dal traguardo, poco prima di un tornante. E’ stata una vittoria molto importante per me, è un modo fantastico di iniziare la stagione».

ORDINE D'ARRIVO

1 RUI COSTA (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 3:52:12
2 HEINRICH HAUSSLER (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:00:00
3 NACER BOUHANNI (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:00:00
4 TOM-JELTE SLAGTER (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:00
5 CARLOS BARBERO (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:00
6 PHIL BAUHAUS (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:00:00
7 ANDREAS LORENTZ KRON (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:00
8 NIKI TERPSTRA (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:00:00
9 MATTEO MALUCELLI (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:00:00
10 JENS DEBUSSCHERE (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:00
11 SERGEI CHERNETSKII (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:00:00
12 FABIEN DOUBEY (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:00:00
13 REINARDT JANSE VAN RENSBURG (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:00
14 DRIES VAN GESTEL (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:00:00
15 GEOFFREY SOUPE (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:00:00
16 JUSTIN JULES (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:00:00
17 LUCAS CARSTENSEN (BIKE AID) 0:00:00
18 MANUELE BOARO (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:00
19 RAMUNAS NAVARDAUSKAS (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:00:10
20 ADAM DE VOS (RALLY CYCLING) 0:00:10
21 ANGEL MADRAZO RUIZ (BURGOS-BH) 0:00:12
22 JAMES SHAW (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:12
23 BORIS VALLEE (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:00:12
24 CONNOR SWIFT (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:00:12
25 BERT DE BACKER (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:15
26 JETSE BOL (BURGOS-BH) 0:00:15
27 HERNANDO BOHORQUEZ SANCHEZ (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:15
28 ARVID DE KLEIJN (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:15
29 IVO OLIVEIRA (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:00:15
30 ENRICO GASPAROTTO (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:15
31 ROMAN KREUZIGER (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:15
32 ROMAIN SICARD (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:00:15
33 NICKOLAS ZUKOWSKY (RALLY CYCLING) 0:00:15
34 MARK CAVENDISH (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:00:15
35 ORLUIS ALBERTO AULAR SANABRIA (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:00:15
36 YOANN OFFREDO (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:00:25
37 VLADISLAV KULIKOV (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:00:25
38 JON IRISARRI RICON (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:00:25
39 ADRIEN GAREL (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:25
40 ARITZ BAGÜES KALPARSORO (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:00:25
41 ARTYOM ZAKHAROV (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:30
42 YURIY NATAROV (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:31
43 NIKODEMUS HOLLER (BIKE AID) 0:00:31
44 BAPTISTE PLANCKAERT (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:00:31
45 ERIK BERGSTRÖM FRISK (BIKE AID) 0:00:36
46 MATHIJS PAASSCHENS (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:00:46
47 JOEL SUTER (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:00:46
48 WESLEY KREDER (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:00:46
49 FREDERIK BACKAERT (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:46
50 ZHANDOS BIZHIGITOV (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:46
51 MATTEO SOBRERO (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:46
52 EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:00:46
53 JULIEN MORICE (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:53
54 FRED WRIGHT (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:00:54
55 IMERIO CIMA (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:00:57
56 ADRIEN PETIT (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:01:12
57 STEPHEN BASSETT (RALLY CYCLING) 0:01:14
58 DAMIANO CIMA (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:01:15
59 YOUCEF REGUIGUI (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:00
60 MARCEL SIEBERG (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:01:32
61 LAURENT PICHON (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:01:34
62 BENOIT JARRIER (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:01:50
63 DANIEL MCLAY (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:01:57
64 NICK VAN DER LIJKE (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:02:13
65 DONAVAN VINCENT GRONDIN (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:02:13
66 STEVE LAMPIER (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:02:24
67 AUGUST JENSEN (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:00
68 RICHARD JONES (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:02:31
69 JOSE MANUEL DIAZ GALLEGO (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:02:35
70 BENJAMIN KING (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:02:35
71 MARCO MARCATO (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:02:39
72 ALESSANDRO COVI (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:03:47
73 TIMOTHY DUPONT (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:03:52
74 IGOR BOEV (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:03:52
75 KEVIN VAN MELSEN (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:03:52
76 ANGEL FUENTES PANIEGO (BURGOS-BH) 0:03:52
77 GREGA BOLE (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:03:52
78 DAVID GONZALEZ LOPEZ (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:03:52
79 VALERIO CONTI (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:03:52
80 MATTEO DAL-CIN (RALLY CYCLING) 0:03:52
81 AMANUEL GEBREIGZABHIER (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:03:52
82 JAN TRATNIK (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:04:05
83 MATTHEW GIBSON (BURGOS-BH) 0:07:06
84 ZEB KYFFIN (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:07:41
85 MULU HAILEMICHAEL (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:07:41
86 YOUSIF MIRZA AL-HAMMADI (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:07:41
87 JACK REES (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:07:52
88 SULEIMAN KANGANGI (BIKE AID) 0:07:52
89 THOMAS DEGAND (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:07:55
90 FLORIAN VACHON (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:07:55
91 JOSÉ FERNANDES (BURGOS-BH) 0:07:55
92 DAVIDE MARTINELLI (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:07:55
93 MUHAMAD AFIQ HUZNIE OTHMAN (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:07:55
94 MOHD SHAHRUL MAT AMIN (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:07:55
95 PABLO GUERRERO BONILLA (BURGOS-BH) 0:07:55
96 NIKOLAI CHERKASOV (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:07:55
97 JUSTIN WOLF (BIKE AID) 0:07:55
98 YEVGENIY GIDICH (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:07:55
99 JHOJAN ORLANDO GARCIA SOSA (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:07:55
100 CLINT HENDRICKS (BIKE AID) 0:07:55
101 ANTON KUZMIN (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:07:55
102 CHARLES PAGE (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:07:55
103 KEVIN REZA (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:08:02
104 NIGEL ELLSAY (RALLY CYCLING) 0:08:02
105 JELLE VANENDERT (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:08:02
106 JULIEN TRARIEUX (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:08:02
107 ELMAR REINDERS (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:08:02
108 JESSE DE ROOIJ (BIKE AID) 0:08:02
109 JOEL NICOLAU BELTRAN (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:08:02
110 KEVYN ISTA (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:08:02
111 LUDWIG DE WINTER (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:08:06
112 JACOB TIPPER (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:08:06
113 DAMIEN GAUDIN (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:08:21
114 NICCOLÒ BONIFAZIO (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:08:23
115 MARAL-ERDENE BATMUNKH (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:15:04
116 OLIVER MOORS (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:18:36
117 IRWANDIE LAKASEK (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:18:36
118 CHOON HUAT GOH (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:18:36
119 PIER ANDRE COTE (RALLY CYCLING) 0:18:36
120 WAN ABDUL RAHMAN HAMDAN (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:21:28
DNF TOM WIRTGEN (WALLONIE BRUXELLES)
DNF NICOLAS SESSLER (BURGOS-BH)
DNF TYLER MAGNER (RALLY CYCLING)
DNS PIOTR HAVIK (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM)

CLASSIFICA GENERALE

1 RUI COSTA (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 3:52:02
2 HEINRICH HAUSSLER (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:00:01
3 NACER BOUHANNI (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:00:06
4 ANDREAS LORENTZ KRON (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:09
5 TOM-JELTE SLAGTER (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:10
6 CARLOS BARBERO (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:10
7 PHIL BAUHAUS (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:00:10
8 NIKI TERPSTRA (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:00:10
9 MATTEO MALUCELLI (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:00:10
10 JENS DEBUSSCHERE (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:10
11 SERGEI CHERNETSKII (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:00:10
12 FABIEN DOUBEY (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:00:10
13 REINARDT JANSE VAN RENSBURG (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:10
14 DRIES VAN GESTEL (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:00:10
15 GEOFFREY SOUPE (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:00:10
16 JUSTIN JULES (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:00:10
17 LUCAS CARSTENSEN (BIKE AID) 0:00:10
18 MANUELE BOARO (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:10
19 YOUCEF REGUIGUI (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:10
20 AUGUST JENSEN (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:10
21 RAMUNAS NAVARDAUSKAS (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:00:20
22 ADAM DE VOS (RALLY CYCLING) 0:00:20
23 ANGEL MADRAZO RUIZ (BURGOS-BH) 0:00:22
24 JAMES SHAW (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:22
25 BORIS VALLEE (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:00:22
26 CONNOR SWIFT (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:00:22
27 BERT DE BACKER (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:25
28 JETSE BOL (BURGOS-BH) 0:00:25
29 HERNANDO BOHORQUEZ SANCHEZ (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:25
30 ARVID DE KLEIJN (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:25
31 IVO OLIVEIRA (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:00:25
32 ENRICO GASPAROTTO (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:25
33 ROMAN KREUZIGER (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:25
34 ROMAIN SICARD (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:00:25
35 NICKOLAS ZUKOWSKY (RALLY CYCLING) 0:00:25
36 MARK CAVENDISH (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:00:25
37 ORLUIS ALBERTO AULAR SANABRIA (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:00:25
38 YOANN OFFREDO (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:00:35
39 VLADISLAV KULIKOV (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:00:35
40 JON IRISARRI RICON (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:00:35
41 ADRIEN GAREL (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:35
42 ARITZ BAGÜES KALPARSORO (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:00:35
43 ARTYOM ZAKHAROV (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:40
44 YURIY NATAROV (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:41
45 NIKODEMUS HOLLER (BIKE AID) 0:00:41
46 BAPTISTE PLANCKAERT (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:00:41
47 ERIK BERGSTRÖM FRISK (BIKE AID) 0:00:46
48 EVALDAS SISKEVICIUS (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:00:54
49 MATHIJS PAASSCHENS (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:00:56
50 JOEL SUTER (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:00:56
51 WESLEY KREDER (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:00:56
52 FREDERIK BACKAERT (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:00:56
53 ZHANDOS BIZHIGITOV (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:00:56
54 MATTEO SOBRERO (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:00:56
55 JULIEN MORICE (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:01:03
56 FRED WRIGHT (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:01:04
57 IMERIO CIMA (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:01:07
58 ADRIEN PETIT (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:01:22
59 STEPHEN BASSETT (RALLY CYCLING) 0:01:24
60 DAMIANO CIMA (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:01:25
61 MARCEL SIEBERG (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:01:42
62 LAURENT PICHON (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:01:44
63 BENOIT JARRIER (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:02:00
64 DANIEL MCLAY (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:02:07
65 NICK VAN DER LIJKE (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:02:23
66 DONAVAN VINCENT GRONDIN (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:02:23
67 STEVE LAMPIER (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:02:34
68 RICHARD JONES (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:02:41
69 JOSE MANUEL DIAZ GALLEGO (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:02:45
70 BENJAMIN KING (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:02:45
71 MARCO MARCATO (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:02:49
72 ALESSANDRO COVI (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:03:57
73 TIMOTHY DUPONT (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:04:02
74 IGOR BOEV (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:04:02
75 KEVIN VAN MELSEN (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:04:02
76 ANGEL FUENTES PANIEGO (BURGOS-BH) 0:04:02
77 GREGA BOLE (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:04:02
78 DAVID GONZALEZ LOPEZ (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:04:02
79 VALERIO CONTI (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:04:02
80 MATTEO DAL-CIN (RALLY CYCLING) 0:04:02
81 AMANUEL GEBREIGZABHIER (NTT PRO CYCLING TEAM) 0:04:02
82 JAN TRATNIK (BAHRAIN - MCLAREN) 0:04:15
83 MATTHEW GIBSON (BURGOS-BH) 0:07:16
84 ZEB KYFFIN (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:07:51
85 MULU HAILEMICHAEL (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:07:51
86 YOUSIF MIRZA AL-HAMMADI (UAE TEAM EMIRATES) 0:07:51
87 JACK REES (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:08:02
88 SULEIMAN KANGANGI (BIKE AID) 0:08:02
89 THOMAS DEGAND (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:08:05
90 FLORIAN VACHON (TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC) 0:08:05
91 JOSÉ FERNANDES (BURGOS-BH) 0:08:05
92 DAVIDE MARTINELLI (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:08:05
93 MUHAMAD AFIQ HUZNIE OTHMAN (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:08:05
94 MOHD SHAHRUL MAT AMIN (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:08:05
95 PABLO GUERRERO BONILLA (BURGOS-BH) 0:08:05
96 NIKOLAI CHERKASOV (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:08:05
97 JUSTIN WOLF (BIKE AID) 0:08:05
98 YEVGENIY GIDICH (ASTANA PRO TEAM) 0:08:05
99 JHOJAN ORLANDO GARCIA SOSA (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:08:05
100 CLINT HENDRICKS (BIKE AID) 0:08:05
101 ANTON KUZMIN (GAZPROM - RUSVELO) 0:08:05
102 CHARLES PAGE (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:08:05
103 KEVIN REZA (B&B HOTELS - VITAL CONCEPT) 0:08:12
104 NIGEL ELLSAY (RALLY CYCLING) 0:08:12
105 JELLE VANENDERT (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:08:12
106 JULIEN TRARIEUX (NIPPO DELKO PROVENCE) 0:08:12
107 ELMAR REINDERS (RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM) 0:08:12
108 JESSE DE ROOIJ (BIKE AID) 0:08:12
109 JOEL NICOLAU BELTRAN (CAJA RURAL - SEGUROS RGA) 0:08:12
110 KEVYN ISTA (WALLONIE BRUXELLES) 0:08:12
111 LUDWIG DE WINTER (CIRCUS - WANTY GOBERT) 0:08:16
112 JACOB TIPPER (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:08:16
113 DAMIEN GAUDIN (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:08:31
114 NICCOLÒ BONIFAZIO (TOTAL DIRECT ENERGIE) 0:08:33
115 MARAL-ERDENE BATMUNKH (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:15:14
116 OLIVER MOORS (RIBBLE WELDTITE PRO CYCLING) 0:18:46
117 IRWANDIE LAKASEK (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:18:46
118 CHOON HUAT GOH (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:18:46
119 PIER ANDRE COTE (RALLY CYCLING) 0:18:46
120 WAN ABDUL RAHMAN HAMDAN (TERENGGANU INC. TSG CYCLING TEAM) 0:21:38