This year's edition of the Tour of the Basque Country came to an end with a tough stage in and around Eibar with several big climbs. In this post, I'm going to zoom in on the tactic of UAE Team Emirates. After this introduction, I will give you an overview of the team's roster and strengths. Afterwards, you will get an analysis of their tactics before I will come to a conclusion.
Overview of the team's roster and strengths:
This team is focused on the general classification of this stage race, as they have no sprinter on board. Juan Ayuso is the leader of this team with Isaac Del Toro, Brandon McNulty and Marc Soler as his main helpers. Also Jay Vine would do that but he was involved in the big crash in stage four. Furthermore, there were also Igor Arrieta and Sjoerd Bax to help in the early part of the stages. | Juan Ayuso Igor Arrieta Sjoerd Bax Isaac Del Toro Brandon McNulty Marc Soler Jay Vine (DNF stage 4) |
In-depth analysis of their tactics
In the sixth stage of this year's Tour of the Basque Country, Team UAE Emirates had a number of riders, who were shortly after Mattias Skjelmose (Team Lidl Trek), the leader going in to the final stage. In the first part of the stage, the team from the UAE sent Sjoerd Bax and Igor Arrieta in the breakaway of the day. In the peloton, the riders of Team Lidl Trek were controlling the pace in the peloton. As the final approached, Marc Soler attacked and made the leap to the front of the race, putting pressure on Lidl Trek as he was only forty-seven seconds behind Skjelmose.
In the meantime, the riders of Team Lidl Trek were setting the pace at tha front of the peloton, while Del Toro and Ayuso were just following. At the penultimate climb of the day, Ayuso attacked and Skjelmose couldn't follow. The rider from Denmark couldn't follow, but was able to return before he was dropped again. Furthermore, also Carlos Rodriguez (Team Ineos Grenadiers) passed him.
In the end, Rodriguez won the stage, Ayuso won the general classification. In the sprint for the third place, Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) beat Skjelmose in the sprint. Because of this, Rodriguez finished second in the final general classification with an advantage of one second towards Skjelmose.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, UAE Team Emirates showcased impressive strategic prowess in the Tour of the Basque Country, securing Juan Ayuso the overall victory. Despite setbacks like Jay Vine's crash, the team's cohesive effort, led by riders like Marc Soler, proved decisive. Ayuso's well-timed attack on the penultimate climb solidified his lead, while Soler's third-place finish in the final sprint further cemented the team's dominance. This victory highlights UAE Team Emirates' collective strength and tactical acumen, establishing them as a force to be reckoned with in professional cycling.