Welcome back to the Lantern Recreen podcast for the final stage of the UAE Tour first.

Well, world tour level mountain test, I would say, of the year.

If we're not counting Jabal Jais, which was a group sprint as it typically is, from Alan.

Willung a hell.

Yeah, I wouldn't call that a mountain.

I don't think. From, yeah, Alan, which is a long transfer to start of this stage, which is

into the middle of the UAE, actually more to the east towards Oman.

They kind of go around Alan for a little bit in that area and then they head they head

west and come back where there's often crosswind in that area and that that did play

a big role today then they come back and go south in Jabelhathisa to the south of the city

the climb itself 11km 6.7% the real part of the climb is from 1,500 metres in to a crest at about 8.5Ks in,

which is actually quite steep, 8% more or less with some steeper ramps. It's visually deceiving because it's such a wide highway, but it is quite a difficult climb.

Then there's a short, flatter section for a 700 metre punch to the finish where you can

make up all, in fact, lose quite a lot of time.

To remind you of the GC standings before the stage, Baguatcha, obviously in the lead, not that

bigger margin.

21 seconds out of Joshua Tarling, which he wouldn't be too worried about on a climb like

this, but then Romeo 127, Fisher Black, 28, his teammate Vine 36, Jaconi, 37, Bill

Bauer, 38, same time Van Etfeldt, to Harder 41, only 44, so a third, sorry Josh

Harling, but let's say, even Romeo, Romeo to only from third to 10th with 17 seconds.

We obviously have bonus seconds in play here too.

So very tight.

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