PREVIEW | UAE Tour 2023 stage 2 - Team time-trial to create further damage in GC fight

Preview. After a brutal first day at the UAE Tour where crosswinds dealt a lot of chaos, Tim Merlier took the victory. Now on stage 2 there will be a team time-trial where the GC contenders and their teams will have an important challenge.

Stage two will see the riders race a team time-trial. In 17.2 kilometers at Khalifa Port, teams will face each other in a day where the overall classification will take relative importance. The race will fully be within the port's roads, going back and forth in the area. There will then be plenty of changes of direction, but with no technical or tight sections, as well as any gradients, it will be a day where the most organized teams will without a doubt benefit from.

The Weather

Moderately strong and consistent wind from the east. It won't make a meaningful difference since there are so many changes in direction. It will likely make for some more tension however between teammates.

The Favourites

Technique matters a lot in team time-trials, as does having powerhouse riders - not necessarily specialists against the clock. This can through some surprises, however the field here is not particularly strong when it comes to time-trialists. In 17 kilometers as much as 1 minute can be created between a strong and a more modest lineup, but most of the big teams should be within 30 seconds.

Soudal - Quick-Step - With Evenepoel leading there's no doubt that there will be pressure to perform. The team lacks another specialist but the likes of Josef Cerny and Mauro Schmid will be valuable, and the team features several leadout men and Tim Merlier who can perform for short periods of time.

INEOS Grenadiers - This is a team that's relatively well prepared for the effort. Luke Plapp, Ben Tulett and Joshua Tarling will be very important engines for the effort. Several of the riders are track experts and with no exception all riders can roll quite well. Plapp will benefit from this day greatly for the GC.

UAE Team Emirates - Mixed results in the TT's, but UAE seem to have good engines for the effort. McNulty and Bjerg will be strong. The question will be on what kind of day all Yates, Vine and Soler are - all can both put in a great performance or an underwhelming. It's perhaps the lineup that has focused the most on the GC and that is visible here.

The likes of Bahrain - Victorious, BORA - hansgrohe, EF Education-EasyPost and Team DSM also have some strong riders who will be able to boost the team's result, but the victory should be hard to reach.

Prediction UAE Tour 2023 stage 2:

*** INEOS Grenadiers, UAE Team Emirates
** Soudal - Quick-Step
* Bahrain - Victorious, BORA - hansgrohe, EF Education-EasyPost, Team DSM

Pick: INEOS Grenadiers