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Brandon McNulty won the 12.1 km time trial at the UAE Tour, beating teammates Jay Vine and Mikkel Bjerg to give UAE Team Emirates a 1-2-3 in their home race.
McNulty also took the overall race lead before the first mountain finish on Jebel Jais on Wednesday and is now a contender for overall victory when the UAE Tour is decided on the Jebel Hafeet climb on Sunday.
The American national time trial champion set a time of 13:27 for the 12.1 km course around Hudayriyat Island, at an average speed of close to 54 km/h. Vine was just two seconds slower at 13:29, with Mikkel Bjerg setting 13:31.
McNulty and Vine now have a significant lead on their overall rivals. However, a slight risk of crosswinds and daily time bonuses perhaps keep the race open.
UAE Team Emirates also have Adam Yates in their powerful squad. The Briton lost 28 seconds to McNulty but is perhaps the better climber in the peloton if the race explodes on the mountain finishes or if McNulty cracks.
Tobias Foss (Ineos Grenadiers) is now their closest rival. The former World time trial Champion lost 14 seconds to McNulty but is a good climber and suited to tomorrow’s Jebel Jais finish. Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) can also not be ruled out. He lost 19 seconds and was fourth overall last year.
“This is huge,” McNulty said, smiling under his growing moustache. “I had my first GC win a couple of weeks ago and now my first WorldTour time trial. It’s been a good month.
“Personally I was good. I wasn’t sure how I was feeling because the power wasn’t reading quite right but I had good speed for the whole TT. I have to be satisfied because I won.”
UAE Team Emirates looked at every possible detail of the time trial.
“The team has put so much into the time trial set-up, it’s really paid off for everyone,” McNulty said.
“We looked at the wind and it looked like it would pick up a…
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