Kittel leads in Dubai as Cavendish takes seventh

Marcel Kittel outsprinted young Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen on day two of the Dubai Tour to claim back-to-back stage wins, while Britain’s Mark Cavendish finished a disappointing seventh.

Defending champion Kittel came from behind to surge to victory in four hours, 25 minutes and 33 seconds on the 188-kilometre stage from the Dubai International Marine Club to Ras Al Khaimah.

Groenewegen (Lotto NL-Jumbo) followed the German over the line for the second day in a row to sit eight seconds behind the Quick-Step Floors rider in the general classification, while Italian Jakub Mareczko (Wilier Triestina) took third place.

Dimension Data’s Cavendish, the 2015 champion, lies 16 seconds behind Kittel in the overall standings with three stages remaining.

Scots Neil Fachie and Craig Maclean, double gold medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, have been included in the GB team for next month’s UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Los Angeles.

Jason Cundy and Jon Gildea, who won C4-5 one-kilometre time-trial and team sprint gold medals at the Rio Paralympics, are the only individual riders selected.

Dame Sarah Storey, the 14-time Paralympic champion, is absent from the event to focus on longer-term goals such as the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Above: the peloton passes Burj Khalifa in Dubai yesterday.