Since leaving Team Sky in 2011, Steve Cummings has almost become Britain’s forgotten man in the UCI WorldTour.
Team Sky’s legion of talented Brits, Mark Cavendish at Omega Pharma-Quickstep, and even the veteran David Millar at Garmin-Sharp command the majority of the headlines, while Cummings has adapted instead to a strong domestique roll at BMC Racing. His stage win at the 2012 Vuelta a Espana aside, personal headlines have been few and far between.
That is not to say he is not riding well – his efforts for Cadel Evans at last year’s Giro d’Italia, despite battling illness, certainly did not go unnoticed and earned him a spot in Great Britain’s team for their ill-fated road world championships. However, this could be the year he steps out of the shadows – with BMC claiming he is among their GC hopefuls in Dubai in their pre-race briefings.
One day in, he certainly has not let them down. His second place was bettered only by team-mate Taylor Phinney, with Fabian Cancellara and world champion Tony Martin among those unable to match is time of 12’17”. Phinney may be favourite for the overall prize now, but Cummings will not be far off for the rest of the week.
