Marcel Kittel of Germany won the first stage of the Tour of Dubai on Wednesday (3 February).

Script: The third edition of the Dubai Tour race got underway on Wednesday.

For the first stage, riders raced over the 173-kilometre route from the Dubai International Marine Club to Fujairah right across the width of the United Arab Emirates.

A star studded line up was present, with plenty of the world's best sprinters including defending champion Mark Cavendish.

The traditional attacks started almost instantly, with a group of four breaking away for the first intermediate sprint.

Maximum points were taken by the Moroccan national champion Soufiane Haddi.

High profile names including Cavendish and Marcel Kittel bided their time in the bunch sprint and duly reeled in the breakaway.

The cohesion of the breakaway group broke down as they approached the second immediate sprint of the day, not far from the finish line and in Fujairah itself.

They did just enough to win the sprint, with Haddi again taking the maximum points to ensure he will wear the intermediate sprints jersey going into day two.

But the expected bunch sprint developed as the last of the breakaway riders was reeled in.

Marcel Kittel finally hit the front with a couple hundred metres remaining and dragging the rest of the field with him.

He held off the threat of Giacomo Nizzolo, and a late challenge from Cavendish, to win the stage in a time of three hours 35 minutes and 21 seconds as he bids to recover the impressive form he enjoyed two seasons ago.