As the 7am starting horn sounded on this pleasantly cool (13C) Friday morning in the UAE’s northern-most emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), the sense of anticipation was almost tangible with world class elite fields gathered of unprecedented depth. At Thursday’s pre-race press conference, the big names were very reluctant to give anything away, illnesses and injuries mentioned by several, and one got the clear impression that cards were being kept well up the sleeves of various tracksuit tops. [Read more…]