For the third time in her career and for the second consecutive year in the Italian champion’s jersey of UAE Team ADQ, Elisa Longo Borghini claimed the UAE Tour Women title.
The UAE Tour Women was the team’s first major objective of the season, making the result particularly meaningful as the victory came on home roads for a second year in a row. The triumph was celebrated not only by the squad, but also by the wider Emirati cycling community, which continues to grow in participation and support.
As has often been the case at the race, the general classification was decided on the slopes of Jebel Hafeet. Longo Borghini delivered a commanding performance on the final stage, winning solo on the summit finish and sealing the overall classification.
She finished the race atop the general classification ahead of Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv AlUla Jayco), who placed second overall at 16 seconds, and Femke De Vries (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), who completed the podium in third at 17 seconds.
Longo Borghini was awarded on the final podium by H.E. Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Secretary-General of Erth Zayed Philanthropies, and H.E. Matar Suhail Ali Al Yabhouni, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Cycling Club.
UAE Team ADQ once again demonstrated collective strength throughout the decisive stage. On the lower slopes of Jebel Hafeet, Karlijn Swinkels and Silvia Persico set a strong tempo at the front of the peloton, gradually reducing the lead group.
A series of attacks from rivals further fragmented the race, with Longo Borghini remaining composed and in control. When the UAE Team ADQ leader launched her first acceleration, only Kasia Niewiadoma was able to respond. The pair rode together briefly before a second, decisive surge allowed Longo Borghini to break clear.
She rode alone to the finish line on Jebel Hafeet, securing another prestigious victory and once again drawing strong support from local fans lining the climb.
Speaking after the finish, Longo Borghini said: “This is an important victory for me and for the entire UAE Team ADQ, because we are racing at home, in front of our team and our most important sponsors, and we know how much this race means to them. Last year I arrived here in top form, while this winter I took a more relaxed approach and wasn’t completely sure about my condition. I knew I had worked well, but the race was the real test. I think I delivered a solid performance and was able to produce good power on the climb. It was definitely a bit harder to win this year, but I really enjoyed it and it was great to win again.”
Longo Borghini also claimed the Red Jersey as leader of the General Classification, sponsored by Abu Dhabi Ports Group. Other standout jersey winners across the week included Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx – Protime), who took the Green Jersey for the Points Classification, and Eleonora Ciabocco (Team Picnic PostNL), who secured the White Jersey as Best Young Rider.
Sara Luccon (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) claimed the Black Jersey as leader of the Intermediate Sprint Classification, while Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto won the Teams Classification.
Elsewhere on the day, UAE Team ADQ also competed at the Vuelta CV Femenina in Spain, where Eleonora Gasparrini finished fourth in Valencia. In Saudi Arabia, at the Asian Continental Championships road race, Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova placed ninth.
To learn more on Team ADQ, listen to Inside UAE Team ADQ with Melissa Moncada on the Mettleset podcast
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