For the second time in three years, Italian Elisa Longo Borghini has been crowned queen of the UAE Tour Women. After yesterday’s extraordinary feat on the Jebel Hafeet climb, today she managed the race with the help of her team, securing the red jersey of the General Classification.
This victory is particularly special, achieved while wearing the jersey of UAE Team ADQ, the home team, in the home race, garnering enthusiasm from the entire local community.
It’s a remarkable success not only for confirming Elisa Longo Borghini’s talent but also due to the contributions of her extraordinary teammates. Silvia Persico, second in the GC and a valuable support in yesterday’s stage; Karlijn Swinkels, a key player for the team, who finished fifth in the GC; Lara Gillespie, winner of the black jersey in the Intermediate Sprints Classification; Elynor Bäckstedt, who did commendable work; and the young sprinter Sofie van Rooijen, unfortunate after a crash on the first day, but today served the team.
A complete success, also evidenced by the victory in the Team Classification, celebrated with great joy on the podium along with all the staff and the team’s president, Melissa Moncada. The past two days will remain in the history of UAE Team ADQ and the country.
Today, in the fourth and final 128-kilometer stage from the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Academy to Abu Dhabi Breakwater, as expected, the race was decided in a sprint. UAE Team ADQ contributed to closing the breakaway and protecting its leader. The sprint was once again won by European champion Lorena Wiebes. Ninth place for Lara Gillespie.
UAE Team ADQ leader Elisa Longo Borghini said: “It’s something fantastic to win the UAE Tour Women again, here in the United Arab Emirates, wearing the UAE Team ADQ jersey. My teammates and I strongly wanted this victory. I am proud of my team, and we have delivered some truly incredible performances. Victory in the General Classification, second place for Silvia Persico, we won the sprint jersey with Lara, and we were the best team. It’s really fantastic, and we must be proud of what we’ve done. I must give a big thank you to all my teammates and the entire team.”
VUELTA CV FEMINAS
Today, the team was also engaged in Europe, specifically in Spain, for the Vuelta CV Feminas, a 104 km race from Alfafar to Valencia, where Czech rider Tereza Neumanova secured a fifth-place finish.
ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tomorrow, Safiya Alsayegh will compete in Thailand with the United Arab Emirates National Team jersey in the time trial event of the Road Cycling Asian Championships.
(ph. Getty Sport)
