UAE Tour: Isaac del Toro rips Red Jersey from Tiberi with solo attack on Jebel Hafeet

UAE Tour: Isaac del Toro rips Red Jersey from Tiberi with solo attack on Jebel Hafeet

The Mexican climber's acceleration with 2.5 km remaining broke Antonio Tiberi and left pre-race favourite Remco Evenepoel adrift in 10th, reshaping the GC with one stage to ride.

By Peter Stuart · · 3 min read

Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won Stage 6 of the UAE Tour on Jebel Hafeet, soloing clear with 2.5 km remaining to take the Red Jersey from Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious). Del Toro now leads the GC by 20 seconds heading into tomorrow's likely sprint finale, 21 seconds separated them at the start of the day.

The 168 km stage from Al Ain Museum ran flat for 150 km before the 10.6 km summit finish. A nine-rider break, including Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) and Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon-CMA CGM), was kept on a short leash by UAE, Bahrain Victorious and Lotto-Intermarché, never gaining more than two minutes.

Results

Al Ain Museum - Jebel Hafeet • Feb 21 • 168km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Isaac del Toro Romero
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG 3:27:54
🥈
Lucas Plapp
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+0:12
🥉
Felix Gall
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+0:21
4
Antonio Tiberi
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+0:31
5
Tobias Halland Johannessen
UNO-X MOBILITY+0:36
6
Jørgen Nordhagen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:36
7
Derek Gee
LIDL-TREK+0:36
8
Harold Alfonso Tejada Canacue
XDS ASTANA TEAM+0:36
9
David Gaudu
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+0:48
10
Michael Storer
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+0:48
11
Embret Svestad-Bårdseng
INEOS GRENADIERS+0:48
12
Lennert van Eetvelt
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+0:48
13
Byron Munton
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+0:48
14
Mathys Rondel
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+0:52
15
Remco Evenepoel
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+0:52
16
Edward Dunbar
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+0:52
17
Anders Halland Johannessen
UNO-X MOBILITY+1:05
18
Ilan van Wilder
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+1:17
19
Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia
XDS ASTANA TEAM+1:17
20
Tijmen Graat
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:17
21
Georg Steinhauser
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+1:17
22
Adam Richard Yates
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+1:23
23
Junior Lecerf
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+1:36
24
Jardi Christiaan van der Lee
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+1:40
25
Pablo Castrillo Zapater
MOVISTAR TEAM+1:47
26
Luca Vergallito
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+2:11
27
George Bennett
NSN CYCLING TEAM+2:18
28
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas
MOVISTAR TEAM+2:18
29
Jan Hirt
NSN CYCLING TEAM+2:18
30
Wilco Kelderman
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+2:18
31
Pavel Novák
MOVISTAR TEAM+2:18
32
Sean Quinn
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+2:23
33
Rudy Porter
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+2:40
34
Damien Howson
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+2:52
35
Markel Beloki Fernandez
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+3:02
36
Kevin Vermaerke
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+3:02
37
Stefan de Bod
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+3:15
38
Harold Martin Lopez Granizo
XDS ASTANA TEAM+3:31
39
Damiano Caruso
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+3:31
40
Simone Gualdi
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+3:31
41
Anthon Charmig
UNO-X MOBILITY+3:55
42
Rémi Cavagna
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+4:00
43
Ben Tulett
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:40
44
Mattia Gaffuri
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+5:44
45
Gregor Mühlberger
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+5:44
46
Patrick Konrad
LIDL-TREK+5:44
47
Hannes Wilksch
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+5:44
48
Patrick Gamper
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+5:44
49
Matthew Dinham
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+5:44
50
Steven Kruijswijk
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:44
51
Harm Vanhoucke
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+6:26
52
Ben O'Connor
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+7:04
53
Jonas Geens
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+7:18
54
Lorenzo Milesi
MOVISTAR TEAM+7:24
55
Anders Skaarseth
UNO-X MOBILITY+7:27
56
Nickolas Zukowsky
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+7:43
57
Luke Durbridge
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+7:55
58
Artem Shmidt
INEOS GRENADIERS+8:08
59
Enzo Paleni
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+8:49
60
Pietro Mattio
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+8:54
61
Finn Lachlan Fox Fisher-Black
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+8:56
62
Jonas Rickaert
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+9:33
63
Ayco Bastiaens
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+9:55
64
Aivaras Mikutis
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+9:55
65
Peter Hansen
INEOS GRENADIERS+10:26
66
Gerben Thijssen
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+11:25
67
Sebastian Kolze Changizi
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+12:32
68
Owain Doull
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+13:19
69
Joshua Michael Tarling
INEOS GRENADIERS+13:19
70
Nicolo' Parisini
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+13:19
71
Manlio Moro
MOVISTAR TEAM+13:19
72
Niklas Märkl
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+13:19
73
Nikias Arndt
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+13:19
74
Florian Senechal
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+13:19
75
Rainer Kepplinger
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+13:19
76
Nadav Raisberg
NSN CYCLING TEAM+13:19
77
James Knox
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+13:19
78
Dion Allan Smith
NSN CYCLING TEAM+13:19
79
Pier-André Côté
NSN CYCLING TEAM+13:19
80
Stefan Bissegger
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+13:19
81
Arthur Kluckers
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+13:19
82
Emil Herzog
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+13:24
83
Nils Politt
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+13:38
84
Florian Vermeersch
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+13:38
85
Juan Sebastian Molano Benavides
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+13:38
86
Lewis Bower
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+13:38
87
Warre Vangheluwe
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+13:38
88
Lev Gonov
XDS ASTANA TEAM+13:38
89
Silvan Dillier
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+13:38
90
Tim Naberman
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+13:38
91
Sean Christian
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+13:38
92
Albert Torres Barcelo
MOVISTAR TEAM+13:38
93
Ezra Caudell
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+13:38
94
Cole Kessler
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+13:38
95
Gianni Moscon
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+13:38
96
Mattia Cattaneo
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+13:38
97
Axel Huens
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+13:38
98
Ben Swift
INEOS GRENADIERS+13:38
99
Bert van Lerberghe
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+13:38
100
Alastair Mackellar
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+13:45
101
Mark Stewart
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+14:28
102
Afonso Eulálio
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+14:47
103
Mathijs Paasschens
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+14:47
104
Steffen de Schuyteneer
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+15:01
105
Gleb Syritsa
XDS ASTANA TEAM+15:02
106
Maximilian Richard Walscheid
LIDL-TREK+15:02
107
Gianluca Pollefliet
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+15:19
108
Luka Mezgec
TEAM JAYCO ALULA+15:50
109
Cees Bol
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+15:50
110
Madis Mihkels
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+16:04
111
Alberto Dainese
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+16:08
112
Edward Theuns
LIDL-TREK+16:42
113
Daan Hoole
DECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM+16:44
114
Fabio Jakobsen
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+16:44
115
Jonathan Milan
LIDL-TREK+16:44
116
Johan Jacobs
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+16:49
117
Simone Consonni
LIDL-TREK+16:49
118
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier
LIDL-TREK+17:16
119
Ethan Kane Vernon
NSN CYCLING TEAM+17:55
120
Ryan William Mullen
NSN CYCLING TEAM+17:55
121
Connor Swift
INEOS GRENADIERS+17:55
122
Casper Cornelis van Uden
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+17:55
123
Simon Dehairs
ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH+17:55
124
Emmanuel Houcou
PINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM+18:01
125
Baptiste Veistroffer
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+18:13
126
Roel van Sintmaartensdijk
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+18:13
127
Jasper de Buyst
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+18:13
128
Riley Pickrell
MODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING+18:26
129
Jarrad Eriks Drizners
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+18:57
130
Samuel Welsford
INEOS GRENADIERS+18:57
131
Matteo Malucelli
XDS ASTANA TEAM+18:57
132
Alessandro Romele
XDS ASTANA TEAM+18:57
133
Ethan Edward Hayter
SOUDAL QUICK-STEP+19:27
134
Matteo Milan
GROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED+19:43
135
Erlend Blikra
UNO-X MOBILITY+19:43
136
Callum Thornley
RED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE+19:43
137
Daniel Skerl
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS+19:43
138
Carl-Frederik Bévort
UNO-X MOBILITY+19:43
139
Felix Ørn-Kristoff
LOTTO INTERMARCHÉ+19:43
140
Rune Herregodts
UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG+19:43
141
Robin Froidevaux
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM+19:43
142
Matthias Schwarzbacher
EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST+19:43

UAE's two-card hand

Decathlon-CMA CGM set the initial tempo on the climb, thinning the favourites' group to around 15 by the 6 km mark. That pace was enough to crack pre-race favourite Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), who lost contact with roughly 5 km to go and slid to 10th overall, 2:25 down.

UAE Tour 2026 - 8th Edition - 6th stage Al Ain Museum - Jebel Hafeet 168 km - 21/02/2026 - Scenery - Peloton - photo Luca Bettini/SprintCyclingAgency©2026

From there, UAE played their depth. Adam Yates took over pacing duties inside the final 5 km, pinning Tiberi into a defensive position while conserving del Toro for the finish. Felix Gall (Decathlon-CMA CGM) and Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana) attacked first, but the decisive move came at -2.5 km when del Toro accelerated hard. Only Tiberi tried to follow, and he could not hold. The Italian faded in the final kilometre, and both Luke Plapp (Jayco-AlUla) and Gall came past him.

Plapp's second place at 12 seconds lifts him to third overall at 1:14, while Gall and Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarché) sit fifth and sixth respectively.

UAE Tour 2026 - 8th Edition - 6th stage Al Ain Museum - Jebel Hafeet 168 km - 21/02/2026 - Antonio Tiberi (ITA - Bahrain Victorious) - photo Luca Bettini/SprintCyclingAgency©2026

"This is just a mentality game, that you can be confident enough to keep trying," del Toro said. "Today is one of the top three victories in my career. When you win with a team like this it's even more special."

"Tadej Pogacar told me to enjoy this race, try and win it but never look back, whatever happens," del Toro added.

With Stage 7 expected to end in a bunch sprint, Tiberi's only realistic path back to Red runs through bonus seconds and crosswind chaos on the exposed desert roads.

Our stage 7 prediction for the UAE Tour is that Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) will seal the final sprint, and Isaac del Toro will be crowned as the 2026 general classification winner.

Image credits: Luca Bettini / SprintCyclingAgency

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Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist and then Rouleur having joined Cyclist in 2012 after freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.