UAE Tour: Remco Evenepoel blitzes Al Hudayriyat time trial at 56.1 km/h to seize overall lead

Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) won the 12.2 km Stage 2 time trial at the UAE Tour on Al Hudayriyat Island, averaging 56.1 km/h to take the overall lead ahead of the race's mountain stages.

Evenepoel covered the flat, non-technical coastal course in 13:03, beating Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) by six seconds and Rémi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ) by 12s. Further down the stage classification: Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who won Stage 1 and held the red jersey overnight, lost 42s and dropped to 10th overall at 32s.

The gaps to Evenepoel's main GC rivals are already substantial. Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) limited the damage to 30s, the best performance among the pure climbers. Defending champion Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarché) conceded 1:02, while Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) lost 1:04. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) finished 56s back. For those four riders, they need to take a minute or more across two summit finishes.

Stage 2 Results

Al Hudayriyat Island • Feb 17 • 12.2km

Stage ResultsGeneral Classification

Pos	Rider	Team	Time
🥇	Remco EVENEPOEL	RBHRED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE	0:13:03
🥈	Joshua Michael TARLING	IGDINEOS GRENADIERS	+0:05
🥉	Rémi CAVAGNA	GFCGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED	+0:11
4	Ethan Edward HAYTER	SOUSOUDAL QUICK-STEP	+0:24
5	Daan HOOLE	DCTDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM	+0:25
6	Lucas PLAPP	JAYTEAM JAYCO ALULA	+0:25
7	Artem SHMIDT	IGDINEOS GRENADIERS	+0:28
8	Florian VERMEERSCH	UADUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG	+0:29
9	Stefan BISSEGGER	DCTDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM	+0:30
10	Rune HERREGODTS	UADUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG	+0:32
11	Peter HANSEN	IGDINEOS GRENADIERS	+0:33
12	Ilan VAN WILDER	SOUSOUDAL QUICK-STEP	+0:33
13	Antonio TIBERI	TBVBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	+0:33
14	Derek GEE	LTKLIDL-TREK	+0:34
15	Pablo CASTRILLO ZAPATER	MOVMOVISTAR TEAM	+0:34
16	Wilco KELDERMAN	TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE	+0:35
17	Finn Lachlan Fox FISHER-BLACK	RBHRED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE	+0:35
18	Maximilian Richard WALSCHEID	LTKLIDL-TREK	+0:35
19	Arthur KLUCKERS	TUDTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM	+0:36
20	Lev GONOV	XATXDS ASTANA TEAM	+0:37
21	Harold Alfonso TEJADA CANACUE	XATXDS ASTANA TEAM	+0:38
22	Stefan DE BOD	MODMODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING	+0:39
23	Connor SWIFT	IGDINEOS GRENADIERS	+0:40
24	Mattia CATTANEO	RBHRED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE	+0:40
25	Isaac DEL TORO ROMERO	UADUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG	+0:41
26	Ben O'CONNOR	JAYTEAM JAYCO ALULA	+0:41
27	Callum THORNLEY	RBHRED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE	+0:41
28	Luke DURBRIDGE	JAYTEAM JAYCO ALULA	+0:41
29	Jørgen NORDHAGEN	TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE	+0:42
30	Byron MUNTON	MODMODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING	+0:44
31	Baptiste VEISTROFFER	LOILOTTO INTERMARCHÉ	+0:45
32	Michael STORER	TUDTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM	+0:46
33	Markel BELOKI FERNANDEZ	EFEEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST	+0:48
34	Aivaras MIKUTIS	TUDTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM	+0:48
35	Samuel WELSFORD	IGDINEOS GRENADIERS	+0:49
36	Steffen DE SCHUYTENEER	LOILOTTO INTERMARCHÉ	+0:49
37	Jonathan MILAN	LTKLIDL-TREK	+0:49
38	Georg STEINHAUSER	EFEEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST	+0:49
39	Lorenzo MILESI	MOVMOVISTAR TEAM	+0:50
40	Gregor MÜHLBERGER	DCTDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM	+0:51
41	Damien HOWSON	PINPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM	+0:52
42	Alastair MACKELLAR	EFEEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST	+0:52
43	Ben TULETT	TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE	+0:54
44	Carl-Frederik BÉVORT	UXMUNO-X MOBILITY	+0:55
45	David GAUDU	GFCGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED	+0:55
46	Nickolas ZUKOWSKY	PINPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM	+0:56
47	Cees BOL	DCTDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM	+0:56
48	Felix GALL	DCTDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM	+0:56
49	Embret SVESTAD-BÅRDSENG	IGDINEOS GRENADIERS	+0:58
50	Mathys RONDEL	TUDTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM	+0:58
51	Pier-André CÔTÉ	NSNNSN CYCLING TEAM	+0:59
52	Christopher HARPER	PINPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM	+0:59
53	Anthon CHARMIG	UXMUNO-X MOBILITY	+1:00
54	Luca VERGALLITO	APTALPECIN-PREMIER TECH	+1:01
55	Owain DOULL	TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE	+1:01
56	Ben SWIFT	IGDINEOS GRENADIERS	+1:02
57	Patrick GAMPER	JAYTEAM JAYCO ALULA	+1:02
58	Lennert VAN EETVELT	LOILOTTO INTERMARCHÉ	+1:02
59	Manlio MORO	MOVMOVISTAR TEAM	+1:02
60	Enzo PALENI	GFCGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED	+1:03
61	Robbe GHYS	DCTDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM	+1:03
62	Adam Richard YATES	UADUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG	+1:03
63	Tijmen GRAAT	TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE	+1:04
64	Nils POLITT	UADUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG	+1:04
65	Gleb SYRITSA	XATXDS ASTANA TEAM	+1:04
66	Ryan William MULLEN	NSNNSN CYCLING TEAM	+1:04
67	Johan JACOBS	GFCGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED	+1:06
68	Felix ØRN-KRISTOFF	LOILOTTO INTERMARCHÉ	+1:07
69	Mattia GAFFURI	TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL	+1:07
70	Gianni MOSCON	RBHRED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE	+1:07
71	Simone GUALDI	LOILOTTO INTERMARCHÉ	+1:07
72	Junior LECERF	SOUSOUDAL QUICK-STEP	+1:08
73	Harm VANHOUCKE	PINPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM	+1:09
74	Alessandro ROMELE	XATXDS ASTANA TEAM	+1:09
75	Casper Cornelis VAN UDEN	TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL	+1:09
76	Edward DUNBAR	PINPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM	+1:10
77	Tobias Halland JOHANNESSEN	UXMUNO-X MOBILITY	+1:11
78	Edward THEUNS	LTKLIDL-TREK	+1:11
79	Damiano CARUSO	TBVBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	+1:12
80	Axel HUENS	GFCGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED	+1:12
81	Sergio Andres HIGUITA GARCIA	XATXDS ASTANA TEAM	+1:13
82	Anders Halland JOHANNESSEN	UXMUNO-X MOBILITY	+1:13
83	Sean QUINN	EFEEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST	+1:14
84	Ethan Kane VERNON	NSNNSN CYCLING TEAM	+1:14
85	Dion Allan SMITH	NSNNSN CYCLING TEAM	+1:15
86	Matthias SCHWARZBACHER	EFEEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST	+1:16
87	Rainer KEPPLINGER	TBVBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	+1:16
88	Cole KESSLER	MODMODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING	+1:17
89	Matthew DINHAM	TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL	+1:17
90	Kevin VERMAERKE	UADUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG	+1:17
91	Patrick KONRAD	LTKLIDL-TREK	+1:18
92	James KNOX	TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL	+1:19
93	Lewis BOWER	GFCGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED	+1:20
94	Amanuel GHEBREIGZABHIER	LTKLIDL-TREK	+1:20
95	Harold Martin LOPEZ GRANIZO	XATXDS ASTANA TEAM	+1:21
96	Jasper DE BUYST	LOILOTTO INTERMARCHÉ	+1:22
97	Roel VAN SINTMAARTENSDIJK	LOILOTTO INTERMARCHÉ	+1:22
98	Luka MEZGEC	JAYTEAM JAYCO ALULA	+1:22
99	Steven KRUIJSWIJK	TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE	+1:22
100	Simone CONSONNI	LTKLIDL-TREK	+1:23
101	Jonas GEENS	APTALPECIN-PREMIER TECH	+1:24
102	Finlay Xavier PICKERING	JAYTEAM JAYCO ALULA	+1:24
103	Emmanuel HOUCOU	PINPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM	+1:24
104	Tim NABERMAN	TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL	+1:24
105	Ezra CAUDELL	MODMODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING	+1:26
106	Jonas RICKAERT	APTALPECIN-PREMIER TECH	+1:26
107	Madis MIHKELS	EFEEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST	+1:27
108	Jardi Christiaan VAN DER LEE	EFEEF EDUCATION - EASYPOST	+1:27
109	Mark STEWART	MODMODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING	+1:28
110	Nairo Alexander QUINTANA ROJAS	MOVMOVISTAR TEAM	+1:29
111	Albert TORRES BARCELO	MOVMOVISTAR TEAM	+1:30
112	Warre VANGHELUWE	SOUSOUDAL QUICK-STEP	+1:30
113	Bert VAN LERBERGHE	SOUSOUDAL QUICK-STEP	+1:30
114	Rudy PORTER	JAYTEAM JAYCO ALULA	+1:30
115	Pietro MATTIO	TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE	+1:31
116	Nadav RAISBERG	NSNNSN CYCLING TEAM	+1:31
117	Pavel NOVÁK	MOVMOVISTAR TEAM	+1:32
118	Juan Sebastian MOLANO BENAVIDES	UADUAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG	+1:33
119	Jan HIRT	NSNNSN CYCLING TEAM	+1:33
120	Gianluca POLLEFLIET	DCTDECATHLON CMA CGM TEAM	+1:34
121	Matteo MILAN	GFCGROUPAMA-FDJ UNITED	+1:35
122	Afonso EULÁLIO	TBVBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	+1:35
123	Mathijs PAASSCHENS	TBVBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	+1:35
124	Anders SKAARSETH	UXMUNO-X MOBILITY	+1:35
125	Florian SENECHAL	APTALPECIN-PREMIER TECH	+1:37
126	Niklas MÄRKL	TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL	+1:39
127	George BENNETT	NSNNSN CYCLING TEAM	+1:40
128	Alberto DAINESE	SOUSOUDAL QUICK-STEP	+1:41
129	Ayco BASTIAENS	SOUSOUDAL QUICK-STEP	+1:42
130	Nicolo' PARISINI	PINPINARELLO-Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM	+1:43
131	Hannes WILKSCH	TUDTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM	+1:47
132	Jarrad Eriks DRIZNERS	RBHRED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE	+1:49
133	Sean CHRISTIAN	MODMODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING	+1:51
134	Silvan DILLIER	APTALPECIN-PREMIER TECH	+1:52
135	Gerben THIJSSEN	APTALPECIN-PREMIER TECH	+1:59
136	Simon DEHAIRS	APTALPECIN-PREMIER TECH	+2:03
137	Matteo MALUCELLI	XATXDS ASTANA TEAM	+2:09
138	Sebastian KOLZE CHANGIZI	TUDTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM	+2:11
139	Robin FROIDEVAUX	TUDTUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM	+2:12
140	Erlend BLIKRA	UXMUNO-X MOBILITY	+2:13
141	Nikias ARNDT	TBVBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	+2:23
142	Daniel SKERL	TBVBAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	+2:35
143	Fabio JAKOBSEN	TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL	+2:38
144	Riley PICKRELL	MODMODERN ADVENTURE PRO CYCLING	+2:48
145	Emil HERZOG	RBHRED BULL - BORA - HANSGROHE	+2:54

Wind, timing, 68 teeth

Evenepoel and his team identified a window of lighter winds early in the session and started him as the fifth rider off the ramp. The benchmark he set stood for two hours as conditions worsened.

Image credit: RCS/ Sprint Cycling Agency

"The course was pretty flat and not very technical so it was perfect for being quick." Evenepoel said. "It's more comfortable to defend the lead than have to attack. So this is the perfect situation for us."

His equipment choice: a 68-tooth single chainring, oversized even by TT standards, allowing him to maintain higher speeds at a comfortable cadence on the flat roads. It is a setup that only works on a course with no meaningful gradient changes, and Al Hudayriyat offered exactly that.

Despite Del Toro losing the jersey, UAE Team Emirates-XRG still hold two cards for the mountains, with Yates available as a secondary threat on the longer, more consistent gradients of Jebel Hafeet on Stage 6.

Tiberi lost 32s, the best among the climbers. The Italian sits 8th overall, within range if he can match or beat Evenepoel on the steep ramps. Van Eetvelt, whose explosive acceleration won him the 2024 edition, sits over a minute down.

Stage 3 brings the first-ever summit finish on Jebel Mobrah, a 15 km climb where the final six kilometres average 12% with ramps touching 20%. Evenepoel leads del Toro by 32s. The 15 km climb averages 12% over the final six kilometres, with ramps touching 20%.

Cover image credit: RCS/ Sprint Cycling Agency