UAE Tour Women: Jebel Hafeet delivers again as Longo Borghini claims emotional GC win

UAE Tour Women: Jebel Hafeet delivers again as Longo Borghini claims emotional GC win

The Italian waited for Niewiadoma and Trinca Colonel to burn their matches before striking on the final half of the climb, flipping the GC from sprinter Lorena Wiebes to confirm UAE Team ADQ's dominance on home soil.

By Peter Stuart · · 3 min read

Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) won the summit finish on Jebel Hafeet to claim both Stage 4 and the overall title at the UAE Tour Women, her third victory at the Middle East's only Women's WorldTour race.

A late solo attack inside of the final 4km of the 10 km climb dropped Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) and took the red jersey from sprinter Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), who had led the GC through the opening three flat stages.

The new race format, which repositioned Jebel Hafeet as the finale rather than the penultimate stage, kept the overall classification open until the final hour. UAE Team ADQ and Canyon//SRAM controlled the 145 km desert approach, suppressing breakaways and keeping the peloton intact to the base of the climb.

Once the road tilted upward at Green Mubazzarah, the race split instantly. Wiebes was distanced from the opening kilometres.

Results

Al Ain Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium - Jebel Hafeet • Feb 8 • 156km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Elisa Longo Borghini
UAE TEAM ADQ 4:13:04
🥈
Monica Trinca Colonel
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+0:12
🥉
Femke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+0:14
4
Mary Patricia Kimberley le Court de Billot - Pienaar
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+0:57
5
Katarzyna Anna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+0:59
6
Eleonora Ciabocco
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+1:15
7
Niamh Fisher-Black
Unknown+1:19
8
Steffi Häberlin
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:35
9
Justine Ghekiere
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+1:37
10
Juliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+1:38
11
Nikola Nosková
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+1:42
12
Eva van Agt
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+2:17
13
Pfeiffer Georgi
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:23
14
Silvia Persico
UAE TEAM ADQ+2:25
15
Aude Biannic
MOVISTAR TEAM+2:27
16
Lieke Nooijen
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+2:29
17
Zoe Backstedt
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+2:57
18
Neve Summer Bradbury
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+3:22
19
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+3:22
20
Emilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+3:34
21
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+3:36
22
Axelle Dubau
Unknown+3:36
23
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+3:49
24
Gaia Segato
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+3:49
25
Katrine Aalerud
UNO-X MOBILITY+4:35
26
Franziska Koch
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+4:55
27
Nina Berton
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+4:55
28
Quinty Schoens
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+4:55
29
Chiara Reghini
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+4:59
30
Francesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+5:57
31
Linda Laporta
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+6:43
32
Sofia Arici
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+6:43
33
Marthe Goossens
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+6:46
34
Tiffany Cromwell
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+7:08
35
Margot Vanpachtenbeke
LIDL - TREK+7:08
36
Lauretta Hanson
LIDL - TREK+7:08
37
Megan Arens
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+7:08
38
Jeanne Korevaar
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+7:45
39
Petra Stiasny
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+7:45
40
Sophie von Berswordt
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+7:55
41
Vittoria Guazzini
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+7:57
42
Alicia Gonzalez Blanco
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+7:57
43
Kamilla Aasebø
UNO-X MOBILITY+7:57
44
Amalie Dideriksen
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+8:06
45
Monica Castagna
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+8:20
46
Ilse Pluimers
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+8:20
47
Mari Hole Mohr
HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL+8:26
48
Magdalene Lind
HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL+8:26
49
Christina Schweinberger
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+8:30
50
Quinty Ton
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+8:33
51
Noa Jansen
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+8:46
52
Matilde Vitillo
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+8:46
53
Marthe Truyen
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+8:46
54
Lorena Wiebes
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+8:46
55
Victorie Guilman
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+8:46
56
Arlenis Sierra Canadilla
MOVISTAR TEAM+8:46
57
Femke Markus
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+8:59
58
Caroline Wreszin
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+10:17
59
Elisa de Vallier
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+10:31
60
Eglantine Rayer Girault
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+10:31
61
Laura Lizette Sander
HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL+11:05
62
Floortje Mackaij
MOVISTAR TEAM+11:08
63
Maggie Coles-Lyster
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+11:08
64
Susanne Andersen
UNO-X MOBILITY+11:08
65
Karlijn Swinkels
UAE TEAM ADQ+11:08
66
Linda Zanetti
UNO-X MOBILITY+11:08
67
Babette van der Wolf
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+11:30
68
Gladys Verhulst Wild
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+11:41
69
Elyne Roussel
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+11:41
70
Alexis Magner
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+11:41
71
Daniek Hengeveld
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+11:41
72
Laura Tomasi
UNO-X MOBILITY+11:41
73
Rachele Barbieri
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+11:41
74
Martina Alzini
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+11:41
75
Margaux Vigie
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+11:41
76
Alexandra Grace Manly
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+11:41
77
Karolina Kumiega
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+12:17
78
Alison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+12:17
79
Georgia Baker
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+12:17
80
Silvia Zanardi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+12:17
81
Jade Wiel
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+12:43
82
Misia Belotti
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+12:43
83
Andrea Casagranda
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+12:43
84
Charlotte Kool
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+12:46
85
Emma Cecilie Norsgaard Bjerg
LIDL - TREK+13:38
86
Sonia Rossetti
VINI FANTINI - BEPINK+14:18
87
Evy Kuijpers
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+14:46
88
Chiara Consonni
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+14:46
89
Carys Lloyd
MOVISTAR TEAM+14:58
90
Lara Gillespie
UAE TEAM ADQ+16:23
91
Mia Griffin
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+16:23
92
Nienke Veenhoven
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+16:23
93
April Tacey
HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL+16:23
94
Elynor Backstedt
UAE TEAM ADQ+16:23
95
Anniina Ahtosalo
UNO-X MOBILITY+16:23
96
Mylene de Zoete
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+16:23
97
Sara Luccon
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+16:23
98
Marta Pavesi
TOP GIRLS FASSA BORTOLO+16:23
99
Elena Cecchini
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+16:23
100
Scarlett Souren
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+16:23
101
Barbara Guarischi
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+16:23
102
Martina Fidanza
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+16:23
103
Kristýna Burlová
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+16:23
104
Marion Borras
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+16:23
105
Alexandra Volstad
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+16:23
106
Daria Pikulik
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+17:05
107
Aidi Gerde Tuisk
HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL+17:13
108
Amber van der Hulst
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+17:50
109
Meis Poland
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+17:50
110
Robyn Clay
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+20:11
111
Maria Martins
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+22:02

Decisive moves on the upper slopes

Elisa Longo Borghini making her decisive move on the slopes of Jebel Hafeet

Photo credit: RCS/Luca Bettini/SprintCyclingAgency

A selection of six GC contenders formed, including Niewiadoma, Longo Borghini and Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv AlUla Jayco). Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx–Protime) abandoned ahead of the stage start, with the team citing a throat infection, so was not in contention on today's ascent. With 3.7 km remaining, Longo Borghini accelerated. Niewiadoma followed initially, but a second surge at within the final 3km opened a gap the Polish rider could not close.

Niewiadoma subsequently faded, caught and passed by both Trinca Colonel and Femke de Vries (Visma-Lease a Bike), dropping from second wheel to fifth on the stage.

"They started attacking, and I like to play, so I went into the game," Longo Borghini said after the stage. "I stayed calm and chill until I saw them pretty tired, then I did one attack. I saw Kasia following me, and when I saw she looked a bit tired, I went again and could drop her."

The Italian admitted her form was less certain than in 2025. "We came here not sure about my shape because we took it a little bit easier this winter, and it was a bit harder to win this year compared to last year," she said.

Longo Borghini added that the stage had a significant emotional resonance for her: "This climb reminds me one friend I lost last year," she said. "This victory goes to him".

Trinca Colonel's second place on the stage secured the overall runner-up spot for Liv AlUla Jayco. De Vries completed the podium in both the stage and GC after riding a more conservative pace on the lower slopes. Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal) finished fourth.

Longo Borghini's third title extends her record on Jebel Hafeet, where she has taken each of her UAE Tour Women overall wins.

She has won every edition of UAE Tour Women aside from the 2024 edition which was won by Lotte Kopecky.

Cover image credit: RCS/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.