Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious secured his first WorldTour victory and the overall lead at the UAE Tour, winning stage 3 atop the newly introduced Jebel Mobrah climb on Wednesday. The Italian rider finished 15 seconds ahead of Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), even as Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Intermarché) completed the podium, 29 seconds back. The stage, spanning 183 kilometers from Umm al Quwain, featured a grueling ascent of Jebel Mobrah, with the final 6.8 kilometers averaging a challenging 12% gradient. Tiberi launched his decisive attack with 4 kilometers remaining, distancing himself from a chasing group that included del Toro and ultimately holding on for the stage win and the Red Jersey. The result dramatically reshaped the general classification. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who had been in contention, struggled on the steep slopes of Jebel Mobrah, finishing 2 minutes and 3 seconds behind Tiberi and relinquishing the race lead. Tiberi now leads del Toro by 21 seconds, with Harold Tejada (XDS Astana Team) in third, 1 minute behind. Lennert Van Eetvelt and Luke Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla) round out the provisional top five. “I was dreaming of this win since I became a pro,” Tiberi said following the stage. “Now, finally, it arrived after the beginning of the season was really good; the feeling was good from the first race. I was waiting for this day, and today, finally, the day arrives.” The UAE Tour route, unveiled prior to the race, includes two summit finishes – Jebel Mobrah and Jebel Hafeet – and a 12.2-kilometer individual time trial. Jebel Hafeet, traditionally the toughest climb in the race, now shares that distinction with the more punishing gradients of Jebel Mobrah. Stage 2, a 12.2km individual time trial on the island of Al Hudayriyat, will test riders’ abilities against the clock. The race began Monday with a flat 144km stage from Madinat Zayed Majlis to Liwa Palace, designed to favor sprinters. Tuesday’s stage was a flat individual time trial. Stage 4 on Thursday will grab riders through the mountainous region of Fujairah, traversing the desert landscapes of the Hajar Mountains. The remaining stages include a flat stretch in Dubai, a climb to Jebel Hafeet on Saturday, and a final flat stage to Abu Dhabi Breakwater on Sunday. The 2026 UAE Tour runs from February 16th to February 22nd, with the women’s edition taking place from February 5th to February 8th.
