In an electrifying display of speed and skill, Lorena Wiebes from SD Worx-Protime has once again showcased her dominance in women's cycling by clinching her third consecutive victory during stage 3 of the UAE Tour Women. However, this victory was anything but easy, as her competitors pushed her to the very limit, making it one of the most thrilling sprints of the race.
Wiebes, wearing the coveted red jersey, crossed the finish line first at the scenic Abu Dhabi Breakwater, narrowly defeating Lara Gillespie from UAE Team ADQ and Amalie Dideriksen representing Cofidis. While Wiebes remains unbeaten throughout this event, the finish was incredibly close, with Gillespie trailing by less than a bike length—a remarkable feat given Wiebes's established prowess in sprint finishes.
"It’s incredible to kick off the season like this. This is a fantastic start to the year, and we can all be proud of it," stated Wiebes, reflecting on her impressive performance.
How It All Happened
The race unfolded with tension, especially after Marlen Reusser, a key contender for the general classification from Movistar, had to withdraw due to injuries from a crash sustained in stage 2. Without her, the dynamics of the race shifted significantly.
In an attempt to create a breakaway for the intermediate sprint jersey, Sara Luccon from Top Girls Fassa Bortolo and Sonia Rossetti from Vini Fantini-BePink launched their efforts early on; however, they faced stiff competition and were unable to break away during the fast-paced opening hour. Zoe Bäckstedt of UAE Team ADQ seized the first intermediate sprint after 29 kilometers of intense racing, marking a turning point that ultimately allowed a breakaway group to form.
April Tacey from Hitec Products-Fluid Control and Luccon made the initial move, quickly joined by Rossetti, her teammate Gaia Segato, and Elisa De Vallier from Luccon’s team. At the halfway mark of the 121-kilometer stage, this five-rider break had established a lead of 3:09 minutes over the peloton, although this advantage began to dwindle as the race progressed, shrinking to 1:40 minutes as they approached a crucial bridge connecting Abu Dhabi Island to Umm Yifeenah Island with just 45 kilometers left.
Berton, another fierce competitor, initiated her first attack amid crosswinds on the bridge; however, despite not breaking free immediately, her efforts helped to accelerate the pace within the peloton, leading to the eventual capture of the breakaway group just 40 kilometers from the finish line. Berton soon attempted another escape, successfully creating a gap, while Monica Castagna from Top Girls Fassa Bortolo pursued but was caught before reaching her target, just before the intermediate sprint at Qasr al Hosn.
When Berton reached the Qasr al Hosn checkpoint, she was still holding a 1:15 minute lead, but as the kilometers dwindled, her advantage fell to just 22 seconds with only 7 kilometers remaining—signifying that her capture was imminent. Following her capture, Elisa Longo Borghini from UAE Team ADQ took charge, leading the peloton with determination as they neared the finish.
As the final kilometers approached, various teams began to jockey for position. Uno-X Mobility took the lead at the 2-kilometer mark, followed closely by Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto and Movistar, who briefly surged forward before FDJ United-Suez established their lead-out train just before the flamme rouge, with Cofidis joining forces in the final stretch.
Koch set up the sprint for Vittoria Guazzini of FDJ United-Suez, but Wiebes and Gillespie skillfully maneuvered behind her wheel, then surged past as they entered the final 70 meters. Despite Gillespie's effort to draw level with Wiebes, the dominant Dutch sprinter held onto her lead, finishing a half bike length ahead. Dideriksen crossed the line shortly after, securing third place ahead of Nienke Veenhoven from Visma-Lease a Bike and Guazzini.
Results
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