The UAE Tour Women has been nothing short of electrifying, and at the heart of this drama is the unstoppable Lorena Wiebes. But here's where it gets controversial: Is her dominance a testament to her skill, or is the competition simply not rising to the challenge? Let’s dive into the thrilling details of Stage 3, where Wiebes clinched her third consecutive victory, though not without a fierce battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Race leader Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx-Protime demonstrated once again why she’s a force to be reckoned with, sprinting to victory in Stage 3 of the UAE Tour Women. Yet, this win was far from a walk in the park. Rivals Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) and Amalie Dideriksen (Cofidis) pushed her to the limit, making it the closest sprint of the race so far. Wiebes crossed the finish line at the Abu Dhabi Breakwater first, but Gillespie was hot on her heels, finishing less than a bike length behind. And this is the part most people miss: Despite Wiebes’s unblemished record, the narrowing gap between her and her competitors hints at a shifting dynamic in the race.
“It’s amazing to start the season like this,” Wiebes remarked. “It’s a great start to the year, and we can be happy about it.” Her words reflect both her humility and the sheer determination that has defined her performance.
How did we get here? The stage was set early when GC contender Marlen Reusser (Movistar) was forced to withdraw after a crash in Stage 2. Meanwhile, Sara Luccon (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) and Sonia Rossetti (Vini Fantini-BePink) attempted breakaways in their quest for the intermediate sprint jersey, but their efforts were thwarted in a fast-paced first hour. Zoe Bäckstedt (UAE Team ADQ) secured the first intermediate sprint near the Yas Marina Circuit after 29km, finally triggering a breakaway.
April Tacey (Hitec Products-Fluid Control) and Luccon initiated the attack, soon joined by Rossetti, Gaia Segato, and Elisa De Vallier. This quintet built a 3:09-minute lead midway through the 121km stage, but their advantage dwindled to 1:40 minutes as they approached the bridge to Umm Yifeenah Island with 45km remaining. Berton’s bold attack in the crosswinds on the bridge didn’t succeed, but it accelerated the peloton, closing the gap to the breakaway. The escapees were eventually caught 40km from the finish.
Berton tried again, this time successfully breaking away. Monica Castagna (Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) gave chase but couldn’t bridge the gap, getting caught with 25km to go, just before the intermediate sprint at Qasr al Hosn. Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) secured second place in the sprint, claiming the black jersey. Berton’s lead, once 1:15 minutes, shrunk to a mere 22 seconds with 7km left, signaling her inevitable capture.
Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) took charge of the peloton after Berton was reeled in, with Kim Le Court-Pienaar leading the AG Insurance-Soudal train 2.5km from the finish. Uno-X Mobility took over at the 2km mark, followed by Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto and Movistar. FDJ United-Suez launched their lead-out train just before the flamme rouge, with Cofidis joining in the final kilometer.
Koch set up Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ United-Suez), but Wiebes and Gillespie had positioned themselves perfectly on the Italian’s wheel. Gillespie matched Wiebes stride for stride in the final 70 metres, yet the Dutchwoman held on, crossing the line half a bike length ahead. Dideriksen secured third place, just ahead of Nienke Veenhoven (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Guazzini.
Here’s the burning question: Can anyone stop Lorena Wiebes, or will she continue to dominate the UAE Tour Women? As the race heats up, one thing is clear—this is far from over. What do you think? Is Wiebes’s reign unchallengeable, or is there a rival waiting in the wings to dethrone her? Let us know in the comments!
