Finn Fisher-Black secures Top-10 finish in UAE Tour GC battle

Red Bull BORA-hansgrohe approached the UAE Tour with clear ambitions of securing a stage win and a strong result in the GC. On Stage 1, the team’s strategy focused on maintaining positioning and reading the race as it unfolded in the final stages. New signing Finn Fisher-Black delivered an exceptional performance, securing a solid second place on the opening stage. Stage 2 proved challenging, but Fisher-Black was resilient, maintaining a consistent pace and finishing in the top 10 in the individual time trial. Stage 3 shifted the focus to the Jebel Jais Finale, where the New Zealand rider showcased his versatility, finishing sixth in a fast-paced finale. On Stage 5, Sam Welsford found an opportunity, and thanks to a perfectly timed lead-out, the Australian was ideally positioned in the final stretch. While he narrowly missed out on a podium finish, his efforts emphasised the team’s potential in the fast finishes at the race, staying in the mix during key moments. On the final stage, as the riders ascended Jebel Hafeet, the much-anticipated battle for the GC unfolded. Finn Fisher-Black fought valiantly, but with less than 4 km remaining, he began to lose ground. Ultimately, he crossed the line in seventh place, earning him sixth in the GC and third in the young rider classification.  Finn Fisher-Black: The goal for this race was to back up my performance from the Tour Down Under in Australia and aim for a solid GC finish, along with a stage win. I came close a couple of times, but unfortunately, I couldn’t quite get over the line. In the end, finishing sixth in the GC was the best I could achieve. Given the challenging week and the tough climbs, it wasn’t easy, but I’m happy with the result. The team rode exceptionally well throughout the week. It’s always tough to balance focus between the sprint and climbing stages, but the guys switched seamlessly between them. They gave Sam their full support on the sprint days and helped me during the GC days. I’m incredibly grateful to all of them – it’s been a fantastic few weeks together, from Australia to the UAE. Now, I’m looking forward to getting home, resting, and gearing up for the next block of racing. Shane Archbold, Sports Director:Overall, the week was pretty successful. Our goal was a top five finish in the GC and a stage win. Finishing second on a stage and sixth overall is close to what we set out to achieve, though a slightly better result would’ve been nice. The week started strong, especially with Finn’s second-place finish on the stage and consistent positioning in the GC. After a solid start to the season at the Tour Down Under, he still had good form, but the final climb on the last stage was just a bit too tough for him. That said, I’m happy with sixth overall, and I’m sure Finn is also pleased with his performance. The team worked well together, especially on the final stage, with all the crosswinds. The big guys did a great job putting Finn in a strong position, but he just ran out of legs about four kilometres from the finish. It wasn’t a loss, though, and we’ll take a lot of positives from the past week.  Photo: Getty Sport