Nordhagen finishes eighth on Jebel Mobrah in third stage of the UAE Tour

# Jørgen Nordhagen Claims Eighth Place in Challenging UAE Tour Stage

In the third stage of the UAE Tour, cyclist Jørgen Nordhagen of Team Visma | Lease a Bike secured an impressive eighth place on the grueling ascent of Jebel Mobrah. The stage, which featured a steep summit finish of 14.9 km with an average gradient of 8.6%, saw a dynamic race with early attackers and fierce competition among the general classification contenders.

Teammates Silvan Dillier and Jonas Rickaert initiated the day with an assertive attack, creating a significant gap early on. However, as the race neared its climactic summit, the main contenders began to take charge, reeling in the leading duo.

Reflecting on his race, Nordhagen expressed his satisfaction: “I fought all the way to the top, I’m very happy with the result. I quickly felt that I had good legs. When the real favorites started attacking, I knew I had to stay patient to avoid blowing myself up. That’s what I did. The final part of the climb was incredibly steep; I fought all the way to the top. Finishing eighth gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

Sports director Maarten Wynants commended Nordhagen’s performance, stating, “Jørgen did an excellent job today. The other riders also played a big role in his strong result. It was a very honest climb today – a real wall, like the Angliru on a highway. Extremely tough, but Jørgen is showing great development.”

Despite facing attacks from his rivals, Nordhagen remained resilient, holding his position alongside fellow competitors Wilco Kelderman, Tijmen Graat, and Ben Tulett. While Tulett struggled to keep pace in the latter stages, Nordhagen’s tactical approach paid off as he finished just behind stage winner Antonio Tiberi, who launched a decisive solo attack leading to his victory.

Looking ahead, the Dutch team has circled stage six, featuring another mountain finish, as a crucial point in their strategy. “Jebel Hafeet is a very different type of climb, but with legs like today I’ll do everything I can to secure a top ten overall result there,” Nordhagen stated confidently.

Wynants echoed this optimism, emphasizing the team’s strength: “And with Wilco and Tijmen, we’re still in a strong position as well. We came here with a strong and well-balanced team, which was clear today and should pay off again on Saturday.”

As the UAE Tour progresses over the next few days, all eyes will be on Nordhagen and his teammates as they strive for continued success amid the challenging terrain.