Tiberi Takes Third on UAE Tour Opener

# Tiberi Shines with Third-Place Finish in UAE Tour Opener

Antonio Tiberi made waves on the opening stage of the UAE Tour, clinching a commendable third place behind Isaac Del Toro of UAE Team Emirates and Cees Bol from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. Originally planned as a 144 km stage starting in Madinat Zayed Majlis, the race was shortened to 118 km due to adverse weather conditions, specifically strong winds, leading to the removal of two laps from the circuit prior to the uphill sprint to Liwa Palace.

Unlike the previous year’s edition, which saw sprinters dominate with Jonathan Milan of Lidl-Trek taking victory, this year brought the general classification contenders into the spotlight. Tiberi found himself in the thick of the action despite a crash occurring roughly 1 km from the finish line.

Del Toro made a bold move with 400 meters remaining, prompting Tiberi to respond instantly, fighting fiercely for victory until the very end.

In a post-race reflection, Tiberi shared his surprise at his podium finish, stating, “I’m really surprised because I didn’t expect to fight for the podium today. The sensations were good right from the start. It was a really fast race with a tailwind from the beginning, and they also shortened the stage slightly.”

He continued, “In the final, my objective was just to stay as far forward as possible to avoid crashes and potential gaps. In the last kilometre, I saw it was all straight and uphill, which made it really hard. I was in fifth position and my legs felt good, so I decided to go full gas for the stage. Maybe it would have been better to follow Del Toro, but you need a really strong effort in the last 400 metres. In the end, I finished third and I’m super happy.”

The 2026 UAE Tour continues to showcase intense competition, setting the stage for more thrilling stages ahead.