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Dutch cyclist Lorena Wiebes continued her commanding performance at the fourth edition of the UAE Tour for Women 2026, sponsored by AD Ports Group, after securing victory in stage three. The race, which is the only event in the Middle East on the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar, saw Wiebes claim her third consecutive stage win in the penultimate leg of the competition held in Abu Dhabi.
The third stage, branded as the TeamLab Phenomena stage, started from TeamLab Phenomena on Saadiyat Island, passed through key landmarks in the capital, and finished at the breakwater on Abu Dhabi Corniche. Wiebes, representing SD Worx team, completed the 121-kilometer route in two hours, 48 minutes, and 37 seconds, maintaining an average speed of 43.056 kilometers per hour, according to official race results.
Wiebes Extends Lead in UAE Tour for Women
The Dutch champion finished ahead of Ireland’s Lara Gillespie from UAE Team ADQ, who placed second, while Denmark’s Amalie Dideriksen of Cofidis secured third place. Following the stage conclusion, Wiebes extended her overall lead to 18 seconds over Gillespie, with Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt from Canyon-SRAM ZONDAcrypto sitting third, 23 seconds behind the leader.
The impressive victory allowed Wiebes to retain both the red jersey, sponsored by AD Ports Group for the general classification leader, and the green jersey, sponsored by Mubadala for the points classification leader. Meanwhile, Bäckstedt maintained her white jersey as the best young rider, sponsored by Burjeel Holdings, while Franziska Koch from FDG United Swiss won the intermediate sprint classification sponsored by Aldar.
Competitive Field Challenges Dutch Champion
Despite strong challenges from rival teams throughout the stage, Wiebes and her SD Worx squad managed to control the race effectively. The women’s cycling competition witnessed numerous attacks from competing teams attempting to break the Dutch rider’s winning streak in this prestigious Middle East cycling event.
In a statement after the race, Wiebes acknowledged the difficulty of the stage, noting that many teams tried to overcome her team’s dominance. She praised her teammates for their exceptional performance in defending against attacks throughout the day, describing the finale as fast and chaotic but expressing satisfaction with achieving three consecutive victories at the start of the season.
Final Mountain Stage to Determine Overall Winner
The stage launch was attended by several dignitaries, including Aref Hamad Al Awani, Secretary General of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Assistant Secretary General of Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Additionally, officials from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and other government entities witnessed the start of the race.
The jersey presentations featured prominent figures from various Abu Dhabi government entities and partner organizations, highlighting the significant institutional support for women’s professional cycling in the United Arab Emirates. The event continues to showcase Abu Dhabi’s commitment to hosting world-class sporting competitions and promoting women’s sports in the region.
However, Wiebes cautioned that tomorrow’s final stage would present a strong challenge, as the competition shifts to a mountain route. The decisive fourth and final stage will take place in Al Ain on Sunday, starting from Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium and finishing at the summit of Jebel Hafeet, passing through the city’s most beautiful landmarks and locations.
The mountain stage to Jebel Hafeet is expected to determine the final winner of the 2026 UAE Tour for Women, potentially reshuffling the general classification standings. While Wiebes currently holds a comfortable lead, the challenging climb could provide opportunities for rivals to close the gap or potentially overtake the Dutch champion in the overall standings.
