UAE Tour: Isaac del Toro Seizes Overall Lead with Commanding Jebel Hafeet Victory

UAE - Ekhbary News Agency

UAE Tour: Isaac del Toro Seizes Overall Lead with Commanding Jebel Hafeet Victory

In a breathtaking display of climbing prowess, Isaac del Toro of UAE Team Emirates-XRG claimed a sensational solo victory on Stage 6 of the UAE Tour, ascending to the general classification lead after a dramatic summit finish on Jebel Hafeet. The young Mexican's audacious attack in the final kilometers proved decisive, leaving rival Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) struggling and ultimately surrendering the red jersey.

The 168-kilometer stage, starting from Al Ain Museum, was largely pan-flat before culminating in the formidable Jebel Hafeet climb – a 10.6km ascent averaging 6.9%. It was on these gradients that del Toro unleashed his winning move, launching a powerful acceleration with 2.5km remaining that Tiberi, who had held the race lead, simply could not match. As del Toro powered towards the finish, Tiberi visibly faded, eventually crossing the line in fourth place, 31 seconds adrift. This significant time loss saw him drop from first to second in the overall standings. Meanwhile, Luke Plapp (Jayco-AlUla) and Felix Gall (Decathlon-CMA CGM) capitalized on Tiberi's struggles, passing him in the closing meters to secure second and third place on the stage podium, respectively.

Del Toro now commands a 20-second advantage over Tiberi in the general classification, having not only erased a 21-second deficit but also built a comfortable cushion ahead of the final sprint stage. Plapp sits in third overall, 1:14 down. Reflecting on his crucial attack, a jubilant del Toro commented, "This is just a mentality game, that you can be confident enough to keep trying and, of course, if one time it doesn't work, you still need to have it in your head that you're able to do it. Today, we were not confident that we will win, but we had the mentality that we would work for it. I needed to keep going until the line. When I saw the gap, I tried to believe and increase the gap as much as I can." He further described the victory as one of the top three of his career, emphasizing the special feeling of winning with his team, and highlighting the need to "believe more in myself day by day."

Stage 6 was widely considered the final opportunity for GC contenders to make a significant impact, making del Toro's performance all the more critical. The early phase of the stage saw numerous unsuccessful attempts to form a breakaway before a strong group of nine riders eventually established a lead with approximately 130km remaining. This group included notable names like Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon-CMA CGM), Axel Huens, Johan Jacobs (Groupama-FDJ United), Josh Tarling, Peter Øxenberg (Ineos Grenadiers), Mark Stewart (Modern Adventure), Alessandro Romele (XDS-Astana), Mattia Gaffuri (Picnic-PostNL), and Owain Doull (Visma-Lease a Bike). Despite their efforts, teams like UAE, Lotto-Intermarché, and Bahrain Victorious meticulously managed the peloton, ensuring the breakaway's advantage never extended beyond two minutes.

As the race approached the base of Jebel Hafeet, the peloton accelerated, with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe taking charge. The breakaway's lead dwindled rapidly on the initial slopes. Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers briefly set a blistering pace at the front of the remnants of the break, shedding several riders before being caught. Decathlon-CMA CGM then took over the peloton's lead, significantly reducing the main group to around 15 contenders. An attack by Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) with 6km to go proved short-lived, as he was quickly distanced. Felix Gall and Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana) launched a counter-move, but it was del Toro's subsequent surge 4km from the summit that truly fractured the race. Initially isolating himself with Tiberi, del Toro then delivered his devastating final blow, securing a memorable win that reshapes the UAE Tour's general classification heading into the concluding stage.

Ekhbary News Agency