"It was definitely a bit harder to win this year": Elisa Longo Borghini delivers perfect home victory for UAE

For the second consecutive year, Elisa Longo Borghini has secured the overall victory at the UAE Tour Women for her team. This triumph marks the third time in her career that Longo Borghini has claimed the general classification at this event. It was one of the team's earliest objectives in the season, and she didn't disappoint, beating important riders such as Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Kim Le Court or Monica Trinca Colonel.

She had to wait for the final stage to leave her mark, as the first three stages were completely flat, all of them won by no other than Lorena Wiebes, who is proving once again that there is no sprinter matching her power.

Crossing the finish line solo, Longo Borghini secured both the stage win and the overall title. Speaking after the podium ceremony, she acknowledged the weight of winning the team's home race.

"This is an important victory for me and for the entire UAE Team ADQ, because we are racing at home, in front of our team and our most important sponsors," she explained in an official statement shared by the team. "We know how much this race means to them."

Interestingly, the Italian revealed that her path to victory was different from her previous success. Unlike the previous season, where she arrived peaking in condition, her preparation for 2026 was more measured.

"Last year I arrived here in top form, while this winter I took a more relaxed approach and wasn’t completely sure about my condition," Longo Borghini admitted. "I knew I had worked well, but the race was the real test."

Despite the uncertainty, the outcome remained the same, proving her class once again. "I think I delivered a solid performance and was able to produce good power on the climb. It was definitely a bit harder to win this year, but I really enjoyed it and it was great to win again."