"It was definitely a bit harder to win this year": Elisa Longo Borghini delivers perfect home victory for UAE
Cycling
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.
Delivering under pressure
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."
Longo Borghini has 58 professional wins
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."
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
claps 2visitors 2
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- He lives in Monaco
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - It's also highly significant for Lorenzo Finn as he won there last year. Also Mateo Ramírez and Henrique Bravo if they goRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- This is a phenomenal course design. I do wish that they'd stretch these tours for the women to at least 2 weeks.RidesHills03-11-2026
- This is an amazing route, honestly. Let's hope that it attracts riders to make it a compelling and competitive race. Side bar amusement: going to Slovenia and passing pretty close to Pogačar's house. I wonder if they were tempting him to get all 3 jerseys at once after winning the Tour and Vuelta. After all, only a very few have ever had all three at the same time (Froome being the last).RidesHills03-11-2026
- He was a child two years agoRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route aswell. Col d'Arpy is a toughieRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horrible. Montaner is also used in the U23s, in Giro del BelvedereRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- I remember when Mark went through that. He was really experiencing lows and thought about quiting many times. It took him a long time to recover. I, like many others were overjoyed when he came back. I hope Lafay has been tested. I wish him the best.Paggss03-11-2026
- That sucks for him. I've always wondered what guys like him do after retiring from cycling - go back to uni? He's still a very young manCrashjames03-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment