One of the best climbers in the world, but Luke Plapp still faces frequent obstacles - "It's about the consistency and putting it together"

Ever since Luke Plapp turned pro in 2022, it was clear that the peloton was witnessing a great climber. Under the radar, the Team Jayco AlUla rider has come close to winning on Jebel Hafeet - where Isaac del Toro and Antonio Tiberi battled for the UAE Tour win - however his top level is rarely seen. He explains why.

2026 in itself is a good example of Plapp's situation. Whilst looking the strongest, his tactics at the Australian national championships were questionable, as he attacked in the finale to catch his teammate Luke Durbridge, and dragged rival and eventual winner Pattrick Eddy to the line. At the Tour Down Under he was one of the big favourites but was nowhere to be seen on the stage to Uraidla; whilst the stage of Old Willunga Hill was cut. At the Muscat Classic he was again very strong, but worked towards teammate Mauro Schmid's win.

At the Tour of Oman he certainly had a chance to succeed. He finished third in the queen stage to Green Mountain, but ended the race without a GC result after having lost time in the previous days. A whole lot of potential but not many results to show for, with the Australian having a very packed season start.

At the UAE Tour he finally managed to put things together and net a spot on the final podium. "I sort of knew I had these legs, and it's just a bit of bad luck throughout the whole time, like in Oman I had a crash and a puncture on the days where I needed to stay on GC," Plapp shared in words to Cyclingnews.

"So I knew I had the legs, I just hadn't been able to show it and put it together over a whole week so far this year. It was really nice to get to yesterday's stage with the GC boys, and then actually be able to have a climb where it meant something for the overall. Super happy, proud, and surprised myself a bit too. It was a perfect stage."

Plapp was sixth in the race's time-trial which boosted him up the GC significantly and then a tenth place at the queen stage to Jebel Mobrah saw him hold on to the Top5. At Jebel Hafeet, he was the first rider to bridge across to Isaac del Toro and Antonio Tiberi after the first big attack; and later on rode to second on the stage only behind the Mexican.

"I've had two to three months in Australia in the summer heat, and the Europeans obviously don't have as much heat preparation, so especially when it's hot, I really feel like that brings me up, or I don't suffer in the heat at all compared to them," he belives.

By this time he expected such a result, as he has been racing non-stop since early January, and is the single most rider with the most UCI race days so far this season. "It might take a couple of per cent off, so it allows me to be right up there. I've done 20 race days, so fast, I'm almost halfway through the season and really almost peaking a lot. Compared to 2023, I think this race was a lot stronger field, a lot more depth, and the quality of power and the riding we've done the whole week's been a lot higher, so I'm really pleased with how the week's gone."

But the UAE Tour is also a perfect fit since the two mountain stages only consisted of one major effort. "I know the power has been there; it's about the consistency and putting it together, and I think that's the biggest goal for this year. Even at the Tour mountain TT last year, I know my 20-30 minute power on a one-out effort is up there with everyone, it's about doing it consistently over a whole race".

Plapp is an interesting case of a world-class climber, but one who struggles on multiple-climb stages or stage-races. Last year's Tour de France being a prime example perhaps, as he was absent from the action throughout almost the entire three weeks; but was fifth in the mountain time trial in Peyragudes, only 2 seconds behind podium finisher Florian Lipowitz. Consistency is difficult to reach for some riders, but the 25-year old has that as a big goal for this upcoming season.

"I'll be trying to put it together for a one-week stage race and then hopefully as well, in a Grand Tour, showing that consistency throughout the whole weekend and being able to use my power for when it counts on me, so I am there on GC, and it's not just hunting for stages."