Preview stage 5 AlUla Tour 2026 - Tudor GC win? Higuita rolling back the years? Or will UAE turn the race around?
Cycling
Stage 5 of the AlUla Tour will be taking place on the 31st of January, with an estimated start and finish time at 10:40 and 14:15CET. The queen stage of the race will feature a brutally steep climb close to the finish where the overall classification can still be turned on its head - and there are several riders capable of doing it.
The queen stage is the now-famous finale into Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid. This is a stage that is almost completely flat, until the riders face an absolute 'wall' in the desert.
The final ascent, which ends with 8.5 kilometers to go, is 2.9 kilometers long at 12%, and features gradients up to 20%. This climb is made even harder by the fact that it is ridden in a wide road and fully exposed to the desert sun. The flat finale opens up possibilities of there being some tactical racing before the riders reach the finish line.
Yannis Voisard won the hilltop finish on the previous stage however that was a very different effort, more explosive and a climb on a straightforward desert road. A lot of riders misjudged their effort, and I believe we will see a completely different situation on this final ascent on the final day. The climb is also so incredibly steep that every rider should be doing a time trial up it, and then in the final kilometers work with whatever group they are closest to.
Yannis Voisard's race will be at risk if he has riders with or ahead of him after the summit, but that is likely. Afonso Eulálio is the main contender to take the jersey from him likely, but with the gaps being small, late attacks can prove to be deadly for the GC. Riders like Paul Double and Eddie Dunbar who have not performed thus far could bounce back also and take advantage of their non-GC position, whilst I believe Jan Christen and UAE as a whole can perform much better if they don't go on suicidal attacks.
Stage 5: AlUla Old Town - Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid
AlUla Old Town - Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid, 163.9 kilometers
Prediction AlUla Tour 2026 stage 5:
*** Jan Christen, Afonso Eulálio
** Sergio Higuita, Igor Arrieta, Yannis Voisard
* Gianmarco Garofoli, Mauri Vansevenant, Henok Mulubrhan, Bjorn Koerdt, Byron Munton, Kevin Vermaerke, Alan Hatherly, Paul Double, Eddie Dunbar
** Sergio Higuita, Igor Arrieta, Yannis Voisard
* Gianmarco Garofoli, Mauri Vansevenant, Henok Mulubrhan, Bjorn Koerdt, Byron Munton, Kevin Vermaerke, Alan Hatherly, Paul Double, Eddie Dunbar
Pick: Jan Christen
How: Small group sprint.
Original: Rúben Silva
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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