"When the best rider in the world keeps you from winning, you have to be satisfied with second" - Oscar Onley best of the rest behind Tadej Pogacar on Jebel Jais
CyclingWednesday, 19 February 2025 at 16:30
Stage 3 of the 2025 UAE Tour saw a daunting summit finish atop Jebel Jais won by the unstoppable Tadej Pogacar as the world champion took his first win of the season. Just behind the Slovenian though, Team Picnic PostNL's Oscar Onley finished best of the rest, showing off some strong early season form.
Onley actually clocked the same time as Pogacar at the line, only losing out to the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader in the final sprint. “The guys did a good job looking after me throughout the stage and keeping morale high on what was a long day," reflected the 22-year-old Scot post-stage, in a press release on Team Picnic PostNL's official website. "I banked on my sprint in the final and managed to pick up second place. I’m feeling good and hopefully can make up some GC time on Sunday.”
In the general classification after three stages, Onley now sits 12th overall, 41 seconds down on race leader Pogacar, but only 18 seconds off the podium. “The guys kept Oscar safe the whole day so he could give it a shot on the last climb. With a lot of control in the peloton it came down to a sprint from quite a big group. Oscar did a really nice effort and was able to grab second place, which is a nice reward," adds Team Picnic PostNL coach Roy Curvers. "Of course, you always want to win but when it needs the best rider in the world to keep you from winning, then you have to be satisfied with second place as well.”
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Stage 3 - 2025 UAE Tour
| 1 | Pogacar Tadej | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 04:36:04 |
| 2 | Onley Oscar | Team Picnic PostNL | + 00 |
| 3 | Gall Felix | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 00 |
| 4 | Van Eetvelt Lennert | Lotto | + 00 |
| 5 | Ciccone Giulio | Lidl-Trek | + 00 |
| 6 | Fisher-Black Finn | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 00 |
| 7 | Romeo Iván | Movistar Team | + 04 |
| 8 | Castrillo Pablo | Movistar Team | + 04 |
| 9 | Riccitello Matthew | Israel-Premier Tech | + 04 |
| 10 | Seixas Paul | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 04 |
| 11 | Langellotti Victor | INEOS Grenadiers | + 04 |
| 12 | Tejada Harold | XDS Astana Team | + 04 |
| 13 | Bilbao Pello | Bahrain Victorious | + 04 |
| 14 | Zwiehoff Ben | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 07 |
| 15 | Steinhauser Georg | EF Education-EasyPost | + 07 |
| 16 | Lecerf Junior | Soudal Quick-Step | + 07 |
| 17 | Rodriguez Carlos | INEOS Grenadiers | + 10 |
| 18 | Storer Michael | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 20 |
| 19 | Kepplinger Rainer | Bahrain Victorious | + 20 |
| 20 | Vine Jay | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 20 |
| 21 | Tarling Joshua | INEOS Grenadiers | + 26 |
| 22 | Carthy Hugh | EF Education-EasyPost | + 28 |
| 23 | Rubio Einer | Movistar Team | + 31 |
| 24 | Debruyne Ramses | Alpecin-Deceuninck | + 33 |
| 25 | Konrad Patrick | Lidl-Trek | + 33 |
| 26 | Chaves Esteban | EF Education-EasyPost | + 42 |
| 27 | Lutsenko Alexey | Israel-Premier Tech | + 44 |
| 28 | Kajamini Florian | XDS Astana Team | + 50 |
| 29 | Pinarello Alessandro | VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè | + 52 |
| 30 | Lemmen Bart | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | + 56 |
| 31 | Barta William | Movistar Team | + 01:02 |
| 32 | Bouchard Geoffrey | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 01:08 |
| 33 | Higuita Sergio | XDS Astana Team | + 01:13 |
| 34 | Palzer Anton | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 01:18 |
| 35 | Træen Torstein | Bahrain Victorious | + 01:19 |
| 36 | Hirt Jan | Israel-Premier Tech | + 01:19 |
| 37 | Quartucci Lorenzo | Solution Tech-Vini Fantini | + 01:24 |
| 38 | Gonzalez Roberto | Solution Tech-Vini Fantini | + 02:00 |
| 39 | Eenkhoorn Pascal | Soudal Quick-Step | + 02:00 |
| 40 | Goossens Kobe | Intermarché-Wanty | + 02:00 |
| 41 | Thompson Reuben | Lotto | + 02:00 |
| 42 | Wilksch Hannes | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 02:00 |
| 43 | Armirail Bruno | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 02:00 |
| 44 | Colleoni Kevin | Intermarché-Wanty | + 02:19 |
| 45 | van der Meulen Max | Bahrain Victorious | + 02:26 |
| 46 | Ghebreigzabhier Amanuel | Lidl-Trek | + 02:43 |
| 47 | Hoole Daan | Lidl-Trek | + 03:01 |
| 48 | Van Der Lee Jardi | EF Education-EasyPost | + 03:40 |
| 49 | Mackellar Alastair | EF Education-EasyPost | + 04:14 |
| 50 | Craps Lars | Lotto | + 04:16 |
| 51 | Kuypers Gerben | Intermarché-Wanty | + 04:35 |
| 52 | Petilli Simone | Intermarché-Wanty | + 04:35 |
| 53 | Castroviejo Jonathan | INEOS Grenadiers | + 04:35 |
| 54 | Kielich Timo | Alpecin-Deceuninck | + 04:42 |
| 55 | Novak Domen | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 05:53 |
| 56 | Leonard Michael | INEOS Grenadiers | + 06:08 |
| 57 | Durbridge Luke | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 06:48 |
| 58 | Côté Pier-André | Israel-Premier Tech | + 06:48 |
| 59 | Swift Ben | INEOS Grenadiers | + 08:15 |
| 60 | Rootkin-Gray Jack | EF Education-EasyPost | + 08:15 |
| 61 | Bissegger Stefan | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 08:15 |
| 62 | Gate Aaron | XDS Astana Team | + 08:15 |
| 63 | Sbaragli Kristian | Solution Tech-Vini Fantini | + 08:15 |
| 64 | Leijnse Enzo | Team Picnic PostNL | + 09:31 |
| 65 | Gregaard Jonas | Lotto | + 10:15 |
| 66 | Pedersen Casper | Soudal Quick-Step | + 10:15 |
| 67 | Edmondson Alex | Team Picnic PostNL | + 10:17 |
| 68 | Mullen Ryan | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 10:17 |
| 69 | Walscheid Max | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 10:17 |
| 70 | Price-Pejtersen Johan | Alpecin-Deceuninck | + 10:17 |
| 71 | Raisberg Nadav | Israel-Premier Tech | + 10:17 |
| 72 | Ghys Robbe | Alpecin-Deceuninck | + 10:17 |
| 73 | Herregodts Rune | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 10:17 |
| 74 | Zijlaard Maikel | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 10:17 |
| 75 | Schelling Ide | XDS Astana Team | + 10:17 |
| 76 | Heiduk Kim | INEOS Grenadiers | + 10:17 |
| 77 | Van der Sande Tosh | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | + 10:51 |
| 78 | Su Haoyu | XDS Astana Team | + 10:53 |
| 79 | Currie Logan | Lotto | + 10:58 |
| 80 | Petit Adrien | Intermarché-Wanty | + 10:58 |
| 81 | Van Hoecke Gijs | Intermarché-Wanty | + 10:58 |
| 82 | Pedersen Rasmus Søjberg | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 10:58 |
| 83 | Froome Chris | Israel-Premier Tech | + 10:58 |
| 84 | Donaldson Robert | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 10:58 |
| 85 | Lund Andresen Tobias | Team Picnic PostNL | + 11:41 |
| 86 | Samudio Carlos | Solution Tech-Vini Fantini | + 11:55 |
| 87 | Rickaert Jonas | Alpecin-Deceuninck | + 12:44 |
| 88 | Gloag Thomas | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | + 12:49 |
| 89 | Bjerg Mikkel | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 12:49 |
| 90 | De Schuyteneer Steffen | Lotto | + 13:07 |
| 91 | Märkl Niklas | Team Picnic PostNL | + 13:07 |
| 92 | Kluckers Arthur | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 14:35 |
| 93 | Moro Manlio | Movistar Team | + 15:07 |
| 94 | Tarozzi Manuele | VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè | + 15:10 |
| 95 | van Poppel Danny | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 15:38 |
| 96 | Maciejuk Filip | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 15:38 |
| 97 | Zanoncello Enrico | VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè | + 15:38 |
| 98 | Fiorelli Filippo | VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè | + 15:38 |
| 99 | Pasqualon Andrea | Bahrain Victorious | + 15:40 |
| 100 | Rajovic Dusan | Solution Tech-Vini Fantini | + 15:40 |
| 101 | Bauhaus Phil | Bahrain Victorious | + 15:40 |
| 102 | Dillier Silvan | Alpecin-Deceuninck | + 15:40 |
| 103 | Philipsen Jasper | Alpecin-Deceuninck | + 15:49 |
| 104 | Van Lerberghe Bert | Soudal Quick-Step | + 15:49 |
| 105 | Consonni Simone | Lidl-Trek | + 15:49 |
| 106 | Theuns Edward | Lidl-Trek | + 15:49 |
| 107 | Thijssen Gerben | Intermarché-Wanty | + 15:55 |
| 108 | Kogut Oded | Israel-Premier Tech | + 15:57 |
| 109 | Cerný Josef | Soudal Quick-Step | + 15:57 |
| 110 | Vermeersch Florian | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 15:57 |
| 111 | Merlier Tim | Soudal Quick-Step | + 15:57 |
| 112 | Fortin Filippo | Solution Tech-Vini Fantini | + 15:57 |
| 113 | Gaviria Fernando | Movistar Team | + 15:57 |
| 114 | Pollefliet Gianluca | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 15:57 |
| 115 | Cimolai Davide | Movistar Team | + 15:57 |
| 116 | Pinazzi Mattia | VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè | + 15:57 |
| 117 | Reinders Elmar | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 15:57 |
| 118 | Skerl Daniel | Bahrain Victorious | + 15:57 |
| 119 | Groenewegen Dylan | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 15:57 |
| 120 | Milan Jonathan | Lidl-Trek | + 15:57 |
| 121 | Jakobsen Fabio | Team Picnic PostNL | + 15:57 |
| 122 | Welsford Sam | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 15:57 |
| 123 | Mezgec Luka | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 15:57 |
| 124 | Behrens Niklas | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | + 15:57 |
| 125 | Bastiaens Ayco | Soudal Quick-Step | + 15:57 |
| 126 | McLay Daniel | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | + 15:57 |
| 127 | Taminiaux Lionel | Lotto | + 15:57 |
| 128 | van den Berg Julius | Team Picnic PostNL | + 17:31 |
| 129 | Biagini Federico | VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè | + 17:31 |
| 130 | Malucelli Matteo | XDS Astana Team | + 22:39 |
| 131 | Djuric Djordje | Solution Tech-Vini Fantini | + 22:39 |
| 132 | de Kleijn Arvid | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 22:39 |
| 133 | Conforti Lorenzo | VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè | + 22:39 |
| 134 | Krieger Alexander | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 22:39 |
| 135 | Kolze Changizi Sebastian | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 23:16 |
What an effort from @OscarOnley who gets up for a great 🥈 place in the sprint amongst the climbers on Jebel Jais 💪🏻#KeepChallenging #UAETour🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/jGVy6JJauq
— Team Picnic PostNL (@picnicpostnl) February 19, 2025
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- There's no reason we can't live in the real world while enjoying the doped up sport.Veganpotter12-04-2025
- Tadej definitely wasn't terribly out of the ordinary as a junior. Just goes to show what great coaching and a proper "supplement" regiment can turn someone into.Veganpotter12-04-2025
- Nice one. Not 100% officially a placebo but in my early days of group training in Mallorca I and another guy were reputed to ride without food (and once I paid the price for it having to be pushed back to base). On one particularly long outing things started getting difficult and the other guy mentioned he could really do with something to eat, one of the jokers offered him a home-wrapped snack, the latest nutritional supplement on the market and he started flying, showing and boasting all the way home how good he was feeling. At dinner, in front of 40 or so of his mates it was then revealed it had simply been a premeditated prank with a cheap doggy biscuit. Don’t know if anyone later ever considered experimenting with dogfood doping, was just happy not to have been selected as the victim.Mistermaumau12-04-2025
- Veganpotter, I’d take that as a compliment, like not knowing how to manufacture a bomb :-)Mistermaumau12-04-2025
- Most of us really overlook the reality of what happens physically when a bike tire goes over cobbles, we are too focused on experience, feeling and intuition to actually look at what should be a microscopic slow-motion analysis. I think it would help many to better imagine what is happening by comparing the situation to differing boat types advancing on wavy waters. You start with typical boats and play around with wave height and amplitude and then you progress onto more advanced designs, motorboats, catamarans, hovercraft, jetskis, gliders on different types of waves. Nce you can eliminate most of the wave and just skim the tops, the wave topography reduces to something minimal, this is the grail of bike design for cobbles, tough because no cobbled sector has exactly the same pattern. Does anyone know if wheel size is UCI regulated or is there a margin?Mistermaumau12-04-2025
- Alsene, I tend to agree but it’s incredibly complicated to calculate who has what advantage in which particular situation as the variables are largely interrelated. As you note, the rolling resistance alone is affected by numerous criteria, all things equal it is easy to change one variable to determine whether the heavier or lighter rider has an advantage, however, when EVERY rider is free to play with ALL variables (tire pressure, bike stiffness, wheel seperation and dozens more), many of the advantages/disadvantages melt into a smaller overall a/d much harder to determine when there is not an enormous weight difference (we have riders from mid 50 - mid 90kg but most are much closer together). In the meantime each team has optimised the set-up for each rider so differences are nowhere near what they used to be 30-40 years ago but obviously there is and always will be some but without highly advanced scientific research (which no-one is likely to provide for free and investing teams will keep for themselves) I feel there is now little point in people like us trying to make any factor or point the determining one, none will ever outweigh the gains from drafting and strategy :-)Mistermaumau12-04-2025
- Firstly, it’s not them, it’s their doctors and consultants and people contacting them trying to sell their wares. Secondly, now that there’s money in the sport, they can afford it, and peddlers see lucrative opportunities to separate them from their earnings, not very complicated to follow, in fact, wasn’t the whole modern thing started by someone having access to an oversized sponsor budget as there was a good marketing alignment of nationalistic and feelgood stories?Mistermaumau12-04-2025
- Yeah, let’s just discuss important matters while the world goes to bits ;-) Enjoy your entertainment but stay responsible!Mistermaumau12-04-2025
- There are the Enhanced Olympics for that, funnily enough, no matter how much money is being promised, it doesn’t seem to be attracting many athletes except a few almost has-beens. In any case, all those in favour should be consuming too, with a disclaimer they won’t seek medical help once things go awry.Mistermaumau12-04-2025
- You have a very limited understanding of physiology if you think PEDs don't work. Some absolutely work better than others but not many will benefit you the moment you take it...methamphetamines being one of the PEDs the can help you right when you take them.Veganpotter12-04-2025