CHIARA STEPS INTO THE SPRINT GAME WITH 2ND IN UAE

Things didn’t quite click for Chiara Consonni on stage one of the UAE Tour Women, but they very much fell into place thereafter.

Calm amid another day of disorderly sprinting chaos, Chiara navigated the stage two finale with class and composure before laying down the power to claim a satisfying second place.

Zoe Bäckstedt, who took up sprinting duties on stage one and impressed with third, was again sharp in the finale. Finishing just outside the top ten, she retained the white best young rider’s jersey for another day.

Both stages were claimed by the commanding Lorena Wiebes (SDW), and while the Dutch sprint phenom can often streak clear of the field, the depth of the sprinting line-up assembled at the UAE Tour Women remains exceptional.

Against such a rider, finishing second remains a standout result for Chiara, and one she was pleased with.

“Yesterday I didn’t start super good, but in the end Zoe did an amazing job. Today I really wanted to do something, to be more ready and in front. Before the sprint, the team did a really good job. I’m really happy with my first podium of the year.”

Despite a brief touch-down with 22 kilometres remaining, it was an otherwise uneventful 145km stage for the team – no small thing in a race that can often be anything but. Chiara explained:

“Today was really, really long because there was no wind and nothing could happen. Some teams tried to open echelons, but there wasn’t enough wind. The stage was quite boring and long, and in the end every team had the power to do a strong lead-out. The last 5km were chaotic because all the teams were together with six riders and everyone wanted to stay in front. I think we did a really good job, especially from 6 to 3km. Then, when the other teams started the real lead-out, I asked the girls to put me in the best position. I was behind Lorena but gained a lot of positions in the last two corners. Maybe I hesitated a bit before the final sprint started, but I’m happy with the podium.”

The full squad of Neve Bradbury, Tiffany Cromwell, Maria Martins, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, Zoe and Chiara came together strongly in the approach to the final three kilometres. After 16km of racing on a dead-straight, multi-lane highway, the finale hinged on a single-lane bend at 1.2km to go, which funnelled into a narrower road, followed by a similar pinch point with 600m remaining.

Teams were reluctant to burn matches too early, leaving the peloton in a tense deadlock until around 2km to go, when the switch finally flicked and sprint trains fired in earnest. CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto fast finishers – Maria, Zoe and Chiara – all expertly surfed the melee, but were unable to fully come together. As Wiebes and her lead-out rider came past on the right inside the final 300m, a brief hesitation in switching wheels cost Chiara a little speed. However, she was able to quickly find clear space as Wiebes opened her sprint, and held off all challengers to secure runner-up honours.

With one final sprint opportunity awaiting on Saturday’s stage three, Chiara identified a clear focus:

“To be more ready with Tata and Zoe, because we didn’t really do a proper lead-out. We just followed. Maybe we try to be the three of us like this [in a lead-out formation], so I can start my sprint first and try again to do something great.”

Stage three offers a meandering 121km around the Abu Dhabi archipelago and surrounding urban expanses, with wind expected to build as the day progresses. That alone is likely to encourage the highly motivated and opportunistic teams who already tested the waters on stage two, making constant alertness essential.

From there, the sprinters step aside as the general classification contenders take the spotlight on the iconic Jebel Hafeet summit finish of stage four, bringing the 2026 UAE Tour Women to a close.

HOW TO FOLLOW 

Stage 3 | Sat, Feb 7 | Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi Marina | 121.3km | 511m elevation | start: 13:30 – fastest finish: 16:21 GST (13:21 CET).

Stage 4 | Sun, Feb 8 | Al Ain – Jebel Hafeet | 156.5km | 1175m elevation | start: 12:25 – fastest finish: 16:17 GST (13:17 CET).

The UAE Tour Women will be broadcast live on TNT Sports, Eurosport, Discovery+, FloBikes and SBS Sport from 11:45 CET onwards every day. You can also follow the race on X using #UAETourWomen and #UCIWWT, as well as through the CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto social channels.