Elisa Longo Borghini crowned inaugural winner of UAE Tour Women

Elisa Longo Borghini of Trek-Segafredo was crowned winner of the inaugural UAE Tour Women after the fourth and final stage finished at Abu Dhabi Breakwater on Sunday.

Although Charlotte Kool of Team DSM claimed the final stage, Borghini was a convincing winner of the first UCI Women's World Tour race in the Middle East.

The Italian rider had on Saturday won the penultimate stage at the summit of Jebel Hafeet, the only mountain stage of the race.

Taking second overall was her Trek-Segafredo teammate Gaia Realini, with the UAE Team ADQ’s Silvia Persico in third.

“I am very happy with this victory at the UAE Tour Women. I am so proud of my team, we showed great togetherness here and are now confident for the rest of the season,” Longo Borghini said.

“This is a success for the whole team and now it is time for some celebrations with all the staff that helped me to achieve it!”

Realini, runner-up in the GC and winner of the Young Rider’s White Jersey, said she was “really happy” about her results in her first race for Trek-Segafredo.

“Today was a fast, fast race and it was very nervous in the last kilometres, but I was able to sit towards the back of the peloton and my teammates were there to look after me,” she said.

Kool, who won the opening stage, took the 119-kilometre race from the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy to Abu Dhabi Breakwater for her second stage victory.

“The sprint was really hectic,” Kool said. “I knew I had to be patient and wait for a gap to open up before I could launch my sprint.

“My team rode brilliantly every day here, I am very happy with our performances over the UAE Tour Women, we showed we are capable of achieving many nice things, and to finish it off like today is just a dream!”

Chiara