Feb 12, 2023 Press conference

Longo Borghini seals historic UAE Tour Women win after Kool sprints to victory

(©Sprint Cycling Agency)

Abu Dhabi Breakwater, 12 February 2023 – Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) made history today by becoming the first-ever winner of the 2023 UAE Tour Women after Charlotte Kool had sprinted to victory on the fourth and final stage.

Longo Borghini took control of the Red Jersey by winning yesterday’s mountain stage on top of Jebel Hafeet, and made it safely around the 119km trek from Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy to Abu Dhabi Breakwater to seal her first race win of the season.

The Presight AI Stage belonged to Charlotte Kool (Team DSM) though, who timed her sprint to perfection to claim her second stage win in the space of four days and the Green Jersey, crossing the line ahead of Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ) and Stage 2 winner Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx).

Also celebrating on Sunday were Gaia Realini, who finished second in the overall standings, seven seconds behind her teammate Longo Borghini, to claim the White Jersey, and Canyon//SRAM Racing rider Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka, who won the Black Jersey.

(©UAE Tour Women)

(©Sprint Cycling Agency)

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo)
2 – Gaia Realini (Trek-Segafredo) at 7″
3 – Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) at 1’18”

OFFICIAL JERSEYS

Red Jersey, General Classification. Sponsor: Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Academy
– Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo)
Green Jersey, Points Classification. Sponsor: Bike Abu Dhabi – Charlotte Kool (Team DSM)
White Jersey, Young Rider Classification. Sponsor: Abu Dhabi 360 – Gaia Realini (Trek-Segafredo)
Black Jersey, Intermediate Sprint Classification. Sponsor: Experience Abu Dhabi –Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Canyon//Sram Racing)

STAGE RESULT
1 – Charlotte Kool (Team DSM), 119km in 2h57’55”, average speed 40.131km/h
2 – Chiara Consonni (UAE Team ADQ) s.t.
3 – Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx) s.t.

(©Sprint Cycling Agency)

Speaking immediately after being presented with the Red Jersey and race winner’s trophy on the podium, Elisa Longo Borghini said: “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. 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!”

Second-placed on the General Classification and White Jersey winner, Gaia Realini, said: “I’m really happy to have finished second and won the White Jersey in my 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.”

Third-placed on the General Classification, Silvia Persico: “To get on the GC podium at the UAE Tour Women is a great result for me. I am happy with that and with the performance of my team. I think we rode well every stage and I want to thank all my teammates and staff that helped me get this result. Now I am very confident for the rest of the season that has just started”.

H.E Aref Al Awani, General Secretary Of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, H.E. Amal Al-Afifi, Board Member of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Kholoud Al Zaheri, Board Member of the UAE Cycling Federation, Nouf Al Ali Director of Community Sports and Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight.AI (©LaPresse)

Stage 4 winner, and winner of the Green Jersey Charlotte Kool said: “The sprint was really hectic. 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!”

Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight.AI awerded Stage 4 winner Charlotte Kool (©Sprint Cycling Agency)

Winner of the Black Jersey for the Intermediate Sprint competition, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka, said: “I’m delighted to have ended the race in the Black Jersey and it’s the first one I have won at WorldTour level. I’ve really enjoyed this race and the weather has been really good, so I am very happy with how things played out.”

(©LaPresse)

UAE TOUR APP
Download the official UAE Tour App now and stay updated on the race, riders’ timings and everything that’s happening during the stage:
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UAE TOUR PRESS ROOM
The media can download high resolution pictures of the race from the official online pressroom. In order to download the pictures, just go to http://pressroom.rcssport.it/ (username: press / password: press), select “Media”, then “Cycling”, then “UAE Tour”. The photos are free of charge for editorial use, as long as both the UAE Tour and the photographer’s name are credited.