Isaac del Toro took control of the 2026 UAE Tour on Saturday’s penultimate round, earning his second victory of the 8th edition, this time on a summit finish. If the Mexican holds on to the red leader’s jersey, it will be his first WorldTour stage race title. Derek Gee-West was seventh on Jebel Hafeet, keeping his seventh on GC.
Preliminaries
Del Toro was 21 seconds behind race leader Antonio Tiberi. Third place Harold Tejeda had a few chaps like Lennert Van Eetvelt, Felix Gall and Gee-West just behind him looking to grab his final podium spot.
The Course
Jebel Hafeet came at the end of an otherwise flat day. The climb was 10.6 km of 6.9 percent. Past winners on Jebel Hafeet were Tadej Pogacar, Van Eetvelt and Adam Yates.
With 4 km to go and Tejeda and Gall up the road on the climb, Yates’ pace thinned out the favorites group. Del Toro attacked and Tiberi was able to go with him. The Mexican went hard again with 2.5-km to go and Luke Plapp on his way over to the duo. This time the attack shook the Italian loose. Tiberi at first had Plapp to help him, but both the Australian and Gall passed him. Gee-West was in a group with Yates and Van Eetvelt.
A 149-km sprinter’s stage will conclude the eighth version.
2026 UAE Tour, Stage 6
1) Isaac del Toro (Mexico/UAE-Emirates) 3:27:54
2) Luke Plapp (Australia/Jayco-AlUla) +0:12
3) Felix Gall (Austria/Decathlon-CMA) +0:27
7) Derek Gee-West (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +0:36
2026 UAE Tour GC
1) Isaac del Toro (Mexico/UAE-Emirates) 18:13:42
2) Antonio Tiberi (Italy/Bahrain-Victorious) +0:20
3) Luke Plapp (Australia/Jayco-AlUla) +1:14
4) Harold Tejada (Colombia/XDS-Astana) +1:25
7) Derek Gee-West (Canada/Lidl-Trek) +1:47
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