Isaac Del Toro wrapped up overall victory at the UAE Tour after a controlled final stage in Abu Dhabi, confirming his dominance in the race before Jonathan Milan powered to a third sprint win of the week.

Isaac Del Toro Dominates With Two Stage Wins

He won two stages during the race and ended the tour 20 seconds ahead of Italian Antonio Tiberi, with Australian Luke Plapp almost a minute further back in third.

Milan won the bunch sprint at the end of a 147km run that began and ended in Abu Dhabi, ahead of Norway's Erden Blikra and Australian Sam Welsford.

Del Toro follows Tadej Pogacar on the roll of honor of the Emirati race, with many seeing that as a portent of what is to come in the Grand Tours.

There are plenty of parallels in the two men's development.

Isaac Del Toro Passed The Final Exam In The UAE Tour 2026

With the final 150-kilometer stage expected to end in a bunch sprint, there were no changes in the general classification. That allowed Del Toro of UAE Team Emirates - XRG to secure the biggest stage race victory of his young career, finishing 20 seconds ahead of Antonio Tiberi.

The 22-year-old Mexican had taken control of the race on Jebel Hafeet and never relinquished it. His team rode attentively throughout the closing stage, keeping a close watch on any potential threats. Even when early attacks flew, including a move from Remco Evenepoel during a nervous opening phase, UAE ensured nothing dangerous gained time.

A five-man breakaway was eventually allowed up the road, gaining around a minute. But with sprint teams and Del Toro's squad collaborating in the peloton, the move was always under control. The escapees were caught inside the final two kilometers as the wide roads of Abu Dhabi opened up for the inevitable sprint showdown.

That is where Jonathan Milan took over.

The Italian powerhouse from Lidl-Trek once again proved unbeatable, timing his effort perfectly in the closing meters. Milan used the lead-out of Uno-X Mobility before launching his own sprint, edging Erlend Blikra at the line to claim his third stage victory of the race. Sam Welsford completed the podium on the day.

Behind the sprint fireworks, Del Toro crossed the line safely to confirm overall victory. Lennert Van Eetvelt finished sixth overall at 1 minute 44 seconds, while Evenepoel rounded out the top ten at 2 minutes 25 seconds.

For Del Toro, the week in the Emirates marked a breakthrough. He did not just win a stage. He controlled the race when it mattered most and delivered under pressure. The future of Grand Tour racing may have just taken another step forward.

Remco Evenepoel Struggles On Jebel Hafeet And Jebel Mobrah

Impressive in time trials and in the mountains, as shown by his second place in the last Giro d'Italia, Del Toro also demonstrated an outstanding turn of speed this week in the Emirates, outsprinting the pure sprinters in a punchy opening stage.

Greater tests will lie ahead for him this season, notably in the Tour de France in July, which he is expected to ride for the first time.

It was a considerably less happy week for Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, who was viewed as his main rival when the UAE Tour started in Abu Dhabi.

The Belgian, who joined the Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe team this winter, had set his sights on the win, buoyed by six victories since the start of the year, notably at the Tour of Valencia.

But he struggled on the climbs of Jebel Mobrah on Thursday and Jebel Hafeet on Saturday, and finished 10th overall.

"I lacked freshness," he said. "I've had a bit of a cold and didn't have the same sensations as in Spain."

The double Paris 2024 Olympic champion will now take a month away from competition to recover before the Tour of Catalonia at the end of March.