photo credits @ Al Ula Tour
The final stage of the 2025 AlUla Tour had all the ingredients to worry the GC contenders with strong winds blowing over the twisty course around the Camel Cup Track but Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) again showed his impressive shape never being trapped in an echelon. The British rider made it in the first group to the line capturing the overall victory. Pidcock wins his first-ever elite stage race ahead of Fredrik Dversnes and Johannes Kulset (both of Uno X Mobility). It was a perfect day for the Q36.5 squad with Matteo Moschetti sprinting to victory in this last stage and beating Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco AlUla) and Juan-Sebastian Molano (UAE XRG) to the line.
When they woke up this morning and looked out of their windows, the GC contenders and especially Green Jersey Tom Pidcock knew that they would have a very busy and eventful day. The wind was indeed on the menu of their fifth and final stage, and with the many changes in direction, echelons were bound to happen. The wind was also in all the conversations as the riders gathered at the AlUla Camel Cup track, the start of this last stage. And straight from the beginning, the 115 remaining riders had to battle their way to the front of the peloton.
HATHERLY IN A SECOND ECHELON
The first breakaway attempt occurred at km 13 when Mikkel Bjerg (UAE XRG) and Aivaras Mikutis (Tudor) powered away. They enjoyed a 1’30” lead when the pace picked up dramatically in the pack and the wind started having its effect. Indeed at km 25, the pack broke up into several groups with 29 men in the first group including the likes of Green Jersey Pidcock, his main rival Rainer Kepplinger (TBV) but also Tim Merlier (Soudal Quickstep), Alexander Kristoff (Uno X Mobility) but not second man overall Alan Hatherly (Jayco AlUla), his team-mate Dylan Groenewegen or White jersey, Johannes Kulset (Uno X).
FOUR ESCAPEES
At km 39, the front two riders were caught. At the first Intermediate Active sprint won by Mikutis (Q36), the gap between the two main groups had reached 35”. The battle continued when Rainer Kepplinger suffered a puncture at km 55, dropping out of the leading group. The second Active sprint was later won by Liepins (Q36) as the gap had slightly dropped. Eventually, the situation settled down and the pack bunched up together again at km 79. Shortly after, at km 90, four men gave it a go at the front: Uriarte (EKP), Garibbo (JCL), Bregnhoj (TSG) and Desal (WB2). Not too concerned by this breakaway, the pack let the escapees pull away. At km 105, they could enjoy a lead of 1’10.
ECHELONS PART 2
A right turn made the situation change again as the strongest riders of the peloton made the best of the crosswind. This time Rainer Kepplinger and Alan Hatherly were trapped behind. The two GC contenders never managed to reduce the gap and would eventually lose their second and third positions on the podium. While the front four were caught at km 145, the gap between the two main echelons started increasing. With 20kms to go the leading Green jersey group including all the main sprinters had a 17” lead. That gap increased to 25” at the first passage on the line where a bonus sprint was claimed by Dversnes (UNO X). With 4kms to go, there was no catching the front group of around forty riders enjoying a 45” lead.
MOSCHETTI BACK IN WINNING WAYS
On the long final straight and at an extremely fast speed due to the tailwind, Matteo Moschetti timed his effort perfectly, only just outsprinting Dylan Groenewegen and Juan-Sebastian Molano. The Italian claims his first success since 2023 and the 10th of his career. He also gives his Q36.5 team a third-stage victory on this AlUla after the two won by Pidcock.
PIDCOCK IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN
Finishing in the leading group (23rd of the stage), Pidcock naturally keeps the leadership of the event and wins the AlUla Tour for the first time. The double Olympic mountain bike champion captures his first-ever stage race at the elite professional level. In the final overall standings, Pidcock wins by a comfortable lead of 1’09” over Fredrik Dversnes and 1’12” over Johannes Kulset who also wins the White jersey for the best young rider. The points classification is also claimed by Pidcock while Reinders (WB2) wins the Orange jersey for the Most Active rider.
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