Isaac del Toro wins UAE Tour 2026, Milan takes final stage

UAE Team Emirates XRG’s Isaac del Toro has won the 2026 UAE Tour, sealing victory after safely defending his overall lead on the final day in Abu Dhabi, following his decisive attack on the penultimate mountain stage.

The Mexican rider finished the seven-stage race ahead of Italy’s Antonio Tiberi, with Australia’s Luke Plapp completing the podium after a week of sprint finishes and climbing battles across the Emirates.

The final stage ended in a bunch sprint, where Italy’s Jonathan Milan powered to victory, his third stage win of the race, underlining his dominance on the flat finishes. Norway’s Erlend Blikra and Australia’s Sam Welsford completed the top three on the day.

Del Toro’s overall success was secured on Stage Six, the summit finish at Jebel Hafeet, where he attacked late to take both the stage win and the red leader’s jersey. The 21-year-old then controlled the race through the closing stage to claim the biggest stage-race win of his career so far.

Earlier in the week, Antonio Tiberi had moved into the race lead after a strong ride on the Jebel Mobrah climb, while Milan proved the fastest sprinter in the field with multiple victories, including stages in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The UAE Tour, part of cycling’s WorldTour calendar, combines desert sprint stages with decisive mountain finishes, attracting many of the sport’s top riders each season. This year’s edition again highlighted the contrast between sprint specialists and general classification contenders, with Milan dominating the flat stages and Del Toro proving strongest in the mountains when the race was decided.

For UAE Team Emirates XRG, the victory is a significant home success in one of the region’s flagship sporting events, while Del Toro’s performance marks him out as a rising contender on the international stage.