6th AlUla Tour 2026 (27-31 January)

[Ilmaestro99]

Jayxo needs to have a long, hard look on themselves. Amatuer display.

 

[yaco]

They were in the peloton during the bonus sprint. The team didn't even try to prevent Christen from getting the bonus.
Tudor tried it but failed. I think that since they're riding at home, they should at least try. I was surprised by the indifference.

The team had Hatherly in the front group until he dropped out and two or three riders had to bring him back when the two peletons joined together, while Double was in third group, so going for bonus sprints was not an option. Then again if they could have done like Christen and hold onto a car and bring back a 1 minute deficit in 4kms.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Every Dognel has its day, but today wasn't Paul's.

 

[tobydawq]

What the hell happened to Vermaerke?!

Here I was thinking finally to have a good pick for the CQ game, picking up bonus seconda, and then I see now that he lost 12 minutes?

 

[SafeBet]

What the hell happened to Vermaerke?!

Here I was thinking finally to have a good pick for the CQ game, picking up bonus seconda, and then I see now that he lost 12 minutes?

Very odd indeed. He lost 12 minutes in roughly 10 km after sprinting at the last intermediate.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

What the hell happened to Vermaerke?!

Here I was thinking finally to have a good pick for the CQ game, picking up bonus seconda, and then I see now that he lost 12 minutes?

Perhaps he's a 50 year old lady?

 

[Cycling111]

3rd Stage

First mountain stage.

Pidcock won last year

https://twitter.com/x/status/1884586159281496504

View: https://x.com/thealulatour/status/1884586159281496504?s=20

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't think the winner tomorrow is gonna be named Milan, just gonna put that out here....


Or, maybe... how's Vader on these kinds of climbs?

 

[Cycling111]

What the hell happened to Vermaerke?!

Here I was thinking finally to have a good pick for the CQ game, picking up bonus seconda, and then I see now that he lost 12 minutes?

I hope he has an excuse because otherwise he has been very unprofessional.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2016552526456246497

View: https://x.com/i/status/2016552526456246497

 

[Squire]

3rd Stage

First mountain stage.

Pidcock won last year

https://twitter.com/x/status/1884586159281496504

View: https://x.com/thealulatour/status/1884586159281496504?s=20

Not the same climb though, is it? Last year was way harder.

 

[Cycling111]

Not the same climb though, is it? Last year was way harder.

I think it's the same one. The difficult climb is in stage 5.

 

[Netserk]

Not the same climb though, is it? Last year was way harder.

no, the descent and ascent is opposite last year

 

[Squire]

I think it's the same one. The difficult climb is in stage 5.

Last year was 2.8 km at 9.4%. So unless they've brought out the bulldozer, I think they're taking a different road to the top.

Edit: Netserk with the answer.

 

[Tim Cahill]

That’s Jan Christen with the phone I think, no idea what happened to Kevin, the skyviews stage is ideal to have a second leader in the group behind, maybe it will be Arrieta instead.

 

[James M]

I hope he has an excuse because otherwise he has been very unprofessional.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2016552526456246497

View: https://x.com/i/status/2016552526456246497

Thats not Vermaerke

What the hell happened to Vermaerke?!

Here I was thinking finally to have a good pick for the CQ game, picking up bonus seconda, and then I see now that he lost 12 minutes?

People saying it was a timing error and that he finished in front group and is 8-10 on GC. I didnt watch the race myself but did some detective work for you. Also comfirmed by him on strava.

 

[James M]

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Still can't get over the Paul double time loss today. My heart is broken..dries de bodnt, Patrick gamper, Dres de potter... Hang your heads in shame. Desperately looking for Paul on this photo and hoping is another timer malfunction.

 

[tobydawq]

Thats not Vermaerke

People saying it was a timing error and that he finished in front group and is 8-10 on GC. I didnt watch the race myself but did some detective work for you. Also comfirmed by him on strava.

Thanks, let's hope the time will be amended, then. What a weird error...

 

[ingsve]

Thanks, let's hope the time will be amended, then. What a weird error...

The results have Davide Stella finishing next to Jan Christen so perhaps they simply swapped bikes at some point and it was Stella that dropped 12 minutes.

 

[yaco]

Still can't get over the Paul double time loss today. My heart is broken..dries de bodnt, Patrick gamper, Dres de potter... Hang your heads in shame. Desperately looking for Paul on this photo and hoping is another timer malfunction.

Crashed during the stage and then had a badly timed mechanical. Thats racing! Anyway he's my favorite for todays stage.

 

[tobydawq]

The results have Davide Stella finishing next to Jan Christen so perhaps they simply swapped bikes at some point and it was Stella that dropped 12 minutes.

That seems very likely.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

If Vermaerke did in fact finish with the peloton and it still hasn't been corrected 16 hours after the finish, that's miles below par on ASO's end.

 

[Roku]

I hope he has an excuse because otherwise he has been very unprofessional.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2016552526456246497

View: https://x.com/i/status/2016552526456246497

Luca Paolini was caught using a phone as well in a Vuelta stage 10 years ago.

By the way, Firstcycling has Vermaerke in the front group now. This looks like another UAE 1-3-5 or something like that. Without Dunbar and Double no one is going to challenge them (Voisard, Eulalio, Garofoli, Vansevenant, Vader look like the most threatening names but still below Christen)

 

[Devil's Elbow]

So are they just going to start today's stage with Vermaerke incorrectly 12 minutes down on GC in the official results or have they actually amended it and forgotten to update their own site? Complete joke of a race.

 

[Squire]

There has been a steady decline in the number of national team riders in the early breakaway since stage 1. Maybe they are getting tired.