UAE Tour 2026, February 16-22

[theyoungest]

I disagree with you. We, as human beings, need to acknowledge our limitations. Saying he is here to win 2 stages + GC and then he performs like this in the mountains, is not ambition, is stupidity.
This just gives me the impression, he doesn't have a clue about his climbing ability.

Given that he won, what is it, 7 races beforehand, including against riders who are now finishing in front of him, a bit of hybris isn't exactly surprising. After all the media created this narrative as well: who's going to beat Evenepoel here? Turns out, quite a few people.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

Yeah. I was dead wrong.
I expected Remco to progress in Redbull.
He has regressed.

kudos for admitting you were wrong. it's rare these days and I applaud you for doing it.

 

[canina82]

Given that he won, what is it, 7 races beforehand, including against riders who are now finishing in front of him, a bit of hybris isn't exactly surprising. After all the media created this narrative as well: who's going to beat Evenepoel here? Turns out, quite a few people.

Those wins don't mean anything specially when those races were completely different compared to UAE mountain stages.
Media is one thing, other is Remco who knows about his true level in the mountains. It's not like he was close to Del Toro or Tiberi, there were 15 more riders better than him in the mountains. At what exactly point in his training, he thought "Yes, I can win one mountain stages in the UAE Tour"?

 

[KoopaCycling]

Those wins don't mean anything specially when those races were completely different compared to UAE mountain stages.
Media is one thing, other is Remco who knows about his true level in the mountains. It's not like he was close to Del Toro or Tiberi, there were 15 more riders better than him in the mountains. At what exactly point in his training, he thought "Yes, I can win one mountain stages in the UAE Tour"?

In remco thread it was posted he did around the same time now on this climb as he did 3 year ago when he finished 2nd.
In his mind, he might have thought that would be good enough. Clearly it wasn't. Cycling gotten faster.

 

[canina82]

In remco thread it was posted he did around the same time now on this climb as he did 3 year ago when he finished 2nd.
In his mind, he might have thought that would be good enough. Clearly it wasn't. Cycling gotten faster.

I believe you really don't think that’s a reasonable explanation. Even armchair experts like us know numbers have been increased year after year.

 

[Cycling111]

In remco thread it was posted he did around the same time now on this climb as he did 3 year ago when he finished 2nd.
In his mind, he might have thought that would be good enough. Clearly it wasn't. Cycling gotten faster.

This analysis isn't done this way. Plapp isn't better today than Yates was two years ago. The conditions on the climb were simply different; the attacks were launched at different times and at a different pace. Plapp isn't going to be on the Tour podium just because he finished second today.

Just as Remco isn't a better climber than Pantani for posting a faster time.

What he needs to analyze is that eight riders finished ahead of him,

 

[AmRacer]

In remco thread it was posted he did around the same time now on this climb as he did 3 year ago when he finished 2nd.
In his mind, he might have thought that would be good enough. Clearly it wasn't. Cycling gotten faster.

Remco's ITT is faster than ever.

 

[Cycling111]

Remco's ITT is faster than ever.

And surely in Valencia he climbed faster than ever the stage he won solo. He simply hasn't had the climbing level for that UAE Tour.

There shouldn't look at the climbig time, but at the gaps between the rivals.

 

[Unchained]

Del Toro went all or nothing, he absolutely destroyed for @2.5 k, just really went deep and hurt himself.
Luke Plapp was able to really turn it over, his overall race including a good time trial was impressive. Felix Gall had a solid race today and overall, Remco raced ok but it's all relative, he does not have the punch on steep grades, he really couldn't answer anybody, top climbers just gap him easily, Antonio Tiberi had a good race and a bad day, again relative, guy was great but Del Toro was better, Tiberi did what he had to trying to win, going over the limit and going too deep in the deficit cost him many positions, but a bold try, maybe next time. Plapp stayed in control, rode very disciplined and rode himself into contention, really great.
Can't wait to see what Strade Bianchi has to offer, so many guys with good form as Pogacar comes out of hibernation with a surging Del Toro in support.Tim Wellens as part of Strade crew. Del Toro and Wellens both scheduled for TDF.
The confidence Isaac Del Toro is gaining day after day is absolutely astonishing, he is trying some impossible moves that are working

 

[Unchained]

Can Remco rise from the ashes of Jebel Mobrah and take a mercurial victory to get the masses believing again??

No

 

[Lequack]

Del Toro is the real deal. He would've won the Giro as well if he had better tactics.

 

[Cycling111]

Del Toro is the real deal. He would've won the Giro as well if he had better tactics.

Only Finestre is remembered, but on San Valentino he was clearly defeated by Carapaz. By the way, Simon Yates also beat him that day.

Carapaz was the best climber in that Giro.

He didn't lose just because of Finestre; Carapaz, especially, and Yates were better that day, and I'm sure his fear on Finestre stemmed from that defeat.

Giro d'Italia 2025 Stage 16 results

Giro d'Italia 2025 Stage 16 from Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino (Brentonico) was won by Christian Scaroni before Lorenzo Fortunato and Giulio Pellizzari. Isaac del Toro was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

I still have doubts about what Del Toro can do on another stage as tough as this one. I had no doubts about him for single-climb stages like today, but we still have to consider who he's beaten. Plapp and Tiberi are good riders, but thear are in a third level GT contenders.

The fact that Carapaz beat him so clearly that day is still significant; he'll have to prove in the mountains of a Tour de France stage that he's a rider suited to that type of stage.
What happened in San Valentino is unfairly forgotten. For mi, Finestre's key was there; he was afraid of cracking again against Carapaz.

What's now beyond doubt is that Del Toro and Ayuso appear to be the best cyclists for one-week races (excluding Pogacar and Vingegaard sometimes). Now they have to prove whether they can translate that power to stages with several hors catégorie climbs.

 

[Netserk]

without the ineos crash on the gravel, he wouldnt have had the buffer, so carapaz would easily have been beat

 

[Cycling111]

This has been happening to Ayuso for three years now. He wins these races but can't translate that level to the high-mountains in GT.

If Almeida were to go to the Tour, I'd bet he'd finish ahead of Del Toro and Ayuso. And to this day, I still believe Lipowitz will be a better climber there.

Lipowitz has worse performance for these one-week races where Ayuso and Del Toro are going to dominate in the coming years (unless with Pogacar or Vingegaard).
Lipowitz reminds me of the early Vingegaard. Let's remember that in Tirreno 2022 on the queen stage he was in Landa's group while Pogacar was dominating. His level rises considerably in the Tour compared to the rest of the season

 

[Red Rick]

Del Toro is the real deal. He would've won the Giro as well if he had better tactics.

I don't know why people are so desperate to insist he's the dumbest rider in the history of the sport.

 

[Peyresourde]

I also think the dumbest tactic in cycling is not trying (hard enough). But 80-90 % of the peloton regularly get this wrong.

 

[BubbaChuck]

Watts are worse than last year due to wind.Really bad performance by remco.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Good win by Del Toro and the race victory is very close now. Tiberi handled his first attack well but it was too much for him and he couldn't answer to the second one. Good performance by Plapp as well. Remco left in the dust again, disappointing stuff!

 

[Escarabajo]

The big loser was Tejada. If he stays stays in the peleton instead of chasing gall he retains a podium. Good ride by Plapp and if he gets through tomorrow then he can rest to Romandie.

Sometimes I think the coaches are just simply inept and worthless. An idiot could have seen that coming from a mile away. Anyway, Plapp was strong today TBF. And Chapeau to Del Toro.

 

[P4rthen0n]

I disagree with you. We, as human beings, need to acknowledge our limitations. Saying he is here to win 2 stages + GC and then he performs like this in the mountains, is not ambition, is stupidity.
This just gives me the impression, he doesn't have a clue about his climbing ability.

He keeps thinking he's back to his 2024 Tour climbing shape, but something is missing.

 

[Cookster15]

Impressive start to 2026 by Del Toro. Good to see Luke Plapp with a strong ride. Hopefully 2026 is the year he can finally begin to live up to his promise.

 

[Oldman]

Impressive start to 2026 by Del Toro. Good to see Luke Plapp with a strong ride. Hopefully 2026 is the year he can finally begin to live up to his promise.

Both look on exceptional form with Plapp benefitting from the TdU. Hopefully they continue to have upside to shake up the GTs as well. Just when the argument on who will challenge Pogi stalls out the next generation speaks up. Great to see.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Only Finestre is remembered, but on San Valentino he was clearly defeated by Carapaz. By the way, Simon Yates also beat him that day.

Carapaz was the best climber in that Giro.

He didn't lose just because of Finestre; Carapaz, especially, and Yates were better that day, and I'm sure his fear on Finestre stemmed from that defeat.

Giro d'Italia 2025 Stage 16 results

Giro d'Italia 2025 Stage 16 from Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino (Brentonico) was won by Christian Scaroni before Lorenzo Fortunato and Giulio Pellizzari. Isaac del Toro was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

I still have doubts about what Del Toro can do on another stage as tough as this one. I had no doubts about him for single-climb stages like today, but we still have to consider who he's beaten. Plapp and Tiberi are good riders, but thear are in a third level GT contenders.

The fact that Carapaz beat him so clearly that day is still significant; he'll have to prove in the mountains of a Tour de France stage that he's a rider suited to that type of stage.
What happened in San Valentino is unfairly forgotten. For mi, Finestre's key was there; he was afraid of cracking again against Carapaz.

What's now beyond doubt is that Del Toro and Ayuso appear to be the best cyclists for one-week races (excluding Pogacar and Vingegaard sometimes). Now they have to prove whether they can translate that power to stages with several hors catégorie climbs.

Let’s let Ayuso beat Roglic head to head before we anoint him. Some of us remember what happened last year.

 

[Unchained]

Those wins don't mean anything specially when those races were completely different compared to UAE mountain stages.
Media is one thing, other is Remco who knows about his true level in the mountains. It's not like he was close to Del Toro or Tiberi, there were 15 more riders better than him in the mountains. At what exactly point in his training, he thought "Yes, I can win one mountain stages in the UAE Tour"?

They may have shortened stages in TDU because of what was considered extreme temperature but as someone posted Remco was frantically showering himself with multiple bottles like he was on fire. France in deep summer is going to hotter than UAE is right now, in mid 20s . they have to be thinking without insulting anyone that Lipowitz and Roglic are obviously superior on anything over @6-7% grade. UAE didn't really have the best sign sheet and if Remco is exposed to a strong Visma, Trek, even an improving Movistar he is setting himself up for heartbreak. Guy is going to get destroyed. Remco is like a guy that keeps touching a hot stove, burning himself over and over. He really should not be scheduled for grand tours

Del Toro is the real deal. He would've won the Giro as well if he had better tactics.

Young Isaac still follows directions from the team car instead of his natural race instinct. He didn't toss Giro in the trash , just followed the boss's instructions

I don't know why people are so desperate to insist he's the dumbest rider in the history of the sport.

2 wins already in February and putting on an excellent race in UAE wearing a UAE kit.

 

[Red Rick]

Young Isaac still follows directions from the team car instead of his natural race instinct. He didn't toss Giro in the trash , just followed the boss's instructions

2 wins already in February and putting on an excellent race in UAE wearing a UAE kit.

So his natural instinct is to race, but he gave away a Giro because he wanted to be a good obedient puppy rather than win the Giro?

And I'm supposed to admire that?

Like how insane do we have to think to let ourselves believe he wasn't just couldn't do better when it was literally also the best climbing performance of his career until that point and on the only big MTF prior he basically got ragdolled by the entire top 10.