UAE Cycling Team continues to shine in Switzerland, Belgium tours

20 June 2025 15:04
GENEVA (WAM)João Almeida produced another admirable performance at the Tour de Suisse, with the Portuguese going on the front foot to take second place on stage 5 and move up to third overall.Narrowly pipped to the line by Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL), the UAE Team Emirates-XRG man benefited from the work of his teammates to make further inroads in the general classification battle.Setting an infernal pace on the Passo del San Bernardino, the Emirati squad whittled the peloton down in size, thereby eliminating the possibility of the breakaway taking the day's honours. With two ascents of the savagely steep Castaneda to come, it would be up to Almeida to make the difference.With Almeida doing the brunt of the work, Onley was able to round the 26-year-old in the final few hundred metres, thereby denying UAE Team Emirates-XRG of a second win in succession. Not to be concerned by Onley's moment of glory, Almeida battled to the line and ensured that he would move up to third place in the general classification.Meanwhile, over at the Baloise Belgium Tour, Sebastián Molano claimed a second runner-up spot in as many days, propelling the Colombian sprinter into the lead of the race. Taking over the purple leader's jersey from Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), Molano delivered another consistent performance in Belgium, only being pipped to the stage victory by Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck.
Earlier in the stage, a six-man breakaway had gone clear of the peloton, but led by the might of Soudal Quick-Step and Alpecin-Deceuninck, the final lap of a local circuit beckoned to decide the stage winner.

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