Del Toro second on savage Jebel Mobrah summit after late chase falls short as Evenepoel crumbles out of GC picture.
(Photo: Getty Images )
Updated February 18, 2026 08:36AM
Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) rode a long and painful time trial up the brutal Jebel Mobrah climb to win stage 3 of the UAE Tour and move into the lead of the race.
Isaac del Toro (UAE Emirates-XRG) finished second on the sprawling, sunbaked summit Wednesday after he launched a huge late chase across its grueling 12 percent ramps.
The 22-year-old plowed through the scattered peloton after he had initially appeared out of position but fell 15 seconds short of catching Tiberi and his climbing masterclass.
Former UAE Tour champion Lennert van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarché) came across third.
Overnight race leader and pre-race favorite Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) cracked on the unforgiving slopes and hemorrhaged more than two minutes on what was easily the toughest climb of the season so far.
It was a savage turnaround for the 26-year-old after he unleashed a time trialing storm only 24 hours earlier.
“At the foot of the climb, I already had cramps coming on,” Evenepoel told Het Nieuwsblad at the finish. “That’s something I haven’t experienced often. Maybe from yesterday’s effort, which I hadn’t fully recovered from.
“I didn’t have the best night either. I woke up from the heat,” he said. “But ultimately, I can’t make excuses.”
Jebel Mobrah delivers cruel early-season test
Evenepoel blew up on Jebel Mobrah. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Wednesday’s Jebel Mobrah summit finish had been touted as one of the toughest ascents of the entire pro calendar.
The unprecedented climb sprawls across 15km of sun-parched tarmac and reaches boiling point with a heinous 7km, 12 percent finale.
The tarmac wall did the expected damage.
Evenepoel’s first true climbing test as a Red Bull rider delivered a ruthless verdict as the Belgian appeared to overheat and then went backward.
Only Del Toro is within a minute of Tiberi on GC after the huge climbing shakeup on Wednesday.
Top climbers Adam Yates (UAE Emirates-XRG), Michael Storer (Tudor), and Ben O’Connor (Jayco-AlUla) all lost time.
The hardest climb ever used in a UCI race in February? 🧐😱 Tomorrow, the riders of UAE Tour go for the first time on Jebel Mobrah with the last 7 km averaging 12%. Good night! #UAETour pic.twitter.com/zHeKtSurXh
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) February 17, 2026
Tiberi picks his moment for first WorldTour win
Tiberi formed one of the early attack groups and rode all his rivals off his wheel.
It was some win for Tiberi.
The Italian never won at WorldTour level until he completed his six-kilometer attack Wednesday.
“I’ve been dreaming of a victory like this since I turned pro,” Tiberi said at the finish. “Now it’s finally happened. I’ve felt good since the start of the season. I’ve been waiting for this day. Finally, it happened today.
“I was among the first to attack. I saw Remco lose a few meters, and Del Toro wasn’t there either. So I thought maybe this is a good day for me, but maybe they’re waiting for the finale,” Tiberi said. “Still, I rode my own race. I attacked and kept riding as hard as I could until the finish.”
Tiberi now stands to hold the red leader’s jersey until his climbing chops are tested again on Saturday’s summit finish to Jebel Hafeet.