UAE Team Emirates-XRG ride to fourth place in first Team Time Trial of 2026

UAE Team Emirates-XRG continued its fine start to racing in the Challenge Mallorca, with António Morgado’s victory on Wednesday followed by a fourth-place finish in Thursday’s Team Time Trial. Held across a 23.8km course, the Trofeo Ses Salines was won by Remco Evenepoel’s Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, with the Emirati squad finishing just 19 seconds down on the best time.

Thursday’s event was the first Team Time Trial of the season, allowing teams a crucial opportunity to test equipment and strategies ahead of the Tour de France, where a TTT will get the racing underway in Barcelona. As such, all eyes were affixed on Evenepoel, with the Belgian the only top contender in attendance. His first outing was a successful one, with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe stopping the clock in a little under 24 minutes.

As the last team off the starting ramp, UAE Team Emirates-XRG worked well as a group to stick to the team’s pacing strategy and take a commendable fourth-place finish. With most of the riders having raced in Wednesday’s Trofeo Calvià, challenging for a podium spot was always going to require a pitch-perfect display. And so it almost was, with the Emirati squad missing out on third by just two seconds.

Morgado, the winner on Wednesday, was joined on the start line at the Trofeo Ses Salines by teammates Rune Herregodts, Pavel Sivakov, Felix Großschartner, Nils Politt, Marc Soler, and Benoît Cosnefroy.

Together, the squad enjoyed their time aboard Colnago‘s TT frames, with Politt, Soler and Cosnefroy burying themselves to give the team a fast start, before Morgado, Sivakov, Großschartner and Morgado brought them home. Reflecting on the performance after the race, Sports Director Simone Pedrazzini gave a positive report from Mallorca.

Simone Pedrazzini (Sports Director): “Today the team delivered a strong performance, finishing less than two seconds from third place. Against very strong teams with top specialists, and losing only 18 seconds, especially considering that five of our riders had already raced yesterday in cold and wet conditions, that’s a solid result.”

Trofeo Ses Salines (TTT) 2026 results:

1. Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe 00:23:55

2. Movistar +4″

3. Jayco AlUla +17″

4. UAE Team Emirates-XRG +19″

Meanwhile, over in Saudi Arabia, UAE Team Emirates-XRG were right in the thick of the action, with Igor Arrieta and Jan Christen finishing stage 3 of the AlUla Tour in seventh and ninth, respectively.

It was Christen who animated the race more than any other on the first uphill finish of this year’s edition. The Swiss youngster attacked on the climb to Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah, and found himself briefly alone off the front of the race. Unfortunately, his ambitious move was reeled back within the final kilometre, but the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider refound his legs to take a top-10 finish.

Just six seconds ahead of Christen and Arrieta, the day’s stage was won by Yannis Voisard (Tudor Pro Cycling), with Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) and Sergio Higuita (XDS Astana Team) close behind. The trio saved their best for last, allowing themselves to break free of the front group and contest the stage honours in a slow-motion sprint to the line.

As Arrieta and Christen battled towards the summit, so too did their UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Kevin Vermaerke, with the American crossing the finish in 15th place. All three riders remain well-positioned in the general classification ahead of Saturday’s tough stage to the Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid.

First up, however, a likely sprint finish awaits in Hegra on Friday afternoon.

Unfortunately, UAE Team Emirates-XRG will be without the squad’s young Italian sprinter, Davide Stella. The 19-year-old suffered a high-speed crash late on Thursday’s stage and was transported to the hospital for treatment. The whole team wishes him a speedy recovery, and we look forward to seeing him back on the road in due time.

Image credit from stage 3 of the AlUla Tour goes to Sjors Beukeboom.

AlUla Tour stage 3 results:

1. Yannis Voisard (Tudor Pro Cycling) 3:22:00

2. Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) s.t

3. Sergio Higuita (XDS Astana Team) s.t

7. Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +6″

9. Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) s.t

15. Kevin Vermaerke (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +15″

AlUla Tour general classification after stage 3:

1. Yannis Voisard (Tudor Pro Cycling) 10:16:32

2. Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) +4″

3. Sergio Higuita (XDS Astana Team) +6″

6. Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +16″

12. Kevin Vermaerke (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +23″

14. Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +33″