News | Team | Tour of Austria • July 10, 2026
Igor Arrieta takes opportunity at the Tour of Austria with second-place finish
Young climber goes on the attack in the breakaway for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with Jan Christen and António all out front in brave team move
Igor Arrieta rode to second place for UAE Team Emirates-XRG on stage 3 of the Tour of Austria, marking the Emirati squad’s third podium place in as many days thus far. It was a three-prong attack in Friday’s breakaway, with Arrieta joined by teammates Jan Christen and António Morgado on the move.
The trio went up the road as part of a large breakaway, which included notable opponents such as Héctor Álvarez (Lidl-Trek), Michael Gogl (Alpecin-Premier Tech), and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost). Ultimately, it was the latter of those riders who emerged as the strongest, joining Arrieta on the attack at the bottom of the final climb.
As Powless kicked on, so too did Arrieta, and the pair quickly developed a gap in excess of one minute to the chasers behind. Despite the Spaniard’s best efforts, Powless would prove a tough man to shake, and it became clear that the day’s victory would be decided in a two-up sprint to the line.
More of a natural climber than a puncheur, Arrieta was never to be favoured in such a finish, and Christen looked to provide a numerical advantage for UAE Team Emirates-XRG by attacking from behind. However, the Swiss national champion was left a little under 30 seconds shy at the summit, with Powless and Arrieta duking it out for the win.
Powless packed the biggest punch and claimed the stage 3 victory, with Arrieta forced to settle for second. Reflecting on his afternoon after the finish, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider noted that such a scenario would have better suited the characteristics of his teammates. Nevertheless, they could be proud of their efforts on Friday, with two more opportunities to come.
Arrieta: “I was happy with the performance I have today, but a bit disappointed with the second place. We tried it all for the win today but in the end, I think I wasn’t the best person to have the finish decided in a two-up sprint. I knew Jan was coming from behind, so I tried to save as much as possible, to make Powless do the work, but in the end, I was not able to escape, and he beat me in the sprint. Sometimes, it is like this, he was better than me.
“I was happy with the opportunity, and the effort that I gave. I gave it my all, and tomorrow we will try once again.”
Tour of Austria 2026 stage 3 results:
1. Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) 4:09:20
2. Kevin Vermaerke (UAE Team Emieates-XRG) s.t
3. Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +28″
5. António Morgado (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +1:03
Tour of Austria 2026 general classification after stage 3:
1. Gregor Mühlberger (Austria) 13:18:19
2. Kevin Vermaerke (UAE Team Emieates-XRG) +1:31
3. Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek) +1:41
10. Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +3:54
