Latest news with #Girod'ItaliaWomen
New Straits Times
13-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Leader Pogacar keeps ear on partner's progress in middle of Tour stage
LAVAL, (France): Tadej Pogacar may be concentrating intensely on winning his fourth Tour de France, but in the middle of Saturday's stage eight he was just as focused on how his partner Urska Zigart was performing in the Giro d'Italia Women. Slovenia's golden couple of cycling are engaged to be married and even have a children's book featuring them as the main characters. Reigning Tour champion Pogacar, 26, regained the leader's yellow jersey after winning Friday's stage, and with Saturday's race at a more leisurely pace until the sprint finish, he was kept up to date on Zigart's result by his team. "Today, Urska seventh place at Giro d'Italia stage," UAE Team Emirates told him via their team radio. "And in the General Classification?" Pogacar asked. "Wait, wait, we still don't have info, maybe ninth but we will check when it will be official, we will tell you okay?" his team replied. Zigart actually moved from 10th to eight overall in the Giro after Saturday's penultimate stage, while Pogacar finished safely in the main bunch to remain 54 seconds ahead of his nearest Tour de France challenger Remco Evenepoel. Pogacar and 28-year-old Zigart became engaged in 2021, and at other times in their career it has been easier to keep up to date with one another's successes. In 2020 and 2023 they both became Slovenian National Time Trial champions on the same day. Pogacar withdrew from the Slovenian team for last year's Olympics due to extreme fatigue having won both the Giro and Tour de France but also cited Zigart's omission from the women's team as a factor in his decision. — REUTERS
The Star
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cycling-Leader Pogacar keeps ear on partner's progress in middle of Tour stage
FILE PHOTO: Cycling - UCI World Championships 2024 - Men's Elite Road Race - Zurich, Switzerland - September 29, 2024 Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar kisses girlfriend Urska Zigart after he wins the race REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo (Reuters) -Tadej Pogacar may be concentrating intensely on winning his fourth Tour de France, but in the middle of Saturday's stage eight he was just as focused on how his partner Urska Zigart was performing in the Giro d'Italia Women. Slovenia's golden couple of cycling are engaged to be married and even have a children's book featuring them as the main characters. Reigning Tour champion Pogacar, 26, regained the leader's yellow jersey after winning Friday's stage, and with Saturday's race at a more leisurely pace until the sprint finish, he was kept up to date on Zigart's result by his team. "Today, Urska seventh place at Giro d'Italia stage," UAE Team Emirates told him via their team radio. "And in the General Classification?" Pogacar asked. "Wait, wait, we still don't have info, maybe ninth but we will check when it will be official, we will tell you okay?" his team replied. Zigart actually moved from 10th to eight overall in the Giro after Saturday's penultimate stage, while Pogacar finished safely in the main bunch to remain 54 seconds ahead of his nearest Tour de France challenger Remco Evenepoel. Pogacar and 28-year-old Zigart became engaged in 2021, and at other times in their career it has been easier to keep up to date with one another's successes. In 2020 and 2023 they both became Slovenian National Time Trial champions on the same day. Pogacar withdrew from the Slovenian team for last year's Olympics due to extreme fatigue having won both the Giro and Tour de France but also cited Zigart's omission from the women's team as a factor in his decision. (Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Straits Times
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Leader Pogacar keeps ear on partner's progress in middle of Tour stage
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Tadej Pogacar may be concentrating intensely on winning his fourth Tour de France, but in the middle of Saturday's stage eight he was just as focused on how his partner Urska Zigart was performing in the Giro d'Italia Women. Slovenia's golden couple of cycling are engaged to be married and even have a children's book featuring them as the main characters. Reigning Tour champion Pogacar, 26, regained the leader's yellow jersey after winning Friday's stage, and with Saturday's race at a more leisurely pace until the sprint finish, he was kept up to date on Zigart's result by his team. "Today, Urska seventh place at Giro d'Italia stage," UAE Team Emirates told him via their team radio. "And in the General Classification?" Pogacar asked. "Wait, wait, we still don't have info, maybe ninth but we will check when it will be official, we will tell you okay?" his team replied. Zigart actually moved from 10th to eight overall in the Giro after Saturday's penultimate stage, while Pogacar finished safely in the main bunch to remain 54 seconds ahead of his nearest Tour de France challenger Remco Evenepoel. Pogacar and 28-year-old Zigart became engaged in 2021, and at other times in their career it has been easier to keep up to date with one another's successes. In 2020 and 2023 they both became Slovenian National Time Trial champions on the same day. Pogacar withdrew from the Slovenian team for last year's Olympics due to extreme fatigue having won both the Giro and Tour de France but also cited Zigart's omission from the women's team as a factor in his decision. REUTERS
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wiebes wins stage three of Women's Giro d'Italia
Lorena Wiebes sealed the 106th win of her career in Trento [Getty Images] Lorena Wiebes won the third stage of the Women's Giro d'Italia, but Great Britain's Anna Henderson held on to the pink jersey for the overall leader. The Dutch cyclist saw off competition from British rider Josie Nelson, who took second place for Team Picnic PostNL in Trento. Advertisement Weibes was led out by her SD Worx-Protime team-mate Lotte Kopecky, who finished third in a race that saw a mass crash with less than 3km to go, leaving only 10 riders at the front. All riders involved in the crash received the same time as Wiebes due to the 3km rule, meaning Henderson, riding for Lidl-Trek, stayed at the top of the general classification by 13 seconds. However, Switzerland's Marlen Reusser shaved two seconds off the Olympic time-trial silver medallist's advantage in the third stage. "Winning at the Giro d'Italia Women is always special, and this victory confirms how well the season is going," said Wiebes. Advertisement "Kopecky and I were very lucky not to get caught in the crash, and then (team-mate) Barbara Guarischi did an exceptional job bringing us back to the front." Stage three results 1. Lorena Wiebes (Ned/SD Worx-Protime) 2hrs 59min 7secs 2. Josie Nelson (GBR/Picnic PostNL) same time 3. Lotte Kopecky (Bel/SD Worx-Protime) same time 4. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE Team ADQ) same time 5. Babette van der Wolf (Ned/EF Education–Oatly) same time 6. Christina Schweinberger (Aut/Fenix–Deceuninck) same time 7. Barbara Guarischi (Ita/SD Worx-Protime) same time 8. Eleonora Gasparrini (Ita/UAE Team ADQ) same time Advertisement 9. Marianne Vos (Ned/Visma–Lease a Bike) same time 10. Marthe Truyen (Bel/Fenix–Deceuninck) same time General classification after stage three 1. Anna Henderson (GBR/Lidl-Trek) 5hrs 41mins 10secs 2. Marlen Reusser (Swi/Movistar) +13 secs 3. Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE Team ADQ) +31secs 4. Anna van der Breggen (Ned/Team SD Worx-Protime) +35secs 5. Monica Trinca Colonel (Ita/Liv AlUla Jayco) +56secs 6. Shirin van Anrooij (Ned/Lidl-Trek) same time 7. Katrine Aalerud (Nor/Uno-X Mobility) +59secs 8. Antonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon Sram) +1min 3secs 9. Juliette Labous (Fra/FDJ-SUEZ) +1min 6secs 10. Dilyxine Miermont (Fra/Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team) +1min 10secs
Arab News
11-02-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
‘A Dream Come True': Elisa Longo Borghini and UAE Team ADQ make history at the women's tour
'A dream come true.' For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Those were the words of an elated Melissa Moncada, head of team at UAE Team ADQ, after her squad made history on Sunday by securing the overall win at their home race. The UAE Tour Women, part of the Women's WorldTour — the highest tier of women's cycling — has been a key target for the team since the race's first edition in 2023. Along with team classification, Italian star Elisa Longo Borghini claimed the prestigious general classification red jersey for UAE Team ADQ, with teammate Silvia Persico securing second in the GC. Karlijn Swinkels placed fifth overall, while Lara Gillespie claimed the black jersey in the Intermediate Sprints Classification — a remarkable achievement on her Women's WorldTour debut after being called up from the UAE squad's development team. Teammates Elynor Backstedt and sprinter Sofie van Rooijen, who bounced back from a crash on stage one, provided crucial support throughout the four days of racing. Longo Borghini's decisive attack on Jebel Hafeet on Stage 3 proved to be the turning point. With Persico setting a relentless pace, Longo Borghini launched a perfectly timed attack 3 km from the finish line, securing a dominant victory and virtually sealing the overall title. Following Longo Borghini was Persico in second place. The team's overall triumph was sealed on the final Stage 4 on Sunday, despite Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx-Protime dominating the sprint finishes, winning three of the four stages. A pivotal moment Speaking to Arab News at the end of the tour about the crucial moment in the race, Moncada praised the entire team's effort, particularly the dynamic between Longo Borghini and Persico on Stage 3. 'Persico really is an athlete that can defend and fight for the victory of the leader,' said Moncada. 'Even though she brought Elisa to the amazing position that she was in, she fought to the end and arrived in second position. It's like they almost crossed the line together, so it was amazing.' For Persico, who has known Longo Borghini for years but had never raced alongside her until now, the partnership felt instinctive. 'It really seemed that we were always racing together. We just understand each other really well,' said Persico. 'I just started to work at the bottom of the climb and I was just pacing a bit hard. I wanted to drop as many girls as possible. And then when Elisa attacked, in my mind I was 'okay, job finished, I can rest.' But then I saw that I was feeling pretty good — a bit tired, yes, of course. And I said, 'okay, I'll try to do my best for the achievement, so maybe second place.' And yeah, I didn't give up and, in the end, I finished second.' Reflections on a team victory At the team presentations at the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy on Sunday morning, ahead of the final day of racing, Longo Borghini — who won the race's inaugural edition in 2023 and counts the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women and Tour of Flanders among her many victories — reflected on her Stage 3 win. 'The race was very spectacular,' she said, acknowledging the crucial role her team played. 'Everyone was really committed to trying to win the stage and take the overall, and then you saw how the team was racing — it was pretty incredible.' Following the conclusion of the race, with UAE Team ADQ securing first and second in the GC, the sprinter classification, and the team classification, Longo Borghini emphasized the unity that led to their dominant performance. 'It feels quite amazing,' she said. 'From the very beginning of the season, the team pointed out that they wanted us to perform well here in the UAE. And of course, we came here for GC, but in the end, we are walking away with first and second on GC, the sprinter classification, and the team classification. And the one I'm the most proud of is the team classification because it shows how strong we were throughout these four days. And it's really been a team victory.' Longo Borghini, in the first year of a three-year contract with UAE Team ADQ, has firmly established herself as a cornerstone of the team's ambitions and according to both management and riders, the team is unified and riding as one. 'You can see the unity there. It's not forced,' said Cherie Pridham, UAE Team ADQ's head of sport. 'It's been actually one of my best weeks on a cycling team. To do that with these girls has been amazing. To have a leader like Elisa Longo Borghini with us, she just raises the bar and raises everybody's expectations — and ours as well, the staff — it's incredible.' The rise of women's cycling This UAE Tour Women was not only a historic moment for UAE Team ADQ but also for women's professional cycling. With crosswind conditions setting the scene, the UAE Tour Women set a record for the fastest-ever average speed in a Women's WorldTour race on Day 2, with an average speed of 48.407 km/h over the 111 km Al-Mirfa Sprint Stage. The leading group of five riders — including Longo Borghini, Lorena Wiebes, Lara Gillespie, Karlijn Swinkels, and Human Powered Health's Lily Williams — broke away early and held off the peloton. Pridham, a trailblazer as the first woman to hold a sport director role on a men's WorldTour team — a role she held prior to joining UAE Team ADQ — emphasized to Arab News at the conclusion of the race the significance of the race and the team's victory, highlighting the rapid evolution and growing professionalism of women's cycling, and in particular, UAE Team ADQ. 'I mean, we knew we were capable of it, and the work that we've all done in the background — the management continuously growing the team — it's just incredible,' she said. 'I'm lost for words. And I'm delighted for Melissa and the team, the management, and everyone that's put so much work and belief into this. The way the girls rode yesterday is just astounding. 'It's history. It really is,' she added. 'To see the sport grow — from where I was 25 years ago to how quickly it has evolved in just the last three years — it's unbelievable. And the way we operate at UAE Team ADQ is on par, I would say sometimes even better, than our men's team. I put myself on the line saying this, but women's cycling is definitely on the up, and it's incredible to be part of the growth.' The race's growing stature has not gone unnoticed by other teams. Oskar Scarsbrook, director of communications at Human Powered Health — a US-based team that elevated its women's squad to WorldTour status before its men's team — praised the event's prominence on the racing calendar. 'It's only been going on for three years, but it already feels like a statement piece on the WorldTour calendar. It's like, 'yeah, of course you're going to UAE in February for the UAE Tour.' It already feels like it has pride of place at the start of the year purely because of how good the racing has been.' One key factor contributing to the race's growing prestige is its comprehensive TV coverage, showcasing the intensity of competition from start to finish. 'TV coverage is the biggest thing with that,' he added. 'We've been lucky here because we've had it from kilometer one, which is massive. The crosswind stage on day two? The racing was quite literally from kilometer zero. In previous years, you would have joined with 40 minutes to go, and it would be like, 'okay, right, this is what happened.' And you'd have missed all the exciting stuff that set up what came later.' With the thrilling racing of the UAE Tour Women concluded, and the season just beginning, Longo Borghini and UAE Team ADQ have set the bar high. 'I'm very proud of every single teammate who made this possible,' she said. 'And I hope this is just the beginning.' Dawn Barnable is the founder and host of 'The Mettleset Podcast,' a platform dedicated to women in sport from across the region
