UAE Tour women: stage and jersey for Kopecky

Lotte Kopecky wins the third stage of the women's UAE Tour from Al Ain Police Museum to Jebel Hafeet (128km). The Belgian also takes the lead in the general classification.

The group, led by the red jersey Wiebes , approaches the final climb at great speed. The first to attack, 8 km from the finish line, is Gaia Realini who manages to make a great selection: only five other athletes manage to keep up with her. Verhulst-Wild , the last escapee of the day to give up, was caught a kilometer later.

In the hardest stretch of Jebel Hafeet the reigning champion Longo Borghini breaks away, while four remain in the lead: Realini , Kopecky , Mavi Garcia and Bradbury .

Bradbury manages to make a gap at -2 km, but a great Kopecky doesn't give up and catches up within the last kilometre. The world champion is too strong in the sprint : she wins the stage and wears the red jersey. Third position for Mavi Garcia, followed by Realini and Bunel.

ARRIVAL ORDER:

1 KOPECKY Lotte Team SD Worx - Protime 3:22:15

2 BRADBURY Neve Canyon//SRAM Racing 0:03

3 GARCÍA Mavi Liv AlUla Jayco 0:32

4 REALINI Gaia Lidl - Trek 0:43

5 BUNEL Marion St Michel - Mavic - Auber93 WE 1:00

6 ROOIJAKKERS Pauliena Fenix-Deceuninck 1:04

7 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa Lidl - Trek 1:09

8 PERSICO Silvia UAE Team ADQ 1:29

9 MEIJERING Mareille Movistar Team ,,

10 BAUERNFEIND Ricarda Canyon//SRAM Racing 1:32

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency