00:00And so to the fifth and final stage of the Alula Tour 2026. The sprinters have had their fun,
00:19now it's time for the GC contenders to face off on this race's iconic climb,
00:24the sky views of Harata Wairid. Yanis Voizar is in pole position, but the Swiss rider has a big job to do on this final day.
00:32That's super steep, that's honestly one of the steepest climbs I did, also in Europe, so that's a very tough one.
00:42And what would it mean to you to bring this jersey home?
00:45That would be amazing for sure, we'll do everything we can do with the team to take this jersey home, but we will see.
00:54Alfonso Eulalio has yet to win a professional bike race, but this could be the day for the Portuguese youngster.
01:01He starts as Voizar's nearest challenger, just four seconds down.
01:05Yeah, it's four seconds the difference, no? But yeah, in the final it's 20 riders, 25 riders can win the race,
01:18we will see, we will do our best.
01:21164km on the menu today between the Alula Old Town and the sky views of Harata Wairid.
01:36There isn't too much wind forecast, so this should go down to the final climb.
01:40It tops out with 8.3km to go, with all important bonus seconds available at the summit.
01:46There is then the final frantic dash along the plateau to the finish line.
01:50And with only six seconds separating the top three, it could be a case of winner takes all.
01:55There were seven riders in the day's breakaway, including a couple of guys who already went up the road early on stage two.
02:08Dries de Bont from Jayco Alula and Federico Iacomone from Team Yukio.
02:13They were joined by Lars van den Heide of Soudal Quick-Step, Rayen Boulagwat of Total Energies,
02:19and Juan Pedro Lozano from Terengganu, who basically haven't missed a breakaway all week.
02:24Milan Fretin was also in there, the Belgian sprinter who was second on stage one.
02:29And finally, Javier Ibanez from the Caja Rural squad, who, it was announced yesterday, will be taking part in their first Tour de France this summer.
02:39Well, their lead was just under three minutes heading into the final 60km.
02:44Meanwhile, there was an unfortunate crash involving one of the race favourites, Higuita going to ground,
02:50along with his ex-DS Astana teammate, Yevgeny Fedorov.
02:54The Colombian shepherded back to the bunch by Matteo Maluchelli,
02:57but sporting a few cuts and bruises, that crash would potentially impact his performance in the final.
03:03Bahrain victorias were doing the lion's share of the pacing in the peloton on behalf of Ulalio,
03:09with Voisar's Tudor Pro cycling team strung out just behind them.
03:13The gap remaining pretty steady over the next 20km or so,
03:17despite a decent average speed of over 47km an hour.
03:21The breakaway still with over three minutes in hand,
03:24although none of them posed any major threat to the green jersey.
03:28The best placed overall was Fretin, some six minutes down on Voisar.
03:34Back in the peloton, UAE Team Emirates XRG were now getting involved with the chase,
03:39because they had three riders within 33 seconds of the lead,
03:42Igor Arrieta, Kevin Vermarker and Jan Christen.
03:48The breakaway's lead had been cut to around two minutes,
03:51as they approached the base of the final climb.
03:54And one or two of them might have been starting to think about a possible stage victory,
03:58but not the fast man Fretin, who was the first to drop.
04:01Bulohwat also saying goodbye, leaving five men at the front,
04:05De Bont, Vanden Heide, Ibanez, Yacomone and Lozano.
04:12The sky views of Harita Huairid looming into view as the gradients began to bite.
04:17The GC favourites getting themselves set,
04:19and slowly but surely the gap was coming down.
04:22The breakaway led by just a minute, two kilometres from the summit.
04:26Well, the attack's starting to fly at the front,
04:31and just look how difficult this climb is.
04:33Riders zigzagging all over the place.
04:37UAE starting to rev things up in the GC group,
04:40with Jayco Alula also up there.
04:44Well, Yacomone and Lozano proved to be the strongest from the breakaway,
04:48but the race leader was suffering.
04:51And here is Voizar.
04:55Oh, the green jersey is in difficulty.
05:00Voizar is starting to suffer,
05:03and he's gone out the back very, very early.
05:06This is not good news.
05:08He's looked good until now.
05:10Voizar is in trouble.
05:14Well, game over then for Yannis Voizar.
05:16Up at the front, Lozano said ciao to Yacomone,
05:19but the favourites were now closing fast.
05:22Around a dozen riders in this GC group,
05:26including Sergio Higuita,
05:28but Ulalio was also fading.
05:31And this is the white jersey.
05:33Ulalio has cracked as well.
05:35He doesn't have the legs at the moment either.
05:38Big acceleration on the left-hand side.
05:42Higuita starts to follow.
05:45Big, big move now of UAE Team Emirates XRG.
05:54Kristen starts his assault again to try and win a stage,
05:58but Higuita immediately counterattacks the climber from XTS Astana.
06:04He's had a crash today, but Higuita is an out-and-out climber.
06:08Look at the way he's going now.
06:11Higuita smells blood on this mountain.
06:15Higuita taking a couple of bonus seconds at the top of the climb,
06:18but he, De Bod and Vansevenent would soon have company.
06:22Jan Christen coming across with Jan Castellon.
06:25And the Swiss rider was clearly in the mood
06:27because he went straight on the attack,
06:29looking to time trial his way to victory.
06:32With bonuses, he would need to win by around 20 seconds
06:36to win the Ulula Tour.
06:39The others chasing as best they could,
06:41with The Bod's team-mate Byron Muntin coming across
06:44and trying to hunt Kristen down,
06:46but the 21-year-old was absolutely flying.
06:49A sensational display of power and panache
06:53to potentially snatch victory on the final day.
06:56So right now, between these riders,
07:00Kristen started the day at 33 seconds.
07:04Between him and Higuita, there's 30 seconds.
07:08So he needs the 10-second time bonus and another 20.
07:12That's what he needs to win this race overall pretty much
07:15because there's nobody else in the picture
07:18who started the day in the top three.
07:20This rider is trying to win this Ulula Tour
07:23and he's doing it in style right now.
07:30Jan Christen flat out looking for a big win in this Ulula Tour.
07:36Muntin has done his team extremely proud in the background.
07:40What a performance by Modern Adventure on the final day.
07:44Kristen is going all out for time to win this Ulula Tour.
07:49This has been a stunning win.
07:51Jan Christen takes the victory.
07:53He takes the time bonus.
07:55And now the clock starts.
07:58Byron Muntin takes second place.
08:04Now it's the fight for third place.
08:07Higuita is going to be so, so close to this.
08:11Stefan de Bott looking for a place in the top ten.
08:14By my reckoning the time has gone by and the jersey has gone.
08:18Higuita comes in now in this group.
08:21The time bonus is taken by Jan Christen's teammate
08:25and it looks to me like Jan Christen will win this Ulula Tour on the final day.
08:31Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
08:35It's been a rollercoaster week for Jan Christen with crashes, a penalty for drafting, disappointment
08:41and finally glory on the sky views of Harita Wairivs.
08:45The 21-year-old living up to his billing as the favourite by seeing off all comers on this final stage
08:50and securing a memorable victory at this sixth edition of the Ulula Tour.
08:55I didn't want to go too early because I knew the last tenk is quite hard, especially with headwind.
09:02Today I kept my legs in the climb, did a bit of a show attack in the top
09:09because I knew if some guys could pass me they will and they maybe blow up.
09:14And I just kept my pace over the top and then I knew if I do on the flat part a big attack,
09:21normally I have more power than the other climbers on the flat and then I should bring it home.
09:34Christen taking his sixth career win by 11 seconds from Munten with his teammate Arrieta leading in the rest
09:40and making sure Higuita couldn't get anywhere near the remaining bonus seconds.
09:44Career win number seven came with the overall title.
09:50Christen ended up 15 seconds clear of Higuita with Arrieta and De Bode jumping to third and fourth.
09:56Ulalio and Voisar finished fifth and sixth.
09:59No sweat for Jonathan Milan who took a comfortable victory in the points classification.
10:04The Italian's tally was double that of his nearest rivals, Malicelli and Moschetti.
10:09Terengganu were awarded for their consistency in the breakaways with the orange jersey for the race's most active rider.
10:17Ji Yi Qi winning ahead of Dries de Bonts.
10:21Christen who won't turn 22 until June also finished as the race's best young rider in white with Arrieta and Ulalio completing the podium.
10:29And no major surprise to see that UAE with two riders on the overall podium ended up as the best team.
10:38It has been another brilliant edition of the Ulula Tour with the most dramatic conclusion so far.
10:44Congratulations to Christen, see you again next time and as ever thanks for watching.
10:50We'll see you again next time.
