The AlUla Tour 2025 kicked off in Saudi Arabia with an exciting and fast-paced stage 1. The riders raced on a flat 142.7km loop around the city of AlUla, starting and finishing at Al Manshiyah Train Station, with Sebastian Molano of UAE Team Emirates finishing a close second, just behind Tim Merlier of Soudal-Quickstep, taking the win.
The race heated up in the final few kilometers as the pace picked up and Molano, guided by his lead-out man Ivo Oliveira, positioned himself perfectly behind Merlier’s wheel, hoping for the chance to overtake in the final stretch. However, Merlier’s speed surpassed Molano, who finished just behind him in second place.
In the final 5km, a crash occurred involving several riders, including Rafal Majka and Adria Pericas, both of whom went down, which resulted in Majka suffering from rib pain and scrapes on his right knee. Despite the crash, both riders completed the stage and are expected to be fine for tomorrow’s Stage 2, which will take them from AlUla Old Town to Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah (157.7km).
Molano shared his thoughts after the stage, saying, “It was a very fast finish. I knew Merlier would be the man to watch, and I managed to get on his wheel in the final straight. He was very strong today, and I couldn’t get around him. I’m satisfied with the result, but I’m still eager to get my first win of the season. I’m happy with my form, and I’ll be looking for more chances this week. We had a couple of our guys caught up in a crash at the end, but hopefully, it’s nothing serious, and we’ll live to fight another day.”
AlUla Tour Stage 1 Results:
- Tim Merlier (Soudal Quickstep) – 3:10:21
- Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – Same Time
- Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor Pro Cycling) – Same Time
Meanwhile, in the UAE, Gen Z team celebrated their first victory of the season at the Tour of Sharjah. Davide Stella, a young Italian rider, claimed a strong victory in Stage 5, winning the sprint finish from Heritage Village, AlHamriya to Al Jada, Sharjah (121.87km).
This win wrapped up a successful race for the Emirati squad. Duarte Marivoet from Belgium finished with the white jersey for the best young rider, while Abdulla Jasim Al-Ali earned the title of best UAE rider.
