Refusing to give up his hold on the leader’s jersey on the fifth and final stage of O Gran Camiño, Adam Yates took home the overall title for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. For the 33-year-old, the result marks his first stage race victory of the season, with Yates looking in fine shape ahead of his upcoming objectives.
The victory was built on a consistent week and a dominant stage win on Friday afternoon, with Yates triumphing atop the Alto de Cabeza de Meda. In taking the stage 4 victory, Yates moved into the race lead, and despite the best efforts of his rivals on Saturday, the Briton would not be toppled on the final day.
Crossing the line atop the Monte Trega in third place, Yates wrapped up the overall win, marking his first general classification victory since the 2024 Tour de Suisse. From his assured performance in the stage 1 individual time trial, to his trademark displays in the mountains across the final stages, this is a victory which has seen Yates ride in a manner befitting of the overall champion.
Along the way, his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates have performanced with exemplary strength, with Yates’ teammate Julius Johansen starting the week with his first professional victory on stage 1. Between Johansen’s feel-good win and Yates’ yellow jersey, the week has proved one to remember for the Emirati squad. UAE Team Emirates-XRG now moves to 21 victories for the 2026 campaign.
Speaking to the reporters after the line on stage 5, Yates reflected on the 34th win of his storied career.
Yates: “It was a hard climb today, actually it was quite short and it was not super super steep. But the wind coming from the ocean made it quite difficult, so I decided to play it a little safe and keep the pace quite high on the front. I just did my pace and then I knew it would be difficult for the other guys to attack. I am happy to finish it off.”
“Overall, the race in general has been super nice, and hopefully in the next couple of years, I can be back again.
“Now I have to go back to altitude and make some final preparations, and then it is the Giro. We are going to go there with quite a strong team, and some options. We know the competition will be quite strong so I think it is better we go there with a few options. First you haver to have the legs, and then hopefully the result will come.”
O Gran Camiño stage 5 results:
1. Alessandro Pinarello (NSN Cycling Team) 3:39:03
2. Jørgen Nordhagen (Visma-Lease a Bike) +1″
3. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) s.t
O Gran Camiño final general classification after stage 5:
1. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 14:40:53
2. Jørgen Nordhagen (Visma-Lease a Bike) +32″
3. Alessandro Pinarello (NSN Cycling Team) +48″
Saturday afternoon brought two lots of joy for UAE Team Emirates, with the team’s Gen Z talent Daan Dijkman triumphing at the under-23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Only in his first year as an under-23, the 18-year-old’s victory marks an incredible achievement for the Dutchman and the UAE Team Emirates Gen Z squad.
Dijkman made his debut for the WorldTour UAE Team Emirates-XRG outfit in January, at the AlUla Tour, and showed every bit of his strength on Saturday afternoon. The young Dutchman was in the breakaway of the day at 86km to go, and despite this break being swallowed by the peloton inside the finale, Dijkman retained enough energy to sprint for the victory.
Crossing the line in first place, Dijkman got the better of Jack Ward (Lidl-Trek Future Racing) and Jesper Stiansen (Tudor Pro Cycling Team U23), with 23 riders in total contesting the sprint for the win. With a finishing time of 4:04:58, Dijkman won Liège-Bastogne-Liège Espoirs and added his name to a list of winners that includes both João Almeida and Kevin Vermaerke of UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
Dijkman will next ride with the WorldTour squad at next week’s Vuelta Asturias, where he will no doubt be met with the congratulations of all of his teammates.