The peloton set off from Al Ain for a stage totaling 156 kilometers. The final stage of the four-day stage race was decided on Jebel Hafeet, a ten-kilometer climb with an average gradient of seven percent. The opening phase of the stage was cautious. Several riders spent a long time riding solo off the front, but well before the foot of the final climb everything came back together. 

On the long final ascent, the peloton quickly thinned out. With just over four kilometers to go to the summit, Longo Borghini accelerated. The pace set by the Italian proved just too high for De Vries. The Dutch rider then continued at her own tempo and secured third place after being passed by Trinca Colonel. De Vries also finished third in the overall classification, marking her first-ever WorldTour podium. 

After the finish, De Vries was overjoyed. “I’m incredibly happy with this result—I still can’t believe it,” she reflected. “Today everything fell into place. My teammates supported me perfectly, which meant I could start the final climb feeling fresh. I felt the team’s confidence in me, and that was hugely motivating. Maybe they believed in me even more than I did myself.” 

“From the foot of Jebel Hafeet, I noticed I had good legs,” she continued. “I saw riders around me getting into trouble, while I was still feeling strong. It was special to be riding in that lead group of five. When Longo Borghini accelerated, I tried to follow, but the pace was extremely high. Trinca Colonel then joined me and later rode away. Third place was the maximum achievable for me.” 

“This result would never have been possible without the support of the team and staff. I’m extremely grateful to everyone. Over the past period, I’ve done everything I could to start the season in top form, and it’s great to see that being rewarded now. I’m more motivated than ever to go for a victory. I feel that it’s possible,” De Vries concluded.