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Kim Le Court Pienaar claims third overall at the UAE Tour
AG Insurance - Soudal wrapped up a successful debut in the UAE Tour with a podium in the general classification, as Kim Le Court Pienaar secured third place overall after the last stage, marking a historic first GC podium for the team in a stage race in the Middle East.
Fourth and final stage in Abu Dhabi
The last day of the event saw the bunch cover 128 kilometers in and around Abu Dhabi. The stage started at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Academy, passed through Khalifa City, Yas Marina, and the islands of Saadiyat, Al Maryah, and Al Reem before finishing at Abu Dhabi Breakwater. It was the last chance for the sprinters to make their mark.
Kim Le Court Pienaar was active throughout the stage, collecting valuable points and bonus seconds in the intermediate sprints. At the Yas Marina Circuit, she finished second, earning 5 points and 2 bonus seconds. Later, at Qasr Al Hosn, she crossed the line in third, securing 3 more points and 1 additional bonus second.
The stage ended in a bunch sprint, where AG Insurance - Soudal’s Gladys Verhulst-Wild delivered another strong performance by finishing fifth. Earlier in the week, she had already shown her sprinting strength with a sixth-place finish in the opening stage. The final stage victory went to Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx - Protime).
A breakthrough result for Kim Le Court Pienaar
For Kim, one of the most consistent riders in the race, this podium marks a major milestone in her career, as it is her first-ever top-three finish in a general classification. The overall victory in the UAE Tour went to Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ).
Kim Le Court Pienaar: "So happy to get my first-ever podium in a stage race!"
Reflecting on the final stage and her overall result, Kim expressed her emotions after a tense day of racing: "Today was actually really nervous out there. I think it was probably the most intense day of the UAE Tour. Of course, there was the stress of keeping my GC position or maybe even moving up to second. We tried everything we could at the intermediate sprints, but it didn’t work out. The team did an insane job keeping me safe and up front all day, so I’m really thankful for them. I’m so happy to get my first-ever podium in a stage race, and I’m really excited for the rest of the year!"
With this strong performance in the UAE Tour, AG Insurance - Soudal has started the season on a positive note, showcasing great teamwork and ambition with Marthe Goossens, Kimberley (Le Court) Pienaar, Ashleigh Moolman, Ilse Pluimers, Gladys Verhulst-Wild, and Urška Žigart representing the team.
