With the conclusion of the sixth edition of the UAE Tour, Belgian cyclist Lennart Van Eitvelt (22 years old) from the Lotto Destiny team has been crowned the champion, attracting significant attention from the global press regarding this emerging Belgian champion's unique achievement, marking his first title in his cycling career.
The race, the only international cycling event in the Middle East and included in the UCI calendar, took place over seven stages organized by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, covering a distance of 985 kilometers. It featured 140 cyclists representing 20 professional teams. This victory marked the first time in his history that the Belgian champion claimed a title in a World Tour event, making him the second youngest cyclist to win the UAE Tour title at his age, following Slovenian Tadej Pogačar of the UAE Team Emirates, who won the title in 2021.
Chinese news outlet "BNN" stated that “the UAE Tour has provided the rising Belgian cyclist Lennart Van Eitvelt a fresh start in his cycling career, with a promising future ahead.” The site added: “Van Eitvelt achieved an unexpected victory in the UAE Tour; he was not as well-known as his compatriot Remco Evenepoel, but his recent rise and brilliance at the summit of Jebel Hafeet led him to clinch the title in this sixth edition of the tour, positioning himself among the elite of the world's top cyclists and providing opportunities for other emerging cyclists to win titles in major global competitions.”
