Majid Al Balooshi And Carolina Karlsson Claim Top Honours At L Etape Dubai By Tour De France 2026

Majid Al Balooshi and Carolina Karlsson secured the top honours in the 112km Epic Race at L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France presented by Škoda, winning the men’s and women’s categories. Across the weekend, 1,200 amateur cyclists from 79 countries took part, underlining Dubai’s status as an international sports hub. Peter Sagan and Zdenek Štybar’s presence further raised the profile of the event.

The Dubai Sports Council-backed race weekend highlighted strong local and global participation, with both community riders and international visitors on the start line. Around 20 percent of the field came from overseas, while Emirati riders represented about 10 percent of participants. This mix reflected Dubai’s goal of combining elite-style experiences with mass participation cycling in the Middle East.

The flagship Epic Race unfolded on Sunday, 25 January, beginning at Dubai Design District (D3). Riders first navigated a quick but carefully managed opening segment before heading through Nad Al Sheba and onto the main Al Ain Road. The peloton then split into several tight groups, producing intense racing as participants rode past Global Village and towards Expo Village Park.

As the 112km route neared its conclusion, competitors confronted strong desert winds that made the final kilometres demanding. Those conditions led to a hard chase before a high-speed sprint finish at Expo Village Park. Throughout, organisers maintained strict safety measures, ensuring closed roads, medical support, and controlled race management, which helped deliver a smooth and secure event for all cyclists.

In the men’s Epic Race, Majid Al Balooshi finished first after a closely contested battle, posting a time of 02:36:21. Faisal Almamari and Stepan Shishkov were not far behind and completed the overall podium. Their performances highlighted the competitive standard within the amateur ranks at this second edition of L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France.

Sweden’s Carolina Karlsson led the women’s Epic Race, stopping the clock at 02:37:52. Kristina Zabolotko secured second place, while Maria Bykovskaya finished third in the women’s standings. The tight time gaps across the top finishers illustrated the depth of the women’s field and the increasing appeal of endurance cycling for riders from different nations.

The 67km Classic Race delivered more strong performances alongside the Epic Race at L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France. In the men’s Classic, Chrysler Tadena from the Philippines won with a time of 01:37:50. The women’s Classic title went to Alena Pavlatova from the Czech Republic, who recorded 01:39:03, confirming the competitive nature of the shorter-distance race.

L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France sprint segments and festival events

A new addition to L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France this year was a trio of dedicated sprint sections, designed to mirror Tour de France-style challenges. Among them, the Sagan Speed Challenge near Global Village attracted particular attention. Francesco Bettini won the men’s sprint segment, while Epic Race champion Carolina Karlsson topped the women’s sprint rankings.

Both Sagan Speed Challenge winners received special jerseys from Peter Sagan, who rode on Sunday and interacted with riders and fans over the weekend. The event’s programme began on Saturday, 24 January, at the L’Étape Village in Expo Village Park. The venue hosted activities for families and spectators, creating a festival-style atmosphere alongside the competitive racing.

Saturday’s schedule at L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France featured youth and family-focused rides. Hundreds of young cyclists took part in the Škoda Kids’ Race, completing distances from 300 metres to 1.8 kilometres. The 20-kilometre Škoda Family Ride offered a more relaxed challenge, encouraging multi-generational participation and helping introduce newer riders to organised cycling events in Dubai.

The official awards ceremony brought together senior figures from partner organisations supporting L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France. Saeed Hareb, Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council, attended alongside Lukas Honzak, Managing Director, Škoda Middle East, and Antione Quiers, Project Manager of ASO, organisers of the Tour de France. Peter Sagan also joined the group to present trophies and jerseys to the category winners on stage.

Saeed Hareb said, "We are delighted with the huge success of the second edition of the renowned L’Étape Dubai race, which is a wonderful blend of international participation and community competition. This confirms Dubai's growing position as a preferred sports destination at both the local and international levels. We also believe that such events contribute effectively to raising community awareness of the importance of physical fitness and support our vision of providing a comprehensive, inclusive and stimulating sports environment for all. We reaffirm our continuous commitment to promoting a culture of sports and a healthy lifestyle by attracting world-class events that cater to all segments of society and provide opportunities for all family members to participate, coinciding with the ‘Year of the Family’, a national initiative that embodies the vision of our wise leadership in empowering the Emirati family and strengthening the cohesion and prosperity of our society, within an integrated system that reinforces national identity, family growth and social solidarity."

Antoine Quiers, Project Manager of A.S.O, organisers of Tour de France, said, "After landing in the Middle East for the first time in 2025, L’Étape Dubai by Tour de France presented by Škoda has made a very successful return for its second edition. Throughout the weekend, thousands of cycling enthusiasts experienced the unique atmosphere of the Tour de France, whether its was in the L’Étape Village, or taking part in one of the numerous race formats. With the exceptional presence of two former Tour de France champions, Peter Sagan and Zdenek Štybar, and thanks to the involvement of all the key stakeholders, L’Étape Dubai has succeeded in delivering an even better experience in 2026 for every participant, showing once again that this is a land for cycling, with incredible venues, passionate athletes and great weather conditions. Congratulations to all the participants and see you next year!"

With inputs from WAM