“He is showing great development”: Visma | Lease a Bike delighted after Nordhagen’s top day

Wednesday, 18 February 2026 at 18:10

Jørgen Nordhagen made a big impression with eighth place in the third stage of the UAE Tour. The young Norwegian from Visma | Lease a Bike was the team’s best climber on the brutally steep Jebel Mobrah, finishing comfortably ahead of Wilco Kelderman and Tijmen Graat, while Ben Tulett lost significantly more time on the final ramp.

The 21-year-old Nordhagen reached the line in a small group, 1:07 behind stage winner Antonio Tiberi. The presence of riders like Derek Gee (Lidl-Trek) and in-form Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Quick-Step) in the same finishing cluster underlined just how strong Nordhagen’s performance was.

In the general classification, Nordhagen now sits ninth. Kelderman finished 15th on Wednesday at 1:49 and is 14th overall. Graat also impressed with 17th on the stage — a position he now holds in the GC as well.

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Jorgen Nordhagen

Nordhagen “very happy” with UAE Tour result

Speaking via Visma | Lease a Bike’s official channels, Nordhagen was pleased with how he rode on the first real mountain test of the race. “I quickly felt that I had good legs. When the real favorites started attacking, I knew I had to stay patient to avoid blowing myself up.”

That approach paid off on the steepest part of the climb. “The final part of the climb was incredibly steep, I fought all the way to the top. Finishing eighth gives me a lot of satisfaction,” said Nordhagen, who also received praise from sports director Maarten Wynants. “Jørgen did an excellent job today.”

The Belgian was also quick to highlight the broader team effort. “The other riders also played a big role in his strong result. It was a very honest climb today - a real wall, like the Angliru on a highway. Extremely tough, but Jørgen is showing great development.”

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The third stage ende with a steep final climb

Can Nordhagen move up further in the UAE Tour GC?

The big question now is how much more Nordhagen can do in this UAE Tour. The overall should be decided on Saturday on Jebel Hafeet. “It’s a very different type of climb,” said the Norwegian. “But with legs like today I’ll do everything I can to secure a top ten overall result there.”

Wynants, meanwhile, looked beyond Nordhagen alone, with Visma | Lease a Bike placing three riders inside the top 17 after three days. “And with Wilco and Tijmen, we’re still in a strong position as well.”

“We came here with a strong and well-balanced team, which was clear today and should pay off again on Saturday.”