UAE Team Emirates-XRG Kicks Off Tour de Romandie 2026 with a Solid Prologue

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

UAE Team Emirates-XRG showed great promise at the 2026 Tour de Romandie, with Ivo Oliveira and Tadej Pogačar both making it to the top 10 during the prologue.

Oliveira was the first to take to the course and swiftly secured the hot seat, though his time was eventually surpassed by Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek) and Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), who claimed victory in this stage. Nevertheless, Oliveira maintained an impressive average speed exceeding 52 km/h across the 3.2 km distance, finishing in third place.

Tadej Pogačar, riding just days after his recent Liège-Bastogne-Liège victory, clocked in at 3:42 for the prologue, ultimately placing sixth. The reigning world champion is debuting at the Tour de Romandie this year, aiming for the general classification title previously held by teammate João Almeida.

Reflecting on his performance, Oliveira noted his surprise at being able to race following a foot fracture sustained during Catalunya, which sidelined him for 12 days. He expressed how special it felt to compete again and strive for top results.