Ireland had five riders in the AlUla Tour over the past five days - as the younger generation has now begun to get a start in major pro races. And three of them played a part on the final climb of the race on Saturday to the finish at Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid.
Jamie Meehan (Cofidis) was the best placed of the Irish, taking 10th place and in these first days of the season is showing the kind of form that says he wintered very well, as he told stickybottle recently.
Eddie Dunbar (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling) was right behind first-year pro Meehan, and the Cork rider had hit he front, seeking to push the pace, when the final climb, which averaged 12 per cent, reached its steepest slopes.
Though Liam O'Brien (Lidl Trek) was a little further back - in 17th place - that finishing position does no justice to his performance of this final stage. And the 20-year-old, also from Cork, has every right to come out of this race which a high degree of confidence about his continued emergence in the pro game.
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The finale today was an unusual one, with the 2.9km climb of Harrat Uwayrid followed by 9.5km atop a plateau to the finish line. And though that final run in after the climb looked slightly downhill, it was anything but.
Indeed, once the climb proper was out of the way, the riders were forced to push up a false flat, that gradually continued to rise for the longest time, before the road evened out and the speed went up.
When the leaders reached the top of the climb they numbered just three, chased seconds later by two more, and then came O'Brien. He was the sixth rider on the road after again climbing with the best, following on from his 12th place on the uphill finish to stage 3.
Up ahead, it was Sergio Higuita (XDS Astana Team) pushing the pace in the leading trio as he was trying to win the race overall, with race leader Yannis Voisard (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) dropped on the climb and eventually losing almost a minute.
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However, those at the front came together to form a group of about eight riders, including O'Brien, riding a storming final. But then pre-race favourite Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates XRG) attacked as the road kicked up with just under 6km to go and as the road kicked up again.
That blew the front of the race apart, with the remains of the peloton - about 25 riders - mopping up some of those ahead, including O'Brien. Both Meehan and Dunbar were in that group.
Christen rode a brilliant final to win solo by 11 seconds from South African Byron Munton, putting on a big show for George Hincapie's new US team, Modern Adventure Pro Cycling. The stage winner's team mate, Igor Arrieta, took a six-up sprint for 3rd, at 32 seconds.
Meehan and Dunbar, who were among the strongest of the remains of the peloton in the final, were 10th and 11th, both at 44 seconds. And O'Brien was just a further four seconds back in 17th, though his performance outshone that final placing.
The other Irish riders in the race - Dillon Corkery (Picnic PostNL) and Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious) - were riding this week for their sprinters - finished in 84th, at 8:05, and 96th, at 12:31. The stage result ensured Christen took the overall victory, by 13 seconds from Higuita, with Arrieta 3rd at 21 seconds.
⛰️ As always, the brutal climb to Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid proved decisive for both the stage victory and the general classification.
? Check out the highlights of Stage 5!
? https://t.co/NViGTa8cbc#AlUlaTour ?? pic.twitter.com/b5IDIPlmpP— طواف العلا | ALULATOUR (@thealulatour) January 31, 2026
