With the participation of 145 cyclists.. UAE Tour 2026 starts from Madinat Zayed Council in Al Dhafra

The competitions of the eighth edition of the UAE Tour 2026, “the only global race on the agenda of the International Cycling Union in the Middle East,” will begin tomorrow, Monday, with the participation of 145 elite international riders, representing 21 international teams, organized by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, across seven stages with a total distance of 1,004.2 kilometers, and will continue until February 22nd.
The Abu Dhabi Sports Council organized a press conference, at the Colnago store headquarters on Al Hudayriat Island, in the presence of the Assistant Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Dr. Ahmed Al Qubaisi, the Executive Director of the Events Sector at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Talal Al Hashemi, a large number of representatives of partners, sponsors and interested parties, and five of the most prominent international riders participating in the Tour, who spoke about their aspirations and preparations for the race.
The German Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe team star, the Belgian Remco Affenpoel, and the Mexican Emirates Team (XRG) rider Isaac del Toro, who is considered one of the most prominent emerging talents, confirmed this after winning the 2023 Tour L’Avaniere, and joining the Emirates team, the German Liddell Trek team rider, the Italian Jonathan Milan, the British Eneos Granderis team rider, the Briton Joshua Tarling, and the Belgian rookie Lotto Intermarche team rider, Leinart. Van Eetvelt, their readiness to compete in the eighth edition of the UAE Tour.
The competitions of the eighth edition of the Emirates Tour, sponsored by Abu Dhabi Ports Group, are divided into seven diverse stages that include mountainous heights, desert and urban roads, while passing through new landmarks and picturesque natural sites in various emirates of the country, extending for a distance of 1,004.2 km, starting from the first stage of Madinat Zayed Council in the Al Dhafra region, all the way to Liwa Fort, a distance of 144 km, sponsored by Bin Hamoodah Motors.
The second stage (against the clock), which will be held on Al Hudayriat Island, begins for a distance of 12.2 km, sponsored by Breitling, then the third stage starts from Umm Al Quwain all the way to Mount Mubarrah in Ras Al Khaimah, for a distance of 183 km, sponsored by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, then the Fujairah stage, for a distance of 182 km, sponsored by Palms Sports.
The fifth stage will be held in Dubai from Al Mamzar all the way to Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, for a distance of 166 km, sponsored by the Dubai Sports Council. Then the penultimate stage will be held in the Al Ain area, from the Al Ain Museum to the summit of Jebel Hafeet, for a distance of 168 km, sponsored by Burjeel Holding. Finally, the competitions of the eighth edition of the Emirates Tour will conclude in the city of Abu Dhabi, starting from the Zayed Museum to the Breakwater, for a distance of 149 km, sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Ports Group.
The UAE Tour 2026 will witness the participation of 21 teams: Alpesin Premier Tech (Belgium), Bahrain Victorious (Bahrain), CMA CGM Decathlon (France), EF Education Easy Boost (USA), Groupama FDG United (France), Ineos Grenadiers (United Kingdom), Lidl Trek (Germany), Lotto Intermarche (Belgium), Modern Adventure Pro (USA), Movistar (Spain), NSN (Switzerland), Pinarello Q36.5 Pro (Switzerland), Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe (Germany), Sodal Quick Step (Belgium), Jayco AlUla (Australia), Picnic Postnail (Netherlands), Visma Lease a Bike (Netherlands), Tudor Pro (Switzerland), Emirates XRG (UAE), Uno X Mobility (Norway), and the XDS Astana team (Kazakhstan).
For his part, Talal Al Hashemi confirmed the complete readiness for the launch of the global event in Abu Dhabi, with all aspects of support provided by the strategic partners for the success of the current edition of the Tour, thanking all the work teams that continue their tasks permanently, amid continuous follow-up.