Calendar/February 2026/UAE Tour

2.UWT Stage race · 7 stages · 1013 km ★★★★

UAE Tour

The UAE Tour is the only WorldTour race in the Middle East, featuring seven stages across the United Arab Emirates. The format balances sprint opportunities on flat desert roads with two crucial mountain stages - Jebel Jais mid-race and the iconic Jebel Hafeet summit finish on the finale.

§ Watch

Where to watch

🇺🇸United States

FloBikes

streaming · LIVE · $

Full live coverage and replays

Watch →

🇬🇧United Kingdom

Discovery+

streaming · LIVE · $

Full live coverage via Eurosport

Watch →

YouTube @GCNRacing · highlights·@eurosportcycling · highlights

⚠️ Spoiler warning: live streams and broadcaster home pages may show current standings. Disable autoplay & avoid sidebar recommendations on YouTube.

§ 02 — Stages

The route, day by day

Opening sprint stage through the desert - flat with possible uphill kick to finish

ITT

Tue, Feb 17

Individual Time Trial

12km

ITT · FLAT

Fast flat time trial for the TT specialists

MOUNTAIN · SUMMIT-FINISH

First mountain stage with summit finish atop Jebel Jais - 20km climb at 5% average

Flat stage through the desert - beware of crosswinds

Another flat day in Dubai - sprint opportunity

Flat stage to Abu Dhabi - final sprint opportunity before finale

MOUNTAIN · SUMMIT-FINISH

Queen stage and finale with summit finish atop Jebel Hafeet - decisive for GC

§ 03 — Startlist & Jerseys

Who to watch & what to watch for

Top Starters

T. Del

UAE Team Emirates - XRG

J. Vingegaard

Team Visma \| Lease a Bike

J. Milan

Lidl - Trek

J. Vine

UAE Team Emirates - XRG

F. Gall

Decathlon CMA CGM Team

Jerseys

Leader's Jersey

Overall GC leader on aggregate time.

Points / Sprint

Top sprinter across finishes & intermediates.

King of the Mountains

Best climber across categorised ascents.

Best Young Rider

Top GC rider under 25 where awarded.

placeholder Actual jersey colours depend on the race. Shown here as a generic template.

§ 04 — GC Favourites

Fight for the overall

№ 01 · ONE-DAY

T. Del

UAE Team Emirates - XRG

UCI #2★★★★★

№ 02 · GC-CONTENDER

J. Vingegaard

Team Visma \| Lease a Bike

UCI #3★★★★★

№ 03 · SPRINTER

J. Milan

Lidl - Trek

UCI #19★★★

№ 04 · TIME-TRIALIST

J. Vine

UAE Team Emirates - XRG

UCI #21★★★

№ 05 · CLIMBER

F. Gall

Decathlon CMA CGM Team

UCI #27★★★

§ 05 — Storylines

Narratives to watch

GC battle between climbing and TT abilities
Four sprint opportunities for fast finishers
Desert crosswinds can reshape the race at any moment
Jebel Hafeet always delivers drama on the final day

§ 07 — Viewing Notes

When to tune in

The exposed desert roads can produce dangerous crosswinds that split the race on flat stages. Jebel Hafeet on the finale typically decides the GC - 10km at 8.5% average with kicks up to 11%. Top GC contenders often target this race for early season form.