Gallery: Dubai Tour riders hit the beach

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The stars are on show for the 2014 Dubai Tour (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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The inaugral Dubai Tour sees the world's best riders take to their bikes (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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All for one: The WorldTour gathers for the first Dubai Tour (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) is hoping for even more speed in 2014 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Mark Cavendish cools off in the sea (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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World champion Rui Costa and the man he beat last year Joaquim Rodriguez (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Sagan, Cancellara, Kittel, Phinney and Martin take part in a photo shoot (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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The leading riders in Dubai take to the beach (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Vincenzo Nibali is using the Dubai Tour as part of his Tour de France build up (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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World time trial champion Tony Martin faces questions (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano) will lead Giant-Shimano (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Fabian Cancellara is set to make his debut for Trek Factory Racing (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Where Nibali goes the Italian press are quick to follow (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Mark Cavendish is swamped by the media in Dubai (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

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Peter Sagan (Cannondale) is looking for his first win of the 2014 season (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Tony Martin is a favourite for the opening time trial on Wednesday (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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2013 Giro d'Italia champion Vincenzo Nibali (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Peter Sagan and Joaquim Rodriguez are two of the most high profile riders at the race

Peter Sagan and Joaquim Rodriguez are two of the most high profile riders at the race (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Mark Cavendish will be looking for his first win in Dubai (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Mark Cavendish has a quick dip in the sea at Dubai (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Vincenzo Nibali and Mark Cavendish (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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German rider Marcel Kittel and Tony Martin (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Peter Sagan is building up for the Classics (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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The contenders line up for the Dubai Tour (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Peter Sagan (Cannondale) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Mark Cavendish poses with the Dubai landscape in the background (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Marcel Kittel (Giant Shimano) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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World time trial champion Tony Martin (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Phinney, Cavendish and Martin catch up (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Taylor Phinney (BMC) should challenge for the opening time trial (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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Joaquim Rodriguez and Vincenzo Nibali are rivals who respect one another (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

The inaugural Tour of Dubai starts on Wednesday with a 10-kilometre time trial in Dubai. Eleven WorldTour teams take the start in the UCI 2.1 event with Grand Tour winners Vincenzo Nibali, Alejandro Valverde and Ryder Hesjedal among them.

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The line-up for the race, organized by RCS Sport, is full of cycling’s superstars. They posed on the beach in front of the world famous Burj al Arab, the iconic hotel in the form of a sail of a dhow boat.

The world’s elite in sprinting with Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano), Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Peter Sagan (Cannondale) take on each other in the flat stages in the Dubai deserts.

Former world champions like Mark Cavendish, Thor Hushovd and Fabian Cancellara plus the current road race world champion Rui Costa and time trial world champion Tony Martin also line up for this four day stage race.

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