Date | Monday February 16 to Sunday February 22, 2026 |
Start location | Madinat Zayed Majlis |
Finish location | Abu Dhabi Breakwater |
Distance | 1,004km |
Category | WorldTour |
Previous edition winner | Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) |
Previous edition |
UAE Tour 2026 results
Stage 2: UAE Tour: Remco Evenepoel takes leader's jersey with storming time trial victory on stage 2
The rainbow bands on the back of Remco Evenepoel flew through the streets of Hudayriat Island to move the time trial world champion into the race lead on stage 2.
Evenepoel beat Josh Tarling (Ineos) by six seconds with Remi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ United) in third at 12 seconds. Overnight leader Del Toro lost 42 seconds to tumble into 10th overall.
Stage 1: Isaac del Toro upsets the sprinters with a sensational attack to win on opening day
Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won the opening stage at the 2026 UAE Tour, snatching a sensational victory away from the sprinters on Monday. The Mexican, a leading contender for the overall title, launched a vicious acceleration on an uphill finish, with Cees Bol (Decathlon CMA CGM) taking second place, and Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) claiming the final spot on the podium.
Del Toro leads the overall classification into the stage 2 time trial on Tuesday.
UAE Tour 2026 Information
The UAE Tour returns for a eighth edition in 2026, taking place over seven days from February 16 to February 22.
The only WorldTour race in the Middle East is positioned as the third event on the men's WorldTour calendar, after the Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, and before Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
The UAE Tour launched in 2019 when two existing races merged, the Abu Dhabi Tour and the Dubai Tour. Primož Roglič won the inaugural race.
In 2022, Tadej Pogačar won the overall title for the second year in a row, making it a replay of 2021 as he finished in front of runner-up Adam Yates. In 2023, Remco Evenepoel claimed the overall victory, besting Luke Plapp and Adam Yates.
In 2024, Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Dstny) won the overall title at the UAE Tour after winning the final summit finish to Jebel Hafeet on the finale stage 7. Jebel Hafeet has become a defining climb in the Middle East, having been part of the Abu Dhabi Tour and now the UAE Tour. The climb sits on one of the highest mountains in the United Arab Emirates and near the border with Oman.
Pogačar dominated again in 2025, winning two stages and riding away from his GC rivals on the final climb to Jebel Hafeet. Josh Tarling won the time trial stage, while Tim Merlier and Jonathan. Milan won two sprint stages each.
Join Cyclingnews' coverage of the 2026 UAE Tour with race reports, results, photo galleries, news and race analysis.
UAE Tour stages
- Stage 1: Madinat Zayed Majlis – Liwa Palace, 144 km
- Stage 2: Al Hudayriyat Island ITT, 12.2 km
- Stage 3: Umm al Quwain – Jebel Mobrah, 183 km
- Stage 4: Fujairah – Fujairah, 182 km
- Stage 5: Dubai Al Mamzar Park – Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, 166 km
- Stage 6: Al Ain Museum – Jebel Hafeet, 168 km
- Stage 7: Zayed National Museum – Abu Dhabi Breakwater, 149 km
UAE Tour Schedule
Date | Stage | Start time | Finish time |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday February 16, 2026 | Stage 1 | 13:10 GST | 16:30 GST |
Tuesday February 17, 2026 | Stage 2 | 13:05 | 15:30 |
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | Stage 3 | 12:30 | 17:00 |
Thursday, February 19, 2026 | Stage 4 | 13:00 | 17:00 |
Friday, February 20, 2026 | Stage 5 | 13:30 | 17:00 |
Saturday, February 21, 2026 | Stage 6 | 13:00 | 17:00 |
Sunday, February 22, 2026 | Stage 7 | 13:15 | 16:30 |
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UAE Tour16 February 2026 - 22 February 2026 | UAE | WorldTour
- UAE Tour route features two summit finishes and an individual time trial as Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard expected to battle in 2026
- Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro face off in major GC clash – Analysing the UAE Tour favourites
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Stage 4 | Fujairah - Fujairah2026-02-19 182km
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Stage 5 | Dubai Al Mamzar Park - Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University2026-02-20 166km
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Stage 6 | Al Ain Museum - Jebel Hafeet2026-02-21 168km
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Stage 7 | Zayed National Museum - Abu Dhabi Breakwater2026-02-22 149km
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'I overdid the first bit' – Josh Tarling falls narrowly short against Remco Evenepoel in UAE Tour time trial but asserts he is 'beatable'
Ineos Grenadiers rider loses out by six seconds to world champion on stage 2 -
'We're best friends but he's technically my boss' – Ben Swift backs Geraint Thomas to return Ineos Grenadiers to former glories
Long-term teammate says Welshman brings 'perspective of what it's actually like in the current peloton' -
'I'd prefer he wasn't here' – Josh Tarling and Ethan Hayter stay upbeat but realistic ahead of challenging Remco Evenepoel in UAE Tour time trial
Belgian to start fifth at 12:54, with race leader Isaac del Toro set to roll down the start ramp last, almost two and a half hours later
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'Super performance and super power' – Isaac del Toro manages what Tadej Pogačar couldn't on UAE Tour's stinging uphill sprint finish
'The finish was incredibly hard, but of course, we are here to make it harder, so I'm quite proud' -
More wind disruption as UAE Tour opener shortened for safety reasons
WorldTour peloton forced to avoid exposed Tel Moreeb cycle track -
'It's nice to have some advice from him' – Isaac del Toro looks to defend Tadej Pogačar's UAE Tour title as UAE Team Emirates-XRG's leader on 2026 season debut
Rising Mexican star to challenge fellow top favourite Remco Evenepoel across seven-days of desert racing
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'Cycling is for a few years in our life, but being a partner, a son, or at some point a father is for always' – Remco Evenepoel talks maintaining mental balance ahead of UAE Tour battle with Del Toro
Belgian heads into seven-day stage race as favourite against Isaac del Toro after perfect start with new team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe -
'He's trying things that he never had a chance to do as a bike rider' – Adam Yates looks ahead to first reunion with twin brother Simon Yates following shock retirement
Veteran Brit starts sixth UAE Tour on Monday as climbing superdomestique for Isaac del Toro -
'We all but lost him as a person' - Remco Evenepoel's father says tough times in rear view mirror for Belgian star, as new Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe signing goes from strength to strength in 2026
Patrick Evenepoel increasingly concentrated on R.E.V. Academy as Remco heads to UAE Tour
