UAE Tour to cycle through all seven emirates from February 24
abu dhabi — After five successful years as the Dubai Tour and the Abu Dhabi Tour, the combined, UAE Tour, was officially unveiled on Thursday at the Yas Marina Circuit.
The only World Tour race in the Middle East, organised by the Dubai Sports Council, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Sharjah Sports Council, in partnership with RCS Sport, is scheduled to be held from February 24 to March 2, 2019.
The inaugural UAE Tour’s seven stages will embrace all seven emirates. The first three stages will be hosted by Abu Dhabi, the fourth by Dubai, Sharjah and Ras-al-Khaimah, the fifth stage crosses Sharjah, Ras-al-Khaimah and Fujairah, the sixth is in Ajman, Umm-al-Quwain and Ras-al-Khaimah, while the final stage sees a return to Dubai. The 2019 UAE Tour has a total distance of 1,090km with a significant elevation gain of around 4,500 metres, mostly concentrated into stages three, four and six.
Eighteen WorldTour teams plus two UCI Professional Continental Teams are set to start. With each team comprising seven riders, a total of 140 athletes will line up at Al Hudayriat Island for the opening stage of Team Time Trial.
Among them are some of the world’s finest riders, including the only two current professionals to have won all three Grand Tours: six-time Grand Tour champion Chris Froome, the Briton – starting a UAE race for the first time – goes head-to-head with his rival the Italian Vincenzo Nibali boasting four Grand Tour titles so far.
Alongside them are such famous names as the 2017 Giro d’Italia winner and former UCI World Time Trial Champion, Dutchman Tom Dumoulin; last year’s Abu Dhabi Tour winner and UCI Road World Champion, the Spaniard Alejandro Valverde; 2018’s most successful rider and Dubai Tour winner, the Italian Elia Viviani; the UCI Time Trial World Champion, Australian Rohan Dennis; and the double Dubai Tour overall champion and winner of stages at all three Grand Tours, the German sprinter Marcel Kittel.
I’m very glad to unveil such a wonderful race today,” said Aref Al Awani, Abu Dhabi Sports Council General Secretary.
“It’s the result of years of effort, passion and commitment, and this is definitely what we’ve been striving for. The world’s eyes are on us and we are ready to deliver a worldclass sporting spectacle and an unforgettable event. Thanks to the Dubai Sports Council, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Sharjah Sports Council, and to our sponsors and partners, we’ll meet this challenge in style,” he added.
“We now have a Tour that should challenge every kind of rider, and it involves all seven Emirates. This was always our dream. I am confident we can become an important appointment in the world cycling calendar and keep growing as a sporting event as well as developing the fan base,” said Saeed Hareb, the Dubai Sports Council Secretary General.