Organisers of the UAE Tour have confirmed a final startlist of 145 riders from 21 teams for the seven-stage race running February 16–22. The field includes Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), with defending champion Tadej Pogačar and late withdrawal Jonas Vingegaard absent.
Vingegaard pulled out of the race following a training crash in January and subsequent illness. "The combination of the crash and subsequent illness made it necessary," the Dane said via his Team Visma | Lease a Bike squad, who instead send Wilco Kelderman as their team leader. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) was also forced out due to illness on the eve of the race, with Canadian rider Derek Gee called up as a replacement.
Evenepoel, who won the UAE Tour in 2023, enters as the clear race favourite, but faces some strong opposition.
Del Toro leads UAE Team Emirates-XRG on home roads in what is his 2026 season debut, supported by Adam Yates, the 2020 race winner. Asked about the pressure of leading without Pogačar, Del Toro told Sporza: "Whether this race gives me extra pressure? Maybe for some people. No, I just want to do as well as possible."
The GC field includes 2024 winner Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarché), who is returning from early-season injury setbacks, Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), Ben O'Connor (Jayco-AlUla), Felix Gall (Decathlon-CMA CGM) and Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal-Quickstep).
Route changes
The 2026 edition introduces Jebel Mobrah, a 14.9km climb averaging 8.6% that replaces the more gradual Jebel Jais - you can read more in our full UAE Tour preview. The final 6km of Jebel Mobrah average 12% with ramps reaching 17%, and Stage 3 features the first summit finish. The traditional queen stage finish atop Jebel Hafeet (10.8km at 6.6%) remains in Stage 6.
Stage 2 is a flat 12.2km individual time trial.
Tim Merlier and Jasper Philipsen are absent. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Fabio Jakobsen (Team Picnic-PostNL) and Alberto Dainese (Soudal-Quickstep) are among the sprinters for four sprint stages.
The full confirmed startlist is as follows:
- Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe: Evenepoel, Cattaneo, Drizners, Fisher-Black, Herzog, Moscon, Thornley
- Alpecin-Premier Tech: Dehairs, Dillier, Geens, Rickaert, Senechal, Thijssen, Vergallito
- Bahrain Victorious: Tiberi, Arndt, Caruso, Kepplinger, Oliveira Eulálio, Paasschens, Skerl
- Decathlon-CMA CGM: Gall, Bissegger, Bol, Ghys, Hoole, Mühlberger, Pollefliet
- EF Education-EasyPost: Quinn, Beloki Fernandez, Mackellar, Mihkels, Schwarzbacher, Steinhauser, Van der Lee
- Groupama-FDJ United: Gaudu, Bower, Cavagna, Huens, Jacobs, M. Milan, Paleni
- Ineos Grenadiers: Tarling, Hansen, Shmidt, Svestad-Bardseng, B. Swift, C. Swift, Welsford
- Lidl-Trek: J. Milan, Consonni, Gee, Ghebreigzabhier, Konrad, Theuns, Walscheid
- Lotto-Intermarché: Van Eetvelt, De Buyst, De Schuyteneer, Gualdi, Ørn-Kristoff, Van Sintmaartensdijk, Veistroffer
- Modern Adventure Pro Cycling: De Bod, Christian, Kessler, Munton, Caudell, Pickrell, Stewart
- Movistar: Quintana, Castrillo Zapater, Milesi, Moro, Novák, Torres Barceló
- NSN Cycling Team: Bennett, Côté, Hirt, Mullen, Raisberg, Smith, Vernon
- Pinarello-Q36.5: Dunbar, Harper, Houcou, Howson, Parisini, Vanhoucke, Zukowsky
- Soudal-Quickstep: Van Wilder, Bastiaens, Dainese, Hayter, Lecerf, Van Lerberghe, Vangheluwe
- Jayco-AlUla: O'Connor, Durbridge, Gamper, Mezgec, Pickering, Plapp, Porter
- Team Picnic-PostNL: Jakobsen, Dinham, Gaffuri, Knox, Märkl, Naberman, Van Uden
- Visma-Lease a Bike: Kelderman, Doull, Graat, Kruijswijk, Mattio, Nordhagen, Tulett
- Tudor Pro Cycling: Storer, Froidevaux, Kluckers, Kolze Changizi, Mikutis, Rondel, Wilksch
- UAE Team Emirates-XRG: Del Toro, Herregodts, Molano, Politt, Vermaerke, Vermeersch, Yates
- Uno-X Mobility: A. Johannessen, Bévort, Blikra, Bugge Urianstad, Charmig, T. Johannessen, Skaarseth
- XDS Astana Team: Malucelli, Gonov, Higuita, Lopez Granizo, Romele, Syritsa, Tejada
The UAE Tour is the third men's WorldTour race of the 2026 season.
Cover image credit: RCS / SprintCyclingAgency
Cover image credit: Luca Bettini / SprintCyclingAgen
