The Middle East’s only UCI Women’s World Tour event gets underway today
The UAE Tour Women presented by AD Ports Group 2026 gets underway this week, bringing the world’s top female cyclists back to the region for the only UCI Women’s WorldTour race in the Middle East.
Stage 1 kicks things off with 111km from Al Mirfa to Madinat Zayed, and if previous editions are anything to go by, the action will start early, especially if the desert wind has a say.
A stacked start list
This year’s line-up is one of the strongest yet. Leading the charge is Elisa Longo Borghini, a two-time UAE Tour Women winner and the defending champion, racing on home roads with UAE Team ADQ. But she won’t have it easy.
Making their UAE Tour Women debuts are some serious GC contenders, including Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Anna van der Breggen, and Marlen Reusser, all expected to feature heavily in the fight for the red jersey.
Returning podium finishers Kim Le Court Pienaar and Silvia Persico, along with Neve Bradbury, add even more depth to the overall battle.
Sprint stars to watch
When it comes to flat finishes, eyes will be firmly on Lorena Wiebes, who already has six UAE Tour Women stage wins to her name and over 100 career victories.
She’ll be challenged by Charlotte Kool, a past stage winner here, and Chiara Consonni, with plenty of fast finishers ready to shake things up.
You might also like: There will be massive road closures across Abu Dhabi this weekend
What the riders are saying
At this week’s press conference, the mood was upbeat. Longo Borghini called the UAE Tour “a home race” for her team, while Wiebes praised the cycling infrastructure and conditions.
Reusser highlighted the race’s mix of wind, echelons and climbing as a big draw, and Kool spoke about strong early-season form and confidence in her lead-out. Le Court Pienaar is already eyeing the decisive climb up Jebel Hafeet.
Four stages, plenty of drama
The race runs from 5–8 February, covering Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain, before the final showdown on Jebel Hafeet, where the overall winner is likely to be decided.
With big names, unpredictable desert conditions and four varied stages, the 2026 UAE Tour Women is shaping up to be an unmissable week of racing.
5-8 February, various regions in Abu Dhabi. For further information, visit theuaetourwomen.com
Follow Yalla for all the latest news
