Isaac del Toro & Adam Yates combine as UAE Team Emirates go all-out for "home race" UAE Tour 2026
Cycling
For UAE Team Emirates - XRG, the UAE Tour has never been about novelty. It is about expectation.
Three overall victories, ten stage wins, and years of dominance on home roads mean that when the Emirati squad unveil their lineup for the race, it is less a participation announcement and more a statement of intent.
In 2026, that intent is built around balance: emerging leadership, proven winners, and a support unit that knows exactly what is required in this race.
At the centre of that approach is Isaac del Toro, handed responsibility for the UAE Tour for the first time alongside former overall winner Adam Yates.
Del Toro trusted with home leadership
Del Toro’s selection is telling. The Mexican arrives at the race as one of the breakout riders of 2025 and as the national champion in both the road race and time trial. For UAE Team Emirates – XRG, placing him at the forefront on home soil signals confidence rather than caution.
“I’m really excited to line up for my first UAE Tour,” Del Toro said. “It’s a special race for me, not only because it’s my debut, but because it’s a home race for the team, and you really feel that sense of pride and responsibility.”
Rather than easing him in, UAE have positioned Del Toro as a genuine option from the outset. Preparation has reflected that. “I’ve spent some time reconning some of the main stages, getting familiar with the roads and the key moments, and that’s given me a lot of confidence,” he explained.
Crucially, Del Toro’s language points to ambition without isolation. “The level here will be very high, with some of the best riders in the world on the start line, but we’ve prepared really well as a group, and we’re ready to give our best and race aggressively.”
Yates and Molano provide proven pathways to success
Alongside Del Toro stands Adam Yates, whose history at the race provides immediate reference points. Winner of the 2020 edition, Yates returns for his sixth UAE Tour appearance, bringing experience on the decisive climbs and an understanding of how the race unfolds.
Sprint opportunities, meanwhile, will be led by Sebastian Molano, who arrives in form after opening his 2026 account at the Tour of Oman. His inclusion ensures UAE are not reliant on a single narrative across the week.
Del Toro acknowledged that depth directly. “I hope for a good performance, but we also have the class and experience of someone like Yates and then Molano for the sprints, so we have lots of options,” he said.
That optionality is central to how UAE approach their home race.
A support group built on continuity
Behind the headline names sits a support unit that reflects continuity rather than experimentation. Rune Herregodts, Nils Politt, Kevin Vermaerke, and Florian Vermeersch complete the seven-man lineup.
Both Vermeersch and Herregodts were part of the squad that helped deliver UAE another overall victory at the race last season, offering familiarity with the demands of controlling the UAE Tour’s specific terrain and conditions. Vermaerke’s inclusion continues his integration into the UAE system, while Politt adds experience and authority on the flatter days.
From the team car, Andrej Hauptman, Marco Marzano and Yousif Mirza will oversee a group that has been assembled with clear roles in mind rather than open-ended freedom.
Read also
UAE Team Emirates - XRG for the 2026 UAE Tour
| Rider |
| Isaac del Toro |
| Adam Yates |
| Sebastian Molano |
| Rune Herregodts |
| Nils Politt |
| Kevin Vermaerke |
| Florian Vermeersch |
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- He lives in Monaco
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - It's also highly significant for Lorenzo Finn as he won there last year. Also Mateo Ramírez and Henrique Bravo if they goRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- This is a phenomenal course design. I do wish that they'd stretch these tours for the women to at least 2 weeks.RidesHills03-11-2026
- This is an amazing route, honestly. Let's hope that it attracts riders to make it a compelling and competitive race. Side bar amusement: going to Slovenia and passing pretty close to Pogačar's house. I wonder if they were tempting him to get all 3 jerseys at once after winning the Tour and Vuelta. After all, only a very few have ever had all three at the same time (Froome being the last).RidesHills03-11-2026
- He was a child two years agoRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route aswell. Col d'Arpy is a toughieRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horrible. Montaner is also used in the U23s, in Giro del BelvedereRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- I remember when Mark went through that. He was really experiencing lows and thought about quiting many times. It took him a long time to recover. I, like many others were overjoyed when he came back. I hope Lafay has been tested. I wish him the best.Paggss03-11-2026
- That sucks for him. I've always wondered what guys like him do after retiring from cycling - go back to uni? He's still a very young manCrashjames03-11-2026
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