Preview UAE Tour 2026 stage 3 - Evenepoel set to defend race lead against del Toro on the 'Angliru of the Middle East'

From the 16th to the 22nd of February, the peloton will be in the Middle East for what is the second World Tour stage-race of the season: the UAE Tour. The race, characterized by its flat stages and hot weather, will once again host some of the world's very best. We preview stage 3, which is expected to start and finish at 09:30 and 14:00CET.

The race was only created in 2019, off the back of the success of other events such as the Abu Dhabi Tour and the Dubai Tour. The region, host to large financial capacity, hot weather in February, and its World Tour status, has managed to attract big figures on a yearly basis. Its first edition, in 2019, immediately saw Primoz Roglic take the overall win ahead of then World Champion Alejandro Valverde.

With the growth of UAE Team Emirates - XRG, the nation's own team, the importance it gained grew even bigger. Adam Yates won the race in 2020, and that gave way to then Pogacar's two consecutive victories ahead of the Briton in 2021 and 2022. Then World Champion Remco Evenepoel soared to victory in 2023; his compatriot Lennert van Eetvelt won in 2024; whilst in 2025 it was World Champion Tadej Pogacar who took a dominant victory, winning both traditional finished into Jebej Jais and Jebel Hafeet.

The third day of racing is the ultimate novelty in the race. The UAE is not known for having many mountain roads, and the same two climbs have been used on a yearly basis. Jebel Jais has been removed this year, and Jebel Mobrah is the new summit finish.

The stage is, as always, pan-flat with no features until the final ascent. But this one is going to be brutal, and features a profile that is incredibly similar to the famous Alto de l'Angliru. In total, the climb is 13.2 kilometers long at 8.1%, but the first half is not as steep and even features a small descent.

It is the final 6 kilometers, the average is of around 12%, but the gradients do get significantly steeper than that, coming close to 20% at point. It is pure climber territory, where the differences are expected to be substantial and likely GC-deciding.

On a climb with such gradients it won't be important, likely. Nevertheless during the stage the northern wind will provide some headwind, and it's possible that to some degree this will be felt on the final climb.

Remco Evenepoel - It's all about himself, Red Bull didn't bring a climbers' team to the UAE, but they do not need one either. On this climb everyone will essentially do a time trial, and Evenepoel on paper has to not lose time to anyone and it will be a good day. Because it's so tough it's not so much a matter of following, but common sense would dictate that he will try to go along in the wheel of Isaac del Toro.

Isaac del Toro - The UAE man did not look so good today, which is not the best of signs, but his win on stage 1 is a good indicator of good form. How he will be able to apply it on such a brutal climb is a different, but UAE is the team that has the lineup and likely the responsibility to try and push the pace and Evenepoel out of their confort. Adam Yates will be leading Del Toro up the climb but it will then be up to him to have the legs to make the difference.

But the stage will feature other big players, some pure climbers too. Take Felix Gall for example, a specialist in this kind of brutal summit finish; but in his case the overall win would depend on him winning at least a minute on Evenepoel and 30 seconds on Del Toro here - which makes GC victory hard to achieve. Michael Storer, in top form, can very well fight for the stage win as well however; whilst we have in Derek Gee a consistent climber - however one who might not perhaps enjoy the steep gradients as much; and a Bahrain - Victorious who has Antonio Tiberi in position to fight for the podium, and his right-hand men in Afonso Eulálio (mainly) and Damiano Caruso who can do well here.

Lennert van Eetvelt, former winner of the race, is one of the men who is very well adapted to such a climb; and the lightweights can perhaps perform better than expected because the gradients do play a very meaningful rode. Looking at riders such as Nairo Quintana, George Bennett, David Gaudu, Jorgen Nordhagen, Byron Munton or William Junior Lecerf, they can certainly go on to finish on the Top10.

Other men are to be expected in the mix such as Pablo Castrillo, Eddie Dunbar, Chris Harper, Ilan van Wilder, Ben O'Connor, Luke Plapp, Ben Tulett and Tobias Johannessen.

*** Remco Evenepoel, Isaac del Toro
** Michael Storer, Antonio Tiberi, Derek Gee, Felix Gall
* Afonso Eulálio, Lennert van Eetvelt, Nairo Quintana, Ilan van Wilder, Luke Plapp, Ben O'Connor, Tobias Johannessen, Ben Tullett

Pick: Remco Evenepoel

How: Solo win