Preview UAE Tour 2026 stage 7 - Is anyone capable of taking down Jonathan Milan in the final sprint?
Cycling
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 7, which is expected to start and finish at 10:15 and 13:00CET.
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.
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Profile stage 7: Zayed National Museum - Abu Dhabi Breakwater

Stage 7: Zayed National Museum - Abu Dhabi Breakwater, 149 kilometers
The race will end in Abu Dhabi, with another pan-flat stage which is certain to end in a bunch sprint. It's not a stage where the wind is expected to have a role, instead a calm 149 kilometers on the bike will take the riders towards the final sprint of the race, with another straight line finale in store.

Map of stage 7 of the 2026 UAE Tour
Prediction UAE Tour 2026 stage 7:
*** Jonathan Milan
** Ethan Vernon, Matteo Malucelli
* Juan Sebastián Molano, Erlend Blikra, Alberto Dainese, Casper van Uden, Gerben Thijssen, Cees Bool, Sam Welsford, Matteo Milan
** Ethan Vernon, Matteo Malucelli
* Juan Sebastián Molano, Erlend Blikra, Alberto Dainese, Casper van Uden, Gerben Thijssen, Cees Bool, Sam Welsford, Matteo Milan
Pick: Jonathan Milan
How: Regular bunch sprint.
Original: Rúben Silva
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Sepp Kuss Vuelta 2023.Lozza13-11-2026
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