Profile & Route AlUla Tour 2026

The 2026 AlUla Tour will be taking place from the 27th to the 31st of January and will open up the action on the Asia Tour. In Saudi Arabia, the young race will host some top sprinters and several other riders throughout its five stages. We take a look at its profiles and route.

The AlUla Tour has rapidly grown into one of the Middle East’s most prestigious early-season professional cycling stage races, being held right before the Tour of Oman and UAE Tour to form a series of races in the region. The race was first held in 1999 but was short-lived. In 2002 it had its last edition in years, and returned finally in 2020 with a different image and status.

Promoted by the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) — the same organisers behind the Tour de France — it has gained a strong reputation and leverage to bring in big names. Former race winners include Phil Bauhaus, Ruben Guerreiro... And in its two most recent editions none other than Simon Yates and Tom Pidcock. However its pan-flat stages, combined with the hot weather, provides ideal chances for the sprinters to open up their season with a win.

The race starts off in a... Camel Track. Yes, Saudi Arabia always delivers when it comes to its start and finish locations, and once again the race begins in one of the most iconic places in pro cycling. The first stage of the race is suited to the sprinters, with a final circuit around the track which features a slightly uphill sprint to start off the race.

Like stage 1, the second day of racing starts and finishes on the same location - in this case the Almansihiyah Train Station - whilst having a loop through the desert and then a small circuit finish. This one however, will be much flatter and suited to a pure sprint.

Stage 3 will be an important day in the race, the one with the most climbing and the only stage with a summit finish. The rider start off in the 'winter park' and go on to finish in the Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah.

The final ascent is going to be 4.9 kilometers long at 5.8%, however it is a climb that gradually becomes steeper as the riders ascend. The final kilometers averages almost 10%, making it quite possible to open up meaningful gaps, whilst the climbers also stand a chance to take out the puncheurs if the ascent is ridden all-out right from the base.

Stage 4 of the race sees a return to the pure sprint stages. This is the only one that does not have a circuit finish, however there won't be any climbing throughout the day to disrupt the chances of the fast finishers into Shalal Sijlyat Rocks.

The queen stage is the now-famous finale into Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid. This is a stage that is almost completely flat, until the riders face an absolute 'wall' in the desert.

The final ascent, which ends with 8.5 kilometers to go, is 2.9 kilometers long at 12%, and features gradients up to 20%. This climb is made even harder by the fact that it is ridden in a wide road and fully exposed to the desert sun. The flat finale opens up possibilities of there being some tactical racing before the riders reach the finish line.