Profile & Route UAE Tour 2026 - 'Angliru of the Middle East' marks major novelty in World Tour's second stage-race

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 take a look at its profiles.

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 race begins with a 144-kilometer stage starting out in Madinat Zayed Majils and the riders will be facing a flat course where the sprinters will have their first opportunity to succeed - the first of many. The first half of the stage features a straight line that is dozens of kilometers long through the desert, where crosswinds can spell chaos.

As usual, the finale of the first day of racing takes place in the Liwa Palace, a short stage that should be fast, featuring an uphill sprint that is often interesting. The final climb is 1.4 kilometers long at 4%, in a straight line, a sprint where the ability to have a strong sustained effort is key.

The second day of racing features the traiditonal Hudaryriryat time trial, 12 kilometers in length and without technical features or climbing of any sort to mention. It will be a day where the overall classification should open up, and create some small gaps ahead of the race's climbing challenges.

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.

Stage 4 is another novelty in this year's edition, as the stage is hilly all throughout, a rarity at the UAE Tour where all stages are, in their grand majority, flat as a pancake.

It's not a brutal stage by any means, but the start features a climb of 8 kilometers at 4%, and then there are some small ascents throughout the day. If raced hard, we could see a breakaway attempt to surprise, or some sprinters suffering.

If not, then the small climbs should have no influence on the day, and the riders will be heading towards a regular bunch sprint in Fujairah.

Stage 5 of the race starts in Dubai, heads into the desert and then returns to the city. It's not the first time the finale is hosted in an university, as the stage is pan-flat, meaning a bunch sprint is unavoidable.

The finale has no technical features until the riders reach the 1 kilometer to go sign, where they will then take on two right-hand corners which means that positioning and timing will be quite important in this finale.

Stage 6 is pan-flat, starting off in Al Ain, and will feature the race's most famous climb. Jebel Hafeet is where every previous edition of the race has been decided, and this year it once again takes on a crucial position as the final mountain stage.

168 kilometers in legnth, and the final climb is 10.6 kilometers long at 6.9%. A climb that is not very consistent, unlike what the profile points towards, with a few quite steep sections and also a few flat and even downhill sections in its final half. The exposed and ultra-wide roads often make it harder than what the profile would suggest.

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.