"We want to provide the same quality as the men's racing" - UAE Tour Women continues to grow in popularity
Cycling
The UAE Tour Women currently stands as the only Women's
WorldTour race held in the Middle East. Having a women's race in this region
carries significant importance, as it helps promote gender equality in sports
and provides a platform for female cyclists in an area where such opportunities
have traditionally been limited.
On Saturday, Elisa Longo Borghini claimed victory on the
stage and took the overall lead in the UAE Tour Women. The 33-year-old made a
solo move in the final three kilometres of the 158km stage, crossing the finish
line in just under four hours. Her teammate Italian Silvia Persico
led the chasing bunch to secure second place.
Fabrizio D'Amico, chief operating officer of race organisers
RCS Sport, shared insights into the event’s development in a conversation with Cyclingnews.
"We want to provide the same quality of race as the
Tour de France and the Giro women now and to make the athletes feel, first of
all, safe riding and to give something that they never experienced,"
D'Amico told Cyclingnews.
"I want to provide the same quality as the men's racing
and be in line with the UCI guidelines.
"But it's also really important that we bring gender
equality and raise the prize money, which is in line with the men's race, but
adapted to the four stages compared to the seven."
RCS has made several adjustments to the race based on rider
requests, some of which are not commonly seen in other Women's WorldTour events,
or other sports events either.
"It might sound a little bit strange, but we put
toilets around the route for the first three stages in line with the CPA and
the riders' requests," D'Amico said.
"We added more changing rooms at the start and at the
finish line and more washrooms to help make the athletes feel
comfortable."
Now in its third year, the race has experienced significant
growth, with this edition marking the longest yet. The logistical efforts
behind the event are huge to say the last, and it is important that the race
continues to grow in order to promote more equality in the area.
"A women's race was in the plan since around 2017/2018
as an idea for the development of cycling, but things needed to mature to get
to the right point," D'Amico said.
"A well-done race takes a while to organise, and we
needed to gain respect and credibility in order to attract the best
teams," D'Amico concluded with.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Makes sense that training from home is a big asset or advantage but it's still remarkable that he can put in three quality majors and not pay some heavy price for the exertion. I wish he would have won that tour stage that his crash while leading allowed Carapaz the win. He's a darn good rider and teammate.flyer14-11-2026
- Sounds like we all agree with the over under exaggeration: "The German’s signing does not guarantee that Evenepoel will win the Tour in 2027. "flyer14-11-2026
- Seixas appears to be that good but if he isn't (an absolute rival to Pogacar) he would have plenty of company in rising stars that did not go on to fully meet the expectations of many. That Pogacar wasn't the greatest (as great) sooner can't be transposed onto another's development. It may be not that simple.flyer14-11-2026
- I agree that, for Evenepoel, the Euro championship is overshadowed by the slightly off Lombardia and Worlds. However, I disagree that "Ciccone also made a serious mistake at the European Championships" because I don't think he had a win in the bag although he could have won with a perfect bike throw. Guesswork about the finish is not evidence by me for some serious mistake. Sometimes you just barely lose - although Ciccone's sourpuss about it persona was serious.flyer14-11-2026
- I bet you photobombed the video since you are his shadow!frieders314-11-2026
- Skipping the 2027 TDF would be fine in my opinion, and if so, it further reveals that him racing it in 2026 was a good decision. Seixas speaks confident, almost cocky, these days (not meant to be a criticism) and I find it a tad humorous that people (rather commentators) continually chide and advise on how Decathlon should direct and manage Seixas when Paul seems to be calling all his shots since well before this year's TDF.flyer14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too.Lozza14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too. So Zonnewotsit can stick it!Lozza14-11-2026
- Who’s gifting grand tours at UAE? Defo not Pogi! Stage wins maybe.Lozza13-11-2026
- Sepp Kuss Vuelta 2023.Lozza13-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment