UAE Tour 2025, February 17-23

[Lequack]

The return of Pogacar! After all this time UAE still make him do this desert race. Probably because of last year, when they haven't managed to win or even podium, since Yates crashed out. In the end a breakout win for Lennert Van Eetvelt. And the year before where Remco stole the win. Also a slew of sprinters are here to cause danger (and win some sprints).

Notable GC/allaround mentions: Pogacar, Carlos Rodriguez, Lennert Van Eetvelt, Onley, Bilbao, Vine, Storer, Gall, Rubio
Notable sprinters: Philipsen, Merlier, Milan, Kooij, Groenewegen, Van Poppel

UAE Tour 2025

www.procyclingstats.com

THE UAE TOUR | The one and only UCI World Tour Race in the Middle East

www.theuaetour.com

Live video stream available on Eurosport/GCN (or whatever is the alternative now).

Full startlist:

Startlist for UAE Tour 2025

Competing teams and riders for UAE Tour 2025. Top competitors are Tadej PogaÄar, Jasper Philipsen and Jonathan Milan.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[Lequack]

Personally I think this race is 3 flat stages too long. It's like Groundhog day every year.

Stage 1»Madinat Zayed Shams Solar Park›Liwa Palace(138km)

Stage 2 (ITT)»Al Hudayriyat Island›Al Hudayriyat Island(12.2km)

Stage 3»Ras al Khaimah›Jebel Jais(181km)

Stage 4»Fujairah Qidfa Beach›Umm al Quwain(181km)

Stage 5»American University Dubai›Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University(160km)

Stage 6»Abu Dhabi Cycling Club›Abu Dhabi Breakwater(165km)

Stage 7 (Final)»Al Ain Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium›Jebel Hafeet(176km)

 

[James M]

Its the WC of the best sprinters of 2025. Their all lined up.

 

[Lequack]

Its the WC of the best sprinters of 2025. Their all lined up.

No, the best sprinter Caleeb Ewan is missing.

 

[Berniece]

Great line up for sprinters

 

[Earns1985]

Startlist is out on PCS

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/uae-tour/2025/startlist

 

[Squire]

That's a lot of Pog.

 

[Mayomaniac]

The just need to pave (at least the top) of the Oman side of Jebel Jais, cross into Oman early on the stage and use it as a pass before a downhill finish at the entrance of the Jebel Jais mountain road or all the way until Ra's al-Chaima.
https://www.cronoescalada.com/tracks/view/Jebel+Jais+downhill_70210
The climb

 

[snipeheem]

Finally, the goat is back

 

[Tymek]

Well, sprinters might be curious thing about this race, but there is only one rider most of us actually care about in this race.

 

[Earns1985]

So besides from the sprints, the question is, who will finish second in the GC.

We have C. Rodriguez, van Eetvelt, Gall, Ciccone, Rubio, Fisher-Black, Onley, Bilbao and Riccitello. So pretty mediocre GC field for a World Tour race..

 

[search]

Personally I think this race is 3 flat stages too long. It's like Groundhog day every year.

Stage 1»Madinat Zayed Shams Solar Park›Liwa Palace(138km)

they made a bit of a change at least. Stage 1 doesn't finish on the main road anymore, but is now an uphill sprint to the mosque:

 

[Peyroteo94]

Personally I think this race is 3 flat stages too long. It's like Groundhog day every year.

Stage 1»Madinat Zayed Shams Solar Park›Liwa Palace(138km)

Stage 2 (ITT)»Al Hudayriyat Island›Al Hudayriyat Island(12.2km)

Stage 3»Ras al Khaimah›Jebel Jais(181km)

Stage 4»Fujairah Qidfa Beach›Umm al Quwain(181km)

Stage 5»American University Dubai›Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University(160km)

Stage 6»Abu Dhabi Cycling Club›Abu Dhabi Breakwater(165km)

Stage 7 (Final)»Al Ain Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium›Jebel Hafeet(176km)

How hard is the last km?

 

[hayneplane]

It will be interesting to see if Pogacar tries to test his explosiveness and pure watts on that finish as 750 meters at 6% could be enough to outgun the sprinters if UAE are minded to push a hard pace in the last 25 km and not just turn it over to the sprint trains.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It will be interesting to see if Pogacar tries to test his explosiveness and pure watts on that finish as 750 meters at 6% could be enough to outgun the sprinters if UAE are minded to push a hard pace in the last 25 km and not just turn it over to the sprint trains.

He shouldn't sprint but I think he will.

 

[Monsi]

He shouldn't sprint but I think he will.

Why should he not sprint? Pogi will definitely sprint there as long as UAE can deliver him in the right position. 750 m at around 6% is almost right where he can probably outsprint the main sprinters. He gets an opportunity to win in rainbows in front of the UAE bosses.

 

[Samamba]

they made a bit of a change at least. Stage 1 doesn't finish on the main road anymore, but is now an uphill sprint to the mosque:

Is it a different finish compared to last year then?

 

[tobydawq]

Is it a different finish compared to last year then?

Yes, this finish has never featured before.

Not even this type of finish. It's always either been pan flat, Jebel Jais, Jebel Hafeet or Hatta Dam.

 

[Samamba]

Yes, this finish has never featured before.

Not even this type of finish. It's always either been pan flat, Jebel Jais, Jebel Hafeet or Hatta Dam.

They finished on the same street last year, it was announced to be an uphill sprint too, but It was disappointing in the end and just a normal bunch sprint. I guess they finish a few 100m further up that road now.

EDIT: oh I see that last year the same finish was announced initially, but they changed it right before the race so they never did it. Now they are supposed to actually do it.

Might be a mess with both sprinter and GC riders wanting to be at the front.

 

[tobydawq]

Might be a mess with both sprinter and GC riders wanting to be at the front.

That really shouldn't be a factor in discouraging using interesting finales.

 

[Netserk]

Is it a different finish compared to last year then?

It was at 2.5 km to go last year.

 

[Samamba]

That really shouldn't be a factor in discouraging using interesting finales.

Of course not

 

[Peyroteo94]

Why should he not sprint? Pogi will definitely sprint there as long as UAE can deliver him in the right position. 750 m at around 6% is almost right where he can probably outsprint the main sprinters. He gets an opportunity to win in rainbows in front of the UAE bosses.

Potential crash. So many sprint teams will try to win.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Is it a different finish compared to last year then?

600m at 6%. Can't wait for a Pogi win and no crashes please

 

[Lequack]

Pog is already there