UAE Tour 2026 Stage 1

February 16, 2026 The opening stage to the eighth edition of the UAE Tour is very similar to what we had last year. The 144KM race starts in Madinat Zayed Majlis and finishes at the Liwa Palace. The opening 55KM are relatively flat although the desert in the UAE tends to rolls a bit. The riders head directly South, pass through Liwa at the first intermediate sprint, and enter the Moreeb Dune area. The road undulates quite a bit through the dunes as they approach the Moreeb Dune Cycle Track. On each of the two laps of the cycle track there is one noteworthy climb, a 1.6KM rise at 6.8%. There are other little short hills that make the profile which looks like a set of baby shark teeth. After two laps of the track, the route returns North to Liwa and makes a sharp turn up towards the Palace. The final 1,500M averages 4% but it kicks to the line and seems to drag on forever. Timing is as important as ever because you can see the finish line for nearly the entire climb and it's tempting to launch too early. Sprinters to watch this week: Gerben Thijssen, Jonathan Milan, Sam Welsford, Steffen De Schuyteneer, Ethan Vernon, Casper Van Uden, Erlend Blikra, Matteo Malucelli GC riders to watch this week: Remco Evenepoel, Antonio Tiberi, Felix Gall, David Gaudu, Derek Gee-West, Lennert Van Eetvelt, Byron Munton, Nairo Quintana, Ben O'Connor, Michael Storer, Isaac del Toro, Adam Yates Wind was blowing through the night and into today causing sand to cover the course along the Moreeb Cycle Track. As a result, the stage was shortened to 118KM with that section being cut from the route. When the flag dropped, Silvan Dillier of Alpecin-Premier Tech attacked and he went up the road by himself. Dillier took the first intermediate sprint but as the broadcast began with just 24KM to go, the peloton was all together and looking quite relaxed as they were trudging back North into a 35KM/HR head wind. The pace for the next 15KM was brutally slow as the bunch pushed through the head wind but finally, with 9KM remaining, the speed picked up and the race was on. Groupama-FDJ United, Ineos, and UAE-XRG were well placed but the road opened up to three full lanes and every inch was taken between the curbs. Speeds exceeding 60KM/HR with the roundabout in Liwa coming. Ineos continued to hold the right side of the road with Decathlon CMA CGM on the left and the washing machine churning riders forwards and back in the middle. NSN Cycling made a surge through the last roundabout at 1,200M to hit the final straight in the best position possible. Stage favorite, Jonathan Milan of Lidl-Trek took a fall in the roundabout along with three or four others and was out of contention. Meanwhile, at the front, Ineos regained control and started the lead out for Sam Welsford. The road tipped up and Groupama-FDJ United made a move on the right side. Ineos was washed away and a gap formed to Axel Huens of Groupama-FDJ United who attacked with 400M to go. It was way too far and Huens was passed as if standing still by a flying Isaac del Toro of UAE-XRG with 250M to go. The last 100 meters took a lifetime as a fading del Toro went from ten bike lengths ahead down to five. Cees Bol of Decathlon CMA CGM had the Mexican Champion in his sights and nearly drew level but the line came too soon and del Toro just held on to take the stage win and the first Red Leader's jersey. Bol was desperately close in second with GC rival, Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious in third. Everyone finished on the same time but with the bonus seconds, del Toro now holds a 6 second advantage on Tiberi, 9 seconds on Lennert Van Eetvelt who grabbed 1 second at the second intermediate sprint, and 10 seconds on the rest of the GC favorites.