UAE Tour 2024: Road closures, routes, riders and all you need to know about the race

Many of the best cyclists in the world will be competing around the Emirates next week

The UAE Tour will take place across the country and pass some of the most famous landmarks. Photo: LaPresse

The sixth edition of the UAE Tour will take place next week as many of the best teams and cyclists will descend on the Emirates for the seven-day UCI World Tour race.

Ahead of the race start at Al Dhafra Walk on Monday, here is everything you need to know about the 2024 UAE Tour.

What is it?

The UAE Tour is a professional road cycling stage race that takes place in the UAE every year. It is part of the UCI World Tour – the premier men's elite road cycling tour – and is one of 15 multi-day, multi-stage races on the annual calendar.

The tour is contested over seven days and seven stages, with the 2024 edition spanning 985.1km. The 2024 race will be the sixth edition of the UAE Tour, which was formed in 2019 after merging the Abu Dhabi Tour and Dubai Tour.

When is it?

The 2024 UAE Tour begins on Monday, February 19 and will end with the seventh and final stage on Sunday, February 25.

Where is it and what is the race route?

As the name of the race suggests, the tour will span across much of the UAE, and will cover a total of 985.1km. There will be four sprint stages, two mountain stages, and an individual time trial.

Stage 1: Burjeel Holdings Stage (141km, Sprint) – Al Dhafra Walk to Liwa. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 2: Presight Stage (12.1km, Individual Time Trial) – Hudayriyat Island. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 3: Ras Al Khaimah Stage (176km, Mountain) – Al Marjan Island to Jebel Jais. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 4: Dubai Stage (175km, Sprint) – Dubai Police Officer's Club to Dubai Harbour. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 5: Al Aqah Stage (182km, Sprint) – Al Aqah to Umm Al Quwain. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 6: Aldar Stage (138km, Sprint) – Louvre Abu Dhabi to Abu Dhabi Breakwater. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 7: International Holding Company Stage (161km, Mountain) – Bait Mohammed Bin Khalifa to Jebel Hafeet. Photo: UAE Tour

Monday, February 19: Stage 1: Burjeel Holdings Stage (141km, Sprint) – Al Dhafra Walk to Liwa

Tuesday, February 20: Stage 2: Presight Stage (12.1km, Individual Time Trial) – Hudayriyat Island

Wednesday, February 21: Stage 3: Ras Al Khaimah Stage (176km, Mountain) – Al Marjan Island to Jebel Jais

Thursday, February 22: Stage 4: Dubai Stage (175km, Sprint) – Dubai Police Officer's Club to Dubai Harbour

Friday, February 23: Stage 5: Al Aqah Stage (182km, Sprint) – Al Aqah to Umm Al Quwain

Saturday, February 24: Stage 6: Aldar Stage (138km, Sprint) – Louvre Abu Dhabi to Abu Dhabi Breakwater

Sunday, February 25: Stage 7: International Holding Company Stage (161km, Mountain) – Bait Mohammed Bin Khalifa to Jebel Hafeet

Will there be any road closures during the UAE Tour?

Yes, several roads will be closed or partially closed at various times on various days of the race. To see how the road closures may affect your travel plans, refer to the gallery below.

Stage 1: Burjeel Holdings Stage road closures on Monday, February 19. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 2: Presight Stage road closures on Tuesday, February 20. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 3: Ras Al Khaimah Stage road closures on Wednesday, February 21. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 4: Dubai Stage road closures on Thursday, February 22. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 5: Al Aqah Stage road closures on Friday, February 23. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 6: Aldar Stage road closures on Saturday, February 24. Photo: UAE Tour

Stage 7: International Holding Company Stage road closures on Sunday, February 25. Photo: UAE Tour

Which teams and riders are competing?

All 18 UCI World Tour teams are competing at the 2024 UAE Tour as well as four UCI Pro teams. UAE Team Emirates – the home team and No 1-ranked team in the world – will be led by Adam Yates, who won the UAE Tour in 2020 and has finished on the podium in his other three appearances.

Yates will have plenty of support in his aims for general classification glory, with Jay Vine, Brandon McNulty, Sebastian Molano, Ivo Oliveira, Mikkel Bjerg, and Vegard Stake Laengen in the line-up.

In a race with four sprint stages, it's no surprise that many of the world's best sprinters will be competing in the race, among them Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Tim Merlier (Soudal – QuickStep), Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla), Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike), and Pascal Ackermann (Israel – Premier Tech).

Is the UAE Tour on television?

The entire race will be shown live on Abu Dhabi Sports.

For more information about the UAE Tour, visit the official website.

2023 UAE Tour in pictures

Danish cyclist Julius Johansen warms up before the start of the first stage of the UAE Tour from Al Dhafra Castle to Al Mirfa in Abu Dhabi emirate on February 20. AFP

British cyclist Ben Swift of the Ineos Grenadiers team. AFP

Riders await the start of the first stage. AFP

The peloton during the first stage. AFP

The cyclists against the desert backdrop. AP

Supporters with Emirati flags. AFP

The peloton from behind. AFP

Tim Merlier celebrates on the podium after winning the first stage. AFP

Riders during stage two at Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency

The Soudal Quick-Step team beats EF Education-EasyPost in stage two's team time trial in Abu Dhabi. AFP

Lucas Plapp of Ineos Grenadiers team celebrates after being awarded the red jersey after the second stage. AFP

Stage three gets under way. Photo: UAE Tour

The peloton cycles past a mosque. Photo: UAE Tour

The cycling continues on this scenic stage of the tour. Photo: UAE Tour

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister, watches the fourth stage in Al Marmoom, Dubai. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Mohammed watches as the peloton passes. Photo: Dubai Media Office