UAE Tour to break new ground by staging first UCI Women’s WorldTour race in Middle East

Joining the 20-team race is the nation’s first professional cycling unit, UAE Team ADQ

UAE Team ADQ during a training exercise at Al Wathba Cycling Track. Photo: UAE Women's Cycling Team

The UAE Tour will break new ground next month when 20 teams featuring the world’s top female cyclists compete in the first Women’s WorldTour race in the Middle East.

The route for the Women’s Tour to take place from February 9-12 is to be unveiled later in January.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), the UCI Women’s WorldTour race will run ahead of the fifth edition of the men’s WorldTour race, the UAE Tour, from February 20-26.

Among the 20 teams set to take part is UAE Team ADQ, the country's first professional women’s cycling team. The team comprises of 16 riders from nine countries.

“We are excited to add another world-class cycling event to the WorldTour calendar with the UAE Tour UCI Women’s WorldTour race,” Aref Al Awani, general secretary of ADSC, said.

“As a favourite in the UCI cycling calendar, the UAE Tour has been a great opportunity to showcase our country’s diverse territories and historic sites to the world.

“With the new UCI Women’s WorldTour, we represent both an exciting milestone for the country’s development in cycling and showcase the strides we have taken to promote professional women’s cycling in the region.”

Fabrizio D’Amico, chief operating officer at RCS Sports and Events and UAE Tour director added: “Seeing the Women’s UAE Tour coming to reality is something we are very proud of.

“With the Abu Dhabi Sports Council we worked with the objective of bringing further cycling excitement to the region and in doing so, it is therefore natural to offer the same playing field to women with a women's version of the UAE Tour at the same level as the men’s race.

“We want this new race to become one of the best and most important races of the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar with the goal also to help the development of women’s cycling within the country and the whole continent.”