Category: Previews

Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium > Jebel Hafeet 153.4km The final stage is here, thank God for that. Each year this race is a grind, the organisers really must start thinking about changing things up. We’ve got sprints with barely a corner in the final 10km, and two mountain stages with just one climb at the...

Kuurne > Kuurne 191.3km Freezing cold conditions, a strong wind, this is going to be a long day for some. After removing the Kwaremont last year, the organisers have stuck with the new route. I love the Kwaremont, so I’m always disappointed when it’s not in the race, but there’s still enough to keep everyone...

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi > Abu Dhabi Breakwater 165.6km The last chance for the sprinters. Another boring day lies ahead, thank God Omloop is also on. This finish has been used before, but the road in to the final 1.5km is different.  Weather Hot and sunny. There’s not much wind around, but the sprint...

Al Marjan Island > Umm al Quwain 170.3km Another boring day ahead. It should be a sprint and everyone will spend the day just waiting for the final 5km. Weather Another hot one with temperatures close to 30 degrees. There is a lot of crosswind throughout the stage, and exposed roads, but with the wind...

Ghent > Ninove 207.3km The opening weekend is here, hallelujah! The races so far have given a big hint at form, but as we have several riders racing for the first time in 2023, there’s still a lot of unknowns. The organisers have seen the error of their ways and brought back the Molenberg. Weather...

Al Shindagha / Dubai Harbour 173.9km The first of the big sprint battles. Most of the stage will be boring, but the finale will be fun. Weather Not as hot as previous days, but still hot by Scottish standards. There shouldn’t be too much wind around. Finale Wide road, arrow straight, final bend with 700m...

Umbrella Beach Al Fujairah > Jebel Jais 184.9km The first of the mountain stages, but don’t get too excited, it’s Jebel Jais. Not the best climb in the world for those watching, the steady gradient normally means we get a sprint finish. Weather Another day with lots of sunshine. The wind starts around 20km/h but...

Khalifa Port > Khalifa Port 17.3km TTT We have a team time trial but are lacking the usual big engines. Yes, we have a few TT specialists here, but not that many. The route is a standard out and back effort, but with the wind blowing it could be a tricky one. 17.3km is quite...

Al Dhafra Castle > Al Mirfa 151.5km The opening stage of the race is the same as back in 2021 when the wind blew and van der Poel won a reduced sprint. The GC riders will be nervously checking the weather forecast. Weather It’s going to be a windy one! At around 30km/h, it’s strong...

It’s the 5th edition of the UAE Tour and the organisers have decided to change the ITT to a TTT, apart from that, everything looks the same. In theory, the change should mean smaller gaps at the top of the GC, and hopefully an exciting final stage. We’ll have to wait and see if the plan...