Adam Yates solos to victory on Jebel Hafeet at the 2020 UAE Tour. Photo LaPresse – Massimo Paolone
Organisers of the UAE Tour have unveiled the race’s provisional entry list.
The list features some of the very best exponents of the sport with titanic battles expected for the leader’s red jersey, sprinter’s green jersey and individual stage victories.
The seven-stage race will take place from February 21 to 27.
GC contenders
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) will go head-to-head with 2020 UAE Tour winner Adam Yates (Ineos).
Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Israel Start-Up Nation) will also take to the start as he continues his comeback from injury.
Joining him in the battle for overall honours will be a host of experienced team leaders including multiple grand tour winner Vincenzo Nibali (Trek Segafredo), Giro d’Italia and Tour de France podium finisher Rigoberto Uran (EF Education-Nippo) and former world champion and Vuelta a Espana winner Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
Tadej Pogacar wins Stage 5 of the 2020 UAE Tour. Photo LaPresse – Massimo Paolone
Green jersey contenders
This year’s UAE Tour has attracted some of the fastest finishers in the sport.
Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) will ride after taking the green jersey in last year’s edition thanks to two wins from two on the iconic Hatta Dam finish.
Racing shoulder-to-shoulder with him at the first WorldTour event of the season will be reigning Tour de France green jersey winner Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quick-Step).
Also confirmed is last year’s opening stage winner Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) and. Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates).
The provisional entry list also includes 2019 UAE Tour green jersey winner Elia Viviani (Cofidis) as well as Giacomo Nizzolo (Team Qhubeka-Assos).
Caleb Ewan in the Green Jersey at the 2020 UAE Tour. Photo: LaPresse – Fabio Ferrari
Others to watch
Away from the fight for the red and green jerseys, time-trial ace Filippo Ganna (Ineos) makes his UAE Tour debut following a sensational 2020 season in which he took four stage wins at the Giro d’Italia and an ITT world champion’s rainbow jersey. The Italian will look to target stage two’s 13km ITT.
Swiss rider Marc Hirschi will ride the race for the first time. The 2020 Tour de France stage winner and road world championship bronze medalist at Imola will be keen to impress after signing for UAE Team Emirates at the start of the season.
Last, but not least, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) will ride his first UAE Tour. He’ll be starting the race in strong form, having recently taken his fourth Cyclo-cross World Championship title at Ostend, Belgium.
