The Abu Dhabi tour has grown to incorporate an extra stage in 2018, and the five day race will feature a short 11.8km individual time trial, following three sprint stages and preceding a mountain finish.
Full start lists are yet to be announced, but top confirmed riders include 2017 Giro d'Italia winner Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb), plus a selection of sprinters including Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data), Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin), Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) and André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal).
Cavendish has just one win to his name at the race - the first stage of the 2017 edition. It'll be the Manxman's season debut, whilst Ewan and Greipel both have 2018 wins to their names this year already from the Tour Down Under.
The five day race in the desert is always likely to draw the sprinters in, with three stages promising fast finishes; though it's likely by the last day there will still be everything to play for when it comes to the GC - with the final stage ending atop of the Jebel Hafeet climb.
The slopes of the 12.5km climb have provided a springboard for climbers to launch a race winning attack in the past, with the past three winners - Rui Costa, Esteban Chaves and Tanel Kangert - using it to their advantage.
Riders will compete for the overall general classification (red jersey), points (green), intermediate sprints (black) and youth competition (white).
Abu Dhabi Tour 2018 route
| Stage one, Weds Feb 21 2018 | Madinat Zayed t0 Adnoc School | Sprinters stage, 189km |
| Stage two, Thurs Feb 22 2018 | Yas Mall to Yas Beach | Sprinters stage, 154km |
| Stage three, Fri Feb 23 2018 | Nation Towers to Big Flag | Sprinters stage, 133km |
| Stage four, Sat Feb 24 2018 | Al Maryah Island | ITT, 11.8km |
| Stage five, Sun Feb 25 2018 | Qasr Al Muwaiji – Jebel Hafeet | Mountain finish, 199km |
Stage one: Madinat Zayed t0 Adnoc School: 189km
The first staged proved a perfect springboard for Cavendish in 2017 - but he'll have plenty of competition this year, too.
Stage two: Yas Mall to Yas Beach: 154km
A second sprint stage, running along the port.
Stage three: Nation Towers to Big Flag: 133km
The last opportunity for the sprints, and another drop in distance at 133km.
Stage four: Al Maryah island: 11.8km
A bit of respite for some riders at just 11.8km, but with time gaps likely to be minimal, testers could use this as an opportunity to get into the leader's jersey.
Stage five: Qasr Al Muwaiji – Jebel Hafeet: 199km
The final stage is likely to be pivotal when it comes to the overall winner, with the 12.5km climb coming at the end of this 199km day.
Cycling Weekly's Tech Editor Michelle Arthurs-Brennan is a traditional journalist by trade, having begun her career working for a local newspaper before spending a few years at Evans Cycles, then combining the two with a career in cycling journalism.
When not typing or testing, Michelle is a road racer who also enjoys track riding and the occasional time trial, though dabbles in off-road riding too (either on a mountain bike, or a 'gravel bike'). She is passionate about supporting grassroots women's racing and founded the women's road race team 1904rt.
Favourite bikes include a custom carbon Werking road bike as well as the Specialized Tarmac SL6.
Height: 166cm
Weight: 56kg
-
Sam Bennett takes his second win in messy sprint finish on stage six of the UAE Tour 2021Sam Bennett took his second win of the UAE Tour 2021 on stage six in chaotic finish into Palm Jumeirah while others were bumping and barging to try and get his wheel.
-
Sam Bennett takes victory in chaotic finale on stage four of the UAE Tour 2021
The Irishman came through late to take victory ahead of some of the world's best sprinters
-
Alpecin-Fenix leaves the UAE Tour after positive Covid-19 test
The team and race have confirmed the their departure from the race so that everyone else can be kept safe from the virus
-
More confusion in UAE as organiser says six people now diagnosed with coronavirus
Confusion reigns for the three teams trapped in quarantine in the UAE, as authorities now say there are six new cases of coronavirus have been detected.
-
‘There’s security guards, all the doors are shut': Three teams still locked down in quarantine after UAE Tour
Riders are still being held in quarantine in their hotel rooms over concerns about coronavirus at the UAE Tour.
-
UAE Tour quarantine nears end as riders and staff are told they're allowed to go home
Those who were on lockdown are now waiting on paperwork to let them leave the country
-
UAE Tour 2020 live TV guide
The first UAE Tour kicks off on Sunday (February 23) with the race to be broadcast live in the UK.
-
Primož Roglič on Jebel Jais summit victory: ‘I’m not a sprinter but I had a lot of power left’
The Jumbo-Visma rider seals his overall lead with a mountain victory on the penultimate day
