The inaugural UAE Tour sets off on February 24th and it looks like it will do so with a stellar line-up as Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali and Tom Dumoulin will all be along for the ride.
The UAE Tour is a merger between the Abu Dhabi and Dubai tours into one seven-day stage race making it the only WorldTour race in the middle east.
Other GC contenders include world time trial champion Rohan Dennis and road world champ Alejandro Valverde. Alongside the strong list of GC contenders include sprinters Elia Viviani, Caleb Ewan and Marcel Kittel.
The seven-day race will consist of a team time trial on the opening day, three sprint stages, one for rolling hill day and two days of climbing. The race will travel through all seven United Emirates – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain.
UAE Tour 2019 start list
Ag2r La Mondiale (FRA)
GALLOPIN Tony (FRA)
VENTURINI Clément (Fra)
Astana (KAZ)
IZAGIRRE Gorka (ESP)
FRAILE Omar (ESP)
Bahrain-Merida (BHR)
NIBALI Vincenzo (ITA)
DENNIS Rohan (AUS)
SIEBERG Marcel (GER)
BAUSHAUS Phil (GER)
Bora-Hansgrohe (GER)
FORMOLO Davide (ITA)
BAŠKA Erik (SVK)
SCHACHMANN Maximillian (GER)
CCC Team (POL)
PAUWELS Serge (BEL)
MARECZKO Jakub (ITA)
Deceuninck – Quick-Step (BEL)
Viviani Elia (ITA)
EVENEPOEL Remco (BEL)
SABATINI Fabio (ITA)
EF Education First (USA)
Groupama-FDJ (FRA)
GAUDU David (FRA)
ROUX Anthony (FRA)
SARREAU Marc (FRA)
REICHENBACH Sébastien (SUI)
SCOTSON Miles (AUS)
Jumbo-Visma (NED)
DE PLUS Laurens
MARTENS Paul
MARTIN Tony
ROGLIČ Primož
Lotto-Soudal (BEL)
EWAN Caleb (AUS)
KLUGE Roger (GER)
Mitchelton-Scott (AUS)
GRMAY Tsgabu (ETH)
Movistar (ESP)
VALVERDE Alejandro (ESP)
Dimension Data (RSA)
KREUZIGER Roman (CZE)
Katusha-Alpecin (SUI)
KITTEL Marcel (GER)
ZAKARIN Ilnur (RUS)
Team Sky (GBR)
FROOME Chris (GBR)
KWIATKOWSKI Michał (POL)
MOSCON Gianni (ITA)
Sunweb (GER)
DUMOULIN Tom (NED)
WALSCHEID Max (GER)
KANTER Max (GER)
KELDERMAN Wilco (NED)
ARNDT Nikias (GER)
BOL Cees (NED)
Trek-Segafredo (USA)
MOLLEMA Bauke (NED)
PORTE Riche (AUS)
REIJNEN Kiel (USA)
MOSCHETTI Matteo (ITA)
UAE Team Emirates (UAE)
GAVIRIA Fernando (COL)
KRISTOFF Alexander (NOR)
COSTA Rui (POR)