UAE Tour Women 2026 preview - Can Longo Borghini claim a hat trick of victories?

The fourth edition of the UAE Tour Women marks the second Women’s WorldTour event of the season, and takes place from 5-8 February.

The route presents multiple opportunities for the sprinters before the race concludes with a battle for the red jersey on a climb that has been ever-present and significant since the inaugural edition in 2023.

Last year, two riders defined the race, both of whom stand out as the most successful riders in the short history of the UAE Tour Women. 

Lorena Wiebes cleaned up in the sprints, winning three stages, adding to three from previous editions, meaning the Dutch rider has won three times more stages than any other rider in the race’s history. 

In fact, only two other riders have won multiple stages at the race. Those two riders are Dutch sprinter Charlotte Kool and Italian great Elisa Longo Borghini, the latter being the other rider who starred in the 2025 edition. 

Longo Borghini stormed to victory on the slopes of Jebel Hafeet for the second time in her career, and in the process sealed the general classification for the second time, having won the inaugural edition also.

Here's a look at the four stages that make up the 2026 UAE Tour Women route.

The race kicks off what is described by the race organisers as the desert stage. At 111km in length, the stage is also the shortest of the race, beginning from Al Mirfa, situated on the coast of the Arabian Gulf.

The route travels through desert roads en route to Madinat Zayed, where an expected bunch sprint awaits. Inside the final km, the riders will battle with one another on a wide road, with a curve at a roundabout coming shortly before the final straight.

In the previous three editions, the opening stage has been won by a Dutch sprinter: Charlotte Kool in 2023, and Lorena Wiebes in 2024 and 2025, a sequence that could be continued at Madinat Zayed.

Dubai hosts the second stage of this year’s UAE Tour Women, where, like stage 1, a sprint is expected at the finish. Beginning at the Dubai Police Academy, this 145km is the longest of the three stages for the sprinters. 

The route passes locations and landmarks such as the Al Qudra Cycle Track, the Dubai Sports City, and Meydan Racecourse.

The stage finishes at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, with a wide avenue hosting the finale, meaning that there will be plenty of room for the sprint trains to form and battle for the stage win.

The third stage takes place around the city of Abu Dhabi across 121km. Beginning at Abu Dhabi TeamLab Phenomena, the route takes in some landmarks, including the Yas Marina Circuit, home to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in Formula One.

For the last opportunity at this year’s UAE Tour Women, the sprinters are set to fight for the stage win at Abu Dhabi Breakwater. Twelve months ago, it was Lorena Wiebes who was victorious when the fourth and final stage finished at Abu Dhabi Breakwater, extending her record of most stage wins at the race to six.

They have had to wait, but the moment for the general classification contenders arrives, the crucial mountain stage featuring Jebel Hafeet, which has been included as a summit finish in every edition of the race so far.

Beginning at Al Ain Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, the majority of this 156km stage, the longest of the race, is flat. However, that is inconsequential, as the red jersey will be won on the summit finish to Jebel Hafeet

At 10km in length, and with gradients averaging between 8-9%, there is nowhere to hide on a climb like this, weaknesses will be found, and if past editions are anything to go by, time gaps will be significant. 

Elisa Longo Borghini has won on Jebel Hafeet twice, securing the red jersey in the process in 2023 and 2025. The Italian will be one of the favourites to win here, and could complete a hat-trick of victories on both the climb and in the general classification.

The defending champion, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ), knows what it takes to win on Jebel Hafeet, and the Italian rider has the added incentives of being on the home team and the opportunity to extend her dominance over the race with a third overall victory.

Last year’s runner-up and teammate of Longo Borghini, Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ), also returns, and the Italian duo will be looking for a dose of deja vu, with Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ), who finished 5th, also present again. 

Though Longo Borghini faces arguably the most stacked field yet in the battle for the red jersey.

2024 Tour de France Femmes winner Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney (Canyon//Sram Zondacrypto) is set to make a debut appearance at the UAE Tour, and the Polish rider should thrive on the slopes of Jebel Hafeet, and will be supported by former runner-up Neve Bradbury (Canyon//Sram Zondacrypto).

Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) begins her second season back in the peloton, entering uncharted territory with a debut at the UAE Tour. 

Marlen Reusser (Movistar) has already begun her 2026 season with a second place at the Trofeo Marratxi-Felanitx, indicating the Swiss rider has good form and will be looking for revenge over Longo Borghini after finishing second at the Giro d'Italia last July.

Additionally, Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) proved twelve months ago that she can be in the mix for overall victory, finishing 3rd behind Longo Borghini.

Other riders to watch out for in the general classification battle include Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), Juliette Berthet (FDJ United-Suez), Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv AlUla Jayco), and Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal).

Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) is the rider to beat in the sprints. With six stage wins already, Wiebes will be aiming for nothing less than first in each of the opening three stages.

Charlotte Kool is a former two-time stage winner and will be one of the riders most likely to challenge Wiebes’ dominance. Meanwhile, Chiara Consonni (Canyon//Sram Zondacrypto has seven top-ten stage finishes across the previous three editions, including four stage podiums.