Pogacar makes his debut in the UAE Tour

The World Tour competition returns with the UAE Tour taking place over 7 stages between Monday, February 17 and Sunday, 23. A race that, as usual, will feature a participation of true luxury, highlighted by the world number 1 Tadej Pogacar in the only stage race he will face before focusing on the spring classics.

The UAE Tour will mark the beginning of a season that Tadej Pogacar wants to be better than the previous one

Tadej Pogacar has been the talk of the town over the past week after images of him reconnoitering all the cobblestone sections of Paris-Roubaix were published on social media, followed by statements from his director Josean Fernández Matxin that went from a resounding "he will not participate in Paris-Roubaix" to a "it will depend on the sensations after the Tour of Flanders."

Favorites to win the UAE Tour 2025

Despite being a commitment to his sponsor, we already know that Tadej Pogacar only pins on a number to win, and in fact, he has already triumphed in a UAE Tour that he claimed in 2021 and 2022, so, as in any other race where he is at the start, Tadej Pogacar must be considered the number one favorite for victory.

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It is difficult to imagine who can challenge the victory to the Slovenian based on the overwhelming superiority he showed in 2024. Initially, we will have to see at what level Carlos Rodríguez arrives, needing to take a step forward to assert himself within the ranks of INEOS Grenadiers, given the clear recovery of Egan Bernal who threatens to return to form and take the team leadership from the rider from Andalusia.

It will also be interesting to see what Movistar Team can propose, aligning Pablo Castrillo and Javier Romo, who have already shown skill in this early season and surely will not hesitate to take risks if the opportunity arises.

And, of course, we cannot forget a fighter like Pello Bilbao, who already demonstrated in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana the form he has at the beginning of 2025, and whom we will surely see among the top positions in the general classification.

Beyond the general classification, in a race like the UAE Tour, with 4 out of the 7 stages designed for sprinters, the list of sprinters is of true luxury, with names like Jasper Philipsen, Jonathan Milan, Fernando Gaviria, Dylan Groenewegen, Juan Sebastián Molano, or Tim Merlier ready to make their mark in the sprints.

Route of the UAE Tour 2025

As usual, the flat stages where the organization showcases the spectacular architecture and natural surroundings of the United Arab Emirates are the hallmark of the UAE Tour, which will feature 4 out of its 7 stages set for a sprint finish.

The remaining three stages are the ones that will determine the final result of the general classification, starting with the second stage, on Al Hudayriyat Island, where an individual time trial of 12.2 kilometers will take place on a route without technical difficulties and a distance that should not establish decisive differences but will show us which riders are in the best form to fight for the final victory.

With little recovery time, the peloton will face in the third stage the first of the days with a summit finish, specifically at Jebel Jais. A long climb, in fact, the last 20 km of the stage are a constant uphill gradient, although only the last two, around 7% average gradient, offer enough difficulty for the favorites to gain a few seconds.

To find out the outcome of the UAE Tour 2025, we will have to wait for the seventh and final stage, with the usual finish at Jebel Hafet, a tough 10-kilometer climb with sustained gradients around 7-8% where the climbers in the race have the perfect scenario to break away with a strong and precise attack. The question is whether there will be any cyclist other than Tadej Pogacar capable of making such an attack.

How to watch the UAE Tour 2025

Eurosport and the MAX platform will be in charge of the coverage of the UAE Tour 2025. On this occasion, we must take into account the early broadcast schedule due to the time difference between the Arabian Peninsula and Central European time.

The broadcast will start through the MAX platform around 10 in the morning, and a little less than an hour later, Eurosport 2 will take over until approximately 1 pm when the stages are expected to finish. Additionally, Eurosport will broadcast reruns in the afternoon and the following day as a preview of the day's stage.