The UAE Tour Women 2025 starts on Thursday, with three flat stages and a summit finish atop Jebel Hafeet. There is always a risk of crosswinds and echelon racing in the UAE but the flat stages will surely see some of the biggest sprinters in the women's peloton go head to head.
Twenty teams will race on the fast flat and wide roads of the UAE, with warm temperatures and crosswinds likely in the next few days.
Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek), Charlotte Kool (Team Picnic PostNL) and Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) will be fighting for the stage victories.
"It's the first time for me racing here and it's the sprinting world championship," said Balsamo. "We have a good team and we are ready to fight."
Kool won two stages in the 2023 edition but missed last year's race because of sickness. Her winter has been affected by the consequences of her broken collarbone at the Tour de France Femmes.
"I would say this winter was chaotic with some surgeries and changes in equipment of the team, but I am really happy I'm here. I think I'm ready, but we will see," said Kool.
"The stages are quite similar to two years ago when I did really well so that gives me confidence.
"It's nice to see rivalry between riders, we always get the best out of each other and it's really nice this year as we have a lot of good sprinters."
For many of the riders, the UAE Tour Women is the first race of the season and provides the perfect opportunity to see how their training has gone.
Elisa Longo Borghini is making her debut for UAE Team ADQ after making the switch from Lidl-Trek. The Italian national champion won the inaugural 2023 edition of the race and is a hot favourite again this year.
"I'm in a very good headspace; my winter went well and I'm ready to race but I don’t know where I am standing so I will discover it very soon," said Longo Borghini.
The UAE Tour Women race also marks the beginning of a road racing comeback for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease a Bike).
"The team decided to put me here to get used to the bunch a bit better, and the climb will also be a good test," said Ferrand-Prévot.
"It's new for me so I need a bit of time to get used to the new racing. It will be interesting to see where I am."
Surviving the fast racing in any echelons and then the final Jebel Hafeet climb will surely decide the overall race winner on Sunday.
"You need to be sharp on every stage as it's probably going to be really windy," warned Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez) on her debut for her news team and at the UAE Tour.
"I think it will be won on Jebel Hafeet but you can lose it on the flatter parts. You need to be an allrounder to win this race."
