Riders clip in at the Yas Marina circuit for a few pre-race training miles
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Niccolo Bonifazio on the Yas Marina circuit(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Mark Cavendish and Dimension Data putting in the training miles ahead of a sprinter-friendly Abu Dhabi Tour(Image credit: ANSA / MATTEO BAZZI)
Fumiyuki Beppu in Abu Dhabi(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Romain Bardet and his AG2R La Mondiale teammates training at Yas Marina(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Bardiani CSF in Abu Dhabi(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Bahrain-Merida, Bardiani CSF, AG2R La Mondiale and Gazprom-Rusvelo all training on the Yas Marina circuit at the same time(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Marcel Kittel is all smiles ahead of the Abu Dhabi Tour.(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Vincenzo Nibali in Abu Dhabi(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Vincenzo Nibali fine-tuning his setup for an Abu Dhabi training ride(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Bauke Mollema ready to ride in Abu Dhabi(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Nippo - Vini Fantini preparing for their first WorldTour event in 2017.(Image credit: ANSA / MATTEO BAZZI)
The Yas Marina Formula One circuit will host the final stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour.(Image credit: ANSA / MATTEO BAZZI)
Nairo Quintana will lead Movistar at the Abu Dhabi Tour.(Image credit: ANSA / MATTEO BAZZI)
Most of UAE Team Emirates' most recognisable riders made the trip to the squad's namesake country to race this week, with Rui Costa, Ben Swift, Diego Ulissi, Louis Meintjes and Andrea Guardini all in attendance.(Image credit: ANSA / MATTEO BAZZI)
UAE Abu Dhabi riding the Yas Marina circuit shortly before the team announced Emirates Airlines as a new title sponsor(Image credit: ANSA / MATTEO BAZZI)
Gazprom-Rusvelo training on a cool February day in Abu Dhabi(Image credit: ANSA / MATTEO BAZZI)
Novo Nordisk ahead of their first WorldTour race of the year, the Abu Dhabi Tour(Image credit: ANSA / MATTEO BAZZI)
Franco Pellizotti documenting his first appearance at the Abu Dhabi Tour.(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
The Abu Dhabi Tour kicks off this Thursday, with a WorldTour upgrade and a new spot on the cycling calendar.
Sixteen WorldTour squads and four Pro Continental teams will make the start in the United Arab Emirates for the third edition of the event. Riders took to the road this week to get in some pre-race training miles on the Yas Marina Formula One circuit.
The circuit will host the fourth and final stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour this year as it did in each of the first two editions of the race. Dimension Data's Mark Cavendish triumphed at Yas Marina in 2016, and he's back along with several other top sprinting talents hunting victories this season.
Click or swipe through the gallery to see the pros preparing for the 2017 Abu Dhabi Tour on the event's most recognisable roads.
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