Cycling: UAE Tour on launch pad, Pogacar is the favorite

The UAE Cycling Tour, now in its 2nd edition, is ready to take off. Appointment Sunday for the stage race born from the collaboration between Dubai Sports Council and RCS Sport: this is the second seasonal event of the Uci World Tour. There will be 7 stages in the UAE race program, with the 158km Marjan Island Stage opening. The big favorite is the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates), who will have to deal with the French David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), who placed third last year, and with the German Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), fourth in 2019. Also the 'grandfather' Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), who last year was second, behind Primoz Roglic. There is a lot of curiosity to see Chris Froome (Ineos) at work, who returns to the races after the serious injury suffered at the last edition of the Dauphiné.
The Briton aims to conclude the 7 stages, given that he has not competed for about eight months. Poels, Adam Yates, Zakarin, Lutsenko, Buchmann are also on the way. Among the Italians there will be, among others, Ulissi, Formolo, Ciccone and Visconti.