Heading into its third race of the season, Tinkoff will send a versatile squad in Dubai, with Michael Kolar taking the leading role in the all-important sprints, as Dubai Tour will again be a sprinters race where time bonuses will play a crucial role in the GC. Michael Rogers will make his race debut in the 2016 season.

Now in its third edition, Dubai Tour will see a motivated Tinkoff squad battling it out, in and around the biggest city of the UAE. Daniele Bennati, Robert Kiserlovski, Erik Baška, Michael Kolar, Juraj Sagan and Michael Rogers will be joined by Michael Gogl and Ivan Rovny coming off the back of Tour Down Under.

Dubai Tour presents the riders with a majority of flat race profiles, making stages 1, 2 and 4 an ideal battleground for the sprinters. Time bonuses of ten, six and four seconds are awarded at the finish of each stage and there are also three, two and one seconds at stake in the intermediate sprints, which will put even more focus on making the cut at the sprints.

Tristan Hoffman, Tinkoff's leading sports director in Dubai, comments on the race and team ambitions:

"We will approach this race with no designated GC leader but with a very motivated squad that will seek to help Michael Kolar in the sprints. He had a very productive training camp in Gran Canaria and now has taken great steps forward. I think Michael has shown his potential in the past to be good at the finish line and if he can grab the time bonuses, he will be in the mix for the GC".

"Stage 3 of Dubai Tour will see the peloton race again to Hatta Dam. Here the riders will face two climbs and the last three kilometers are the hardest part with a 200m stretch that has a 14% gradient. In that stage, the squad will work to support Bennati. The stages near the coast and across the desert could be affected by cross winds although this hasn't been the case in the first two editions. However, if the wind picks up, we need to be at the front and fight", concluded Hoffman.

Gogl and Rovny are at race-speed after a very good performance at Santos Down Under, where they provided great support for Jay McCarthy to finish fourth overall. Bennati, Kiserlovski, Kolar, Juraj Sagan, Baska and Rogers will head to Dubai coming from an intensive training camp at ANFI in Gran Canaria.

"Everything went well at the training camp", said Michael Kolar. "I think I'm in a good shape prior to the start of the season although it's still too early to say. I'm happy to take the leading role into the sprints at Dubai Tour. It's a nice race, fast-paced, and I think that even the third stage will be decided in a bunch sprint. Degenkolb took it last year and he's no climber! It's a sprinter's stage race".

Michael Rogers will also make his race debut in 2016 after missing Santos Tour Down Under due to his heart condition. "Michael trained very well in Gran Canaria and is on the right track to reach his top fitness level", commented Hoffman on the comeback of Rogers in racing action. "He had a very good two-week block of training there and his condition progressed significantly. He's keen on supporting the team in Dubai and I am confident he will perform well".

“After several meticulous heart examinations throughout December and January, I’m relieved to have the green light to start the Dubai Tour”, added Michael Rogers. “I greatly benefited from the recent team training camp in Gran Canaria, where I was able to take the first steps to regaining full fitness thanks to the island's perfect weather and hilly terrain. My personal goals at Dubai Tour are modest, however I look forward to supporting Bennati, Kolar and the team's latest signing, Eric Baška”.