The Team Sky member, who is a five-time Grand Tour winner, says he still needs to recover fully from last week's event in Colombia.
The seven-stage tour gets underway on Monday.
The race starts in Abu Dhabi before ending in Dubai on March 2.
It is the only UCI World Tour race in the Middle East.
This year's inaugural edition will feature 20 teams from around the world.
Desert Vipers down Gulf Giants to secure win in Super Over thriller
The Desert Vipers have held their nerves to prevail in the first-ever Super Over of the DP World ILT20, beating the Gulf Giants at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday.
Fernandes double helps Man United to 4-1 win as Wolves' misery continues
Manchester United has climbed to sixth in the Premier League on Monday as captain Bruno Fernandes scored twice to help them claim acomfortable 4-1 victory at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers whose calamitous season gets bleaker by the week.
Real Madrid handed shock home loss as Celta Vigo spring surprise
Real Madrid suffered a shock 2-0 loss and finished with nine men against Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Sunday after Williot Swedberg scored an audacious goal with his heel and a second in stoppage time to leave the hosts four points off leaders Barcelona.
Dubai Capitals overpower Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 83 runs
Rovman Powell’s stunning unbeaten half-century has set up the Dubai Capitals’s first win of the DP World ILT20 Season 4 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Mid East finished strong with victory against Arabia
Five pitchers combined to complete a five-hit, two-run game, while Jake Hjelle and Federico Celli each drove in a run, to give the Mid East Falcons a 3-2 victory over the Arabia Wolves.
The BRIDGE Summit's official application has surged to the #1 Business App in the UAE within hours of launch, the global media event earning more than 3.5 million interactions on its opening day at Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi has launched an AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development, with a new platform that will support farmers affected by shifting climate conditions in partnership with the Gates Foundation.
A senior World Health Organisation official said on Monday the UAE now ranks among the world’s most advanced healthcare systems.
