The race was won for the second consecutive year by Germany's Marcel Kittel for the Quick-Step Floors team.[3][4] Kittel won three of the four stages to be run– comfortably winning the points classification as a result– while in the other stage, Kittel was involved in a skirmish with Andriy Hrivko, which resulted in the Astana rider being ejected from the race.[5][6] Kittel won the overall classification by 18 seconds ahead of LottoNL–Jumbo's Dylan Groenewegen from the Netherlands, who won the young rider classification in doing so. The final podium was completed by Kittel's compatriot John Degenkolb,[3] a further two seconds in arrears, with the Trek–Segafredo rider winning the stage not won by Kittel. In the other race classifications, Italian rider Nicola Boem (Bardiani–CSF) won the intermediate sprints classification, while the UAE Abu Dhabi squad won the teams classification.[3]
For the 2017 Dubai Tour, the race was extended from four stages to five stages.[8] The full itinerary was released on 13 December 2016.[9]
The fourth stage, initially scheduled to be run over 172km (107mi) and to start in Dubai was initially shortened due to strong winds and sandstorms. The new stage was 109km (68mi) long and due to start in Hatta, whilst still finishing at the Hatta Dam.[10] The stage was later cancelled altogether due to the winds.[11]
In the 2017 Dubai Tour, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers at intermediate sprints and at the finish of mass-start stages, the leader received a blue jersey. This classification was considered the most important of the 2017 Dubai Tour, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.
Additionally, there was a points classification, which awarded a red jersey. In the points classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 10 in a stage. For winning a stage, a rider earned 25points, with 16 for second, 11 for third, 8 for fourth, 6 for fifth with a point fewer per place down to a single point for 10th place. Points towards the classification could also be accrued at intermediate sprint points during each stage; these intermediate sprints also offered bonus seconds towards the general classification. There was also a sprints classification for the points awarded at the aforementioned intermediate sprints, where the leadership of which was marked by a jersey in the colours of the United Arab Emirates flag.
The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a white jersey. This was decided in the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1992 were eligible to be ranked in the classification. There was also a classification for teams, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.
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