Cycling may not be the biggest world sport of the moment, and it’s no surprise that the weekend’s Dubai Tour was somewhat overshadowed by the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. But for an inaugural event, it did exceptionally well in drawing attention to the sport, to the lifestyle and environmental benefits of cycling, and to the emirate of Dubai.
The Tour was broadcast, either live or delayed, in the region, in Europe and as far afield as Australia. And what viewers, local and international, saw was that there is more to Dubai – and the UAE – than the familiar high-rise cityscape dominated by the Burj Khalifa and other architectural marvels. On Friday, stage three wound up in the enclave of Hatta after winding through the rugged, hauntingly beautiful terrain of the Hajjar mountains, while yesterday’s final leg wound through the old city, including Deira and Bur Dubai, before its big finish in front of the Burj.
Congratulations to winner Taylor Phinney, all the teams and the organisers for helping put a spotlight on their sport and this nation.