Abu Dhabi will make its international debut as a premier cycling destination with the first Abu Dhabi Tour to be staged this October.
Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and the UAE Cycling Federation unveiled on Wednesday a four-stage, 555-kilometre race route, which will take competitors through the city and its outlying regions.
The event, from October 8-11, brings a third major race to the region, with Dubai and Doha already hosting races in February each year.
“Cycling is a big sport and it is one of the first sporting activities a human undertakes,” said Aref Hamad Al Awani, general secretary of the ADSC.
“Cycling is already a growing community sport in Abu Dhabi. We may be a little late but we’ve worked quickly to have a major cycling event in our sporting calendar.”
Though details of how many teams will take part and which cyclists are expected to feature have not yet been finalised – there was a mention of 18 teams – the course promises to be unique.
Three of the stages – the Liwa Stage (175km), the Capital Stage (130km) and the Yas Stage (110km) – are sprint stages.
The most gruelling stage is likely to be the third, the Al Ain Stage (140km).
This starts from Al Qattara Souq and finishes on the Jebel Hafeet ascent, reaching an altitude of 1000 metres on gradients that average 7.5 per cent and go as high as 12 per cent on the lower slopes.
The Yas Stage will be an evening race, taking place in its entirety at the Yas Marina circuit with cyclists to go around the 5.5km circuit 20 times.
“The variety of the territories has allowed us to embrace different approaches,” said Lorenzo Giorgetti, CEO of RCS Sports and Events, one of the race organisers.
“Our aim, as the ultimate race of the year, was to have very complete and varied course that can be attractive for any kind of rider.
“Our final stage, for example, will be pretty unique and a spectacle within a spectacle to close the Abu Dhabi Tour.”
Though this will be the inaugural race, the ultimate ambition is for it to eventually become a part of the World Tour.
“Being late is better than not having a cycling event at all,” Al Awani said. “We are sure from the history of events we organise, that we will be able to convince UCI [the International Cycling Union] to recognise this event. I’m sure whatever conditions there are from the UCI, they will be met.”
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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