The Crown Prince of Dubai led business leaders on a bike ride as he urged the public to join him in a month-long fitness push.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed rode a bike by Italian company Colnago, which made the model used to win this year's Tour de France, as he accompanied 30 business leaders for a 20-kilometre tour of Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex.
He has long been a fan of cycling and the Italian hand-made brand, having shared a video of one he owned in 2018.
Sunday's event was part of a corporate cycling trial for Dubai Fitness Challenge, an event led by Sheikh Hamdan and which encourages residents to take part in 30 minutes of physical activity a day for 30 days.
The discussions focused on sport, which Sheikh Hamdan said was "directly linked to productive, healthy and happy societies", and Dubai's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
“We talked about ways to overcome current challenges through the flourishing partnership that has long connected Dubai to its private sector,” he wrote on Twitter.
“While discussing economic and business affairs is essential, the importance of sports and fitness cannot be ignored.
“Dubai has made sport a key part of its everyday life. We must continue to encourage this – it is directly linked to productive, healthy and happy societies.”
The business figures included venture capitalists, property developers and leaders of global tech companies, consultancies and retailers operating in the emirate.
The company that made Sheikh Hamdan's bike also has a local link.
An investment company in Abu Dhabi, Chimera Investments, acquired a majority stake in the high-end Italian racing bike manufacturer this year.
The bike maker, founded in 1954 by Italian entrepreneur and inventor Ernesto Colnago, has produced bikes that have won 62 world championships.
The most recent win came at the Tour de France in September, when Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates took the title.
The Dubai Fitness Challenge, now in its fourth year, runs until November 28.
It is offering more than 2,000 free fitness sessions, which are being held in person and online, owing to restrictions imposed because of the pandemic.
On Friday, Sheikh Zayed Road will close to traffic and transformed into a cycling track as part of the challenge.
Last week, Sheikh Hamdan urged people to join him in taking part.
Team UAE's Tadej Pogačar clinches Tour De France - in pictures
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UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, is seen wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Deceuninck-Quick Step rider Sam Bennett of Ireland, wearing the green jersey, before the official start. REUTERS -
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (L) of UAE-Team Emirates wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey and Irish rider Sam Bennett (R) of Deceuninck Quick-Step team wearing the best sprinter green jersey greet each other before the start of the 21th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA -
Slovenia's Primoz Roglic, left, who lost his overall leader's yellow jersey to Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, right, gets a hug during the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 kilometers (75.8 miles), from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. AP Photo -
Italy's Elia Viviani wears a face mask reading "No To Racism" as he arrives for the start of the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race. AP Photo -
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates, bearer of the Yellow T-shirt waves from the podium before the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA -
Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey attends the start of the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP -
Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey (3rd-L) and Team UAE Emirates riders ride during the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP -
Team Jumbo rider Slovenia's Primoz Roglic waits prior to the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP -
Spectators watch the peloton passing by during the 21st stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA -
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (2-nd L) of the UAE Team Emirates, flanked by teammates, wears the overall leader's yellow jersey as waiting for the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
