DUBAI // The traffic congestion that had been predicted to result from the Dubai Tour failed to materialise on Thursday.
Residents had been warned that several major roads were to close as some of the world's best cyclists raced through the city as part of the four-day event.
More than 35 schools closed their doors on the advice of the emirate’s education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.
But there was no sign of major tailbacks or other traffic problems as police closed down roads minutes before the cyclists arrived and reopened them immediately after.
As a result, sections of roads were closed for no more than five minutes at a time.
There was heavy traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road, but this was after a crash near Ibn Battuta Mall.
Osama Al Shaafar, the president of the UAE Cycling Association and deputy head of the Dubai Tour organising committee, said: “Today was a great day. Thank God, everything went according to plan and the traffic was not bad at all.”
He said there had been some complaints about traffic during the first stage of the tour in Downtown on Wednesday but it was not so bad on Thursday.
Dubai Police had used Twitter to warn motorists to avoid roads being used by the cyclists.
“Roads that are closed will reopen immediately after all the cyclists pass. We request drivers to use alternative routes when other roads will be closed,” read one tweet.
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae