Abu Dhabi eyes bike revolution

Abu Dhabi A veteran of one of the emirate’s leading property developers said it was on the cusp of becoming a global cycling hub.

Jonathan Emery, CEO of Aldar Development, said various factors are making the UAE synonymous with cycling and a popular pastime.

Projects confirmed so far include a 109km cycle path called Abu Dhabi Ring Road and a 3,500-seat racetrack that will be built in hudariat i..

Last year, the emirate was also awarded cycling city status by the International Cycling Union (UCI), the first location in the Middle East or Asia to receive this honour.

“In the past 10 years, there has been a significant increase in interest in cycling in Abu Dhabi and Dubai,” Mr Emery said.

“It’s a physical activity that can be played by many different cultures and age groups.”

He made the comments on the sidelines of the final day of the Tour de France in Paris.

His company is one of the main sponsors of the UAE team in the UAE, and they participate in the event.

Abu Dhabi Investment Fund bought a majority stake Two years ago, at bike manufacturer Colnago, the Emirates team rode their bikes.

Team star driver Tadej Pogacar was runner-up after winning the first two tours.

“One of the main reasons we support the cycling team is because it fits with our broader goal of improving the quality of people’s lives,” Mr Emery said.

“Mental and physical health is a critical part of quality of life.

“Being able to do physical exercise or participate in games brings a huge sense of achievement. We are delighted to be working with Emirates Emirates as it allows us to showcase heroes and role models to inspire young people into cycling.”

He said promoting cycling was a strategy to spread the message that the UAE is a great place to live.

“When we started the master plan, the first thing we did was plan the bikes and the track,” he said.

“We’re focusing on what kind of community it’s going to be.

“Being able to run or bike where you live is a big part of making people feel like they’re part of a community.”

Bike Abu Dhabi was launched last year by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office.

The organization is developing cycling infrastructure projects in Abu Dhabi to promote the sport.

Due to its Cycling City status, Abu Dhabi will host the 2022 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships again in November and 2024.

Mr Emory said the UCI recognition was a huge success for the city.

“This is something Abu Dhabi should be proud of and it will really help develop cycling culture,” he said.

“Having UCI approval is a huge incentive to further develop the infrastructure.”

One of the reasons why cycling is not widely adopted in the UAE is often cited as being too hot for most people for most of the year.

“Some people here are like other countries who ride bicycles 12 months of the year,” he said.

“Other countries have different challenges with the weather. In other parts of the world, they have problems with the weather being too cold.”

He cited cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen as examples of cities that are fully immersed in cycling culture.

However, the infrastructure in the UAE is different from those in European cities, and most of the cycling paths in the UAE are circular.

“There are a lot of major changes in terms of infrastructure before we get to that level,” Mr Emery said.

“The UAE is built on a car-centric culture, but there are already signs that things are starting to change.

“If you want to build competitive cities to attract the best talent and businesses, then you need to provide a certain infrastructure – being able to ride a bike or get around is part of that.”

Andy Fordham, founder of Dubai Cycling Community, said the facilities on offer have allowed cycling to flourish.

“Some people who live in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are starting to play the sport because they have access to facilities that they don’t have in their home countries,” New Zealander Mr Fordham said.

“Facilities like Dubai’s Al Qudra cycle path didn’t even exist 10 years ago, but now it’s a world-class facility offering nearly 90km of uninterrupted track.”

He said the infrastructure here still needs to change before the UAE can finish becoming a fully bike-friendly country.

With the country dominated by highways and high-speed urban roads, cycling remains largely a pastime rather than a form of transportation.

“There needs to be more separate lanes or tracks for cyclists on the road,” Mr Fordham said.

“People here are driving too fast for cyclists to travel on public roads, unlike other countries where speed limits are lower.

“It’s also not realistic to ride a bike to work here, as you’ve seen in other countries. In this heat, companies have to provide showers for their employees, and you can only ride a folding bike on the Dubai Metro, which is a huge concern for many It’s impossible for humans.”

Updated: 07/31/2022 8:47am