Abu Dhabi hosts cycling festival, aims to become world cycling capital

The inaugural Abu Dhabi Cycling Festival will take place in the capital this weekend, and the UAE is moving towards its ambitions to be a leader Global Cycling Hub.

The festival is the latest initiative under the Abu Dhabi Cycling Platform, which was launched in November 2021 by Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office.

As part of the festival, the emirate will also host the fifth UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, which will be held in the region for the first time until Sunday, and the first Abu Dhabi Gryffindor Cycling Championships, which will take place on Saturday .

Open to UAE clubs and amateurs, the 150km one-day Gran Fondo race starts in Abu Dhabi and ends in Al Ain.

The amateur event has a prize pool of Dh2 million, divided equally between men and women.

The world’s top urban cyclists will also compete in the BMX Freestyle Park and the BMX Freestyle Flats and Trials.

In BMX Freestyle, the race categories will include elite women and elite men, with riders 15 years of age and older. During the tryouts, the national team will be played and the winner of the individual category will be given a rainbow jersey.

The Abu Dhabi Cycling Festival comes a year after Abu Dhabi received the prestigious ‘Cycling City’ label from the world cycling governing body, the International Cycling Union (UCI).

Commenting on the launch of the festival, Aref Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “We are very proud to host the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in 2022. Having received the prestigious UCI Cycling City label in 2021, we have now strengthened our portfolio of world-class cycling events and entertainment in the region and look forward to showcasing what the world, Abu Dhabi and the UAE have to offer for amateur and professional cyclists . “

The city became the first city in Asia to receive this honor in November 2021. Other cities to receive this honor include Bergen, CopenhagenGlasgow and Paris.

In addition to the competition, the Abu Dhabi Bike Festival will host several cycling events and activities for the community, suitable for all ages and abilities.

Building bicycle infrastructure in cities

Last year, Abu Dhabi announced a series of new measures and facilities to encourage more people to cycle.

Planned infrastructure projects include a new 109km designated cycle lane called the Abu Dhabi Loop and a 3,500-seat velodrome called Velodrome Hudayriyat to be built in hudariat i..

The Loop will be a segregated cycle path connecting major destinations around the city, and the 12,000-square-meter velodrome will offer track and field competitions.

Overall, the emirate plans to expand its current 300km cycling network to over 1,000km.

The emirate has long been a hub for world-class cycling events, community bike28 km of cycle paths in Hudayriyat Island and 40 km of cycle paths in Al Wathba.

Both sites are cycling hubs for groups, solo cyclists and families. The Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island is also open twice a week for free training for cyclists of all levels.

Updated: 11/11/2022 9:01am