Tayer, UCI head discuss boosting cycling’s growing profile

Mattar Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, received David Lappartient, President of world cycling’s governing body Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), in the presence of Osama Al Shafar, President of Asian Cycling Confederation and the UAE Cycling Federation, and the three discussed means of enhancing their cooperation to strengthen cycling’s growing profile in Dubai and the UAE.

They also reviewed the success and rapid rise of cycling as a sport in the country and discussed ways of promoting it further, especially among the Emiratis.

At the meeting, Tayer talked about the great emphasis UAE’s wise leadership lays on the promotion and practise of sports among both Emiratis and expatriates, and their generous support and patronage of the sports sector, especially cycling.

The Vice Chairman of Dubai Sports Council also spoke about the directions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to construct dedicated cycling tracks across the Emirate of Dubai.

Tayer also talked about Sheikh Mohammed’s presence at cycling competitions to encourage and motivate participants, and the directions of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Executive Council of Dubai and the Dubai Sports Council, to support the organisation of top international cycling competitions in Dubai and on increasing the number of cyclists in the UAE.

Tayer pointed out that the Crown Prince of Dubai has been a long-time promoter of cycling in the UAE and the sport of cycling has been a part of the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament since the first year.

Organised under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan, the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament is the biggest event of its kind in terms of participation and prize money, and is held every year in the Holy Month of Ramadan since 2013.

Expressing his happiness at the great development and growth witnessed in the sport of cycling in Dubai, Tayer added: “We host five officials Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) events in Dubai and this is proof of this sport’s growing popularity in Dubai and the UAE, and we are keen to further strengthen our great relationship with UCI and the Asian Cycling Confederation, and turn Dubai into one of the foremost destinations for the sport of cycling.”

Lappartient, on his part, praised the efforts of UAE and Dubai’s wise leadership for their support, which has seen the sport of cycling make rapid progress in the country. The growth of cycling is evident from the growing number of tournament and cyclists, and the generous prize money on offer, he added.

Shafar, meanwhile, thanked Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan for their support which had put the sport of cycling at the forefront in the country. He also praised the role played by Dubai Sports Council and Tayer in organizing tournaments and helping in increasing the number of practitioners of this important Olympic sport.

Recently, the UAE Cycling Federation and Dubai Sports Council have announced the launch of a brand new international cycling event for ladies - the Dubai Women’s Tour, which will be held here from Feb.17-20 next year, in the week before 2020 UAE Tour.

The only UCI women’s cycling event in the Middle East, Dubai Women’s Tour will see 14 top international teams, including Team UAE, competing for honours across four stages.

The Tour will open with the 99km Nshama Stage, which will start from Dubai Festival City and finish at Town Square Dubai. On Day 2, the teams will again start from Festival City and finish at The Springs-Emaar after covering 91kms in the General Authority for Sports Stage.

The teams will then move to Hatta for Day 3 for the 90km Dubai Health Authority Stage, which will start at Wadi Hatta Park and finish at Hatta Dam following a steep climb. The final stage - the 112km Dubai Festival City Stage - will start and finish at Festival City after taking the cyclists past some of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks.