Sheikh Mohammed witnesses concluding stage of thrilling men’s desert race

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday witnessed the concluding stage of the Desert Race for Men held as part of the Al Salam Cycling Championship, the tenth and largest edition of the championship to date. 

Held under Sheikh Mohammed’s patronage and organised by the Private Office of the Ruler of Dubai, the championship’s concluding race saw Dubai Residence Cycling Team’s Abdulla Al Ali being crowned champion in the Emirati category, with Omniyat Shabab Al Ahli’s Daan Eddyt Soete emerging victorious in the Open category featuring participants of diverse nationalities, and Omniyat Shabab Al Ahli’s Nicole Louise Frain topping the women's category.

The race concluded the desert category of the competition following the closely contested women's race held on Saturday, with winners across the men’s and women’s fields claiming prizes amounting to Dhs455,000.

Furthermore, participants across eight age group events held before and during the men's race, most notably a 300-metre sprint challenge held before the start of the main race, secured Dhs80,000 in prizes.

In the Emirati category, Abdullah Al Hammadi secured second place, followed by Rashid Al Baloushi in third, from amongst a highly competitive field, with the riders successfully navigating varied obstacles and challenges along the designated 50-km race route through the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve.

In the Open category, Omniyat Shabab Al Ahli’s Coen Vermeltfoort finished second, and Airwerks Racing Team1’s Jason Toby Osborne placed third. In the women's competition, Dubai Residence Cycling Team’s Maddy Black finished second, and Dubai Residence Cycling Team’s Marion Fromberger finished third.

As for the team competition, the Dubai Residence Cycling team took first place in the Emirati category, followed by the Abu Dhabi Cycling Club team in second, and the State Security team in third.

Omniyat Shabab Al Ahli topped the team standings in the Open category, with Dubai Residence Cycling Team finishing second, and Airwerks Team 1 claiming third place.

Al Wathba Maxfit’s Naif Al Marzooqi won the Emirati over-40 category, with Omniyat Shabab Al Ahli’s Grega Bole claiming top position in the Open over-40 category.

Essa Al Mutaiwei, Deputy Director General of the Court of Ruler of Dubai, flagged off the race in the presence of Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Hatta Sports and Cultural Club.

The desert races, marking the largest community cycling competition of its kind, drew an exceptional field of 172 participants representing 41 nationalities and 23 teams. The Emirati category featured 62 participants and 10 teams, while the Elite category attracted 90 participants and 8 teams, and the Women's category featured 20 participants and 5 teams.

Speaking on the occasion, Omair Bin Juma Al Falasi, Director General of the Private Office of the Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee of the Al Salam Cycling Championship, announced that, in line with the directives of Sheikh Mohammed and marking a new addition to the Al Salam Cycling Championship, the Arqoub Al Sadeera Race will be held on February 8 over a route spanning 100 km from Al Samha in Abu Dhabi to Saih Al Salam in Dubai to signal the culmination of the championship’s tenth edition. This race features categories across the men’s and women’s fields for both professionals and amateurs representing clubs.

The event is being held in coordination with several key entities including the Ministry of Interior, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Dubai Sports Council, the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, the Dubai Police General Headquarters, the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Center, and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, in addition to the other partners contributing to the success of the championship.

Falasi added: “The Arqoub Al Sadeera Race further enhances the Championship’s national prominence, with the route featuring two important areas — Al Samha in Abu Dhabi and Saih Al Salam in Dubai. It opens the door for all segments of society to participate, creating a fitting celebration of cycling.”

Expressing his deepest gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for his unwavering support and guidance for the success of the men’s and women’s desert races and other allied events within the Al Salam Championship, Falasi noted that Sheikh Mohammed’s support has elevated the championship’s standing within the global sporting community given the diversity of competitions and wide participation across various categories.

He added: “Desert cycling races have become a hallmark of the Al Salam Championship worldwide as they are held annually and given their innovative obstacle courses, increasing participant numbers, and record-breaking prize pools. We are committed to building on these achievements with limitless ambition to enhance the championship’s impact in promoting sports and healthy lifestyles.”

Falasi congratulated all the participants for their spirited efforts, as reflected in the majority of them completing the challenging course. This highlighted the impressive benchmarks set by participating athletes over the ten seasons of the Al Salam Championship, which in turn has contributed to a collective determination to do well and brought out the best in Emiratis and other members of the community competing at major sporting events, he added.

The Al Salam Championship is organised in collaboration with several strategic partners including Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai, the Dubai Sports Council, the Government of Dubai Media Office, the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award, the Dubai Sports Channel, the UAE Cycling Federation (General Referee), and Dubai Film.