Dubai: The home team’s star rider Alexander Kristoff has called for a better engagement from the local community in an effort to achieve the sporting objectives of the nation.
“While we are competing on the big stage and exposing the name of the UAE in the best possible manner, we also need engagement and involvement from the local community to carry forward the ambitions of our team,” UAE Team Emirates’ sprinter Kristoff told Gulf News after participating in an initiative involving schoolchildren from Dubai at Skydive Dubai, on Thursday.
“The future of cycling is in the hands of these youngsters. Perhaps one of them attending this event may be inspired enough to take up cycling as a sport in the future. On our part, we need to do what we can to ensure there is continuity in the sport,” he shrugged.
A group of 15 students from two institutions — Dubai College and Nord Anglia Dubai — were special guests of UAE Team Emirates at the 2018 Dubai Tour base at Skydive Dubai. The students got the opportunity to speak with the team members while also indulging in ‘selfies’ with the team riders.
Unveiled in January last year, Kristoff was UAE Team Emirates’ latest acquisition after the Norwegian rider had spent six years with Katusha-Alpecin. A former Milan-San Remo winner, Kristoff struggled through the early part of 2017, but did well while winning the RideLondon Surrey Classic in August 2017, after which he announced his switch to the UAE.
Last season was the debut year for UAE Team Emirates with their first success coming by the end of January after Portugal’s Rui Costa won the queen stage of the Vuelta de San Juan on the Alto Colorado. “The aim of this exercise is to put the focus on cycling while trying to make it the biggest sport in the UAE,” Carlo Saronni, Manager, UAE Team Emirates, related.
“This is also our way of giving back to the community, while also educating people on the core responsibilities of our team. This not only helps us build up our profile further but also sends home the more important message of paying attention to a healthy lifestyle,” he added.
