Dubai: One of the few true cycling enthusiasts in the country is hoping that events like the Tour de France will help take the sport to a new level here.
"There is such a big change in the following of this sport from the time we began till now. And I think it can only get better in the future," Wolfgang Hohmann, General Manager, Wolfi's Bike Shop told Gulf News.
As a sport, cycling has had a very elite following, more due to the emphasis on the use of vehicles in the UAE. "We began small but today cycling is much better than what it was in those days," Wolfi related.
Wolfi's Bike Shop hosted the annual Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort-sponsored Tour de France party in Dubai last Thursday. More than 100 cycling enthusiasts from the Dubai Roadsters Cycling group gathered to watch the live excitement of Stage 17 of the Tour de France.
The guests watched the 174-km stretch of the endurance race over three major mountains that finished at Tourmalet, the famous mountain for cyclists.
"The Tour de France Party is a perfect culmination of Dubai Roadsters Cycling Group's yearly efforts and participation in group activities. We appreciate the continued support we receive from Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort that helps us provide many opportunities for our members to come together," Wolfi said.
A couple of members voiced the same sentiments too. "This sport has grown, thanks mostly to initiatives such as this one," said Peru's Enrique Klien, one of the early members of the group.
"And events like this one can only help cyclists get together off the road and show some bonding, and this in turn can only help taking cycling to the next level," added Janice Clarke from New Zealand.
