Dubai: The Director of the February 5 to 8 Dubai Tour 2014 has called on residents to get up close to one of the biggest sporting events to be held in the UAE this year.
The Dubai Tour will consist of four stages, the first of which — an individual time trial called the ‘Downtown Stage’ — will be flagged off from the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) next Wednesday.
The next three stages will pass through some of the most prominent landmarks in and around Dubai with the aim of showcasing the emirate and its achievements to a global audience.
“The attention of the entire sporting world will be on Dubai during the next week and it would be a pity if the residents of this place do not utilise this unique opportunity of getting up close and personal with some of the best riders in the world,” Huraiz Bin Huraiz told Gulf News before attending a meeting of the organising committee here on Thursday.
Some of the top riders from across the globe have confirmed they will be among the 16 teams invited to be take part in the inaugural Dubai Tour. These include reigning Road World Champion Alberto Rui Costa of Portugal, Giro d’Italia defending champion Vincenzo Nibali, British sprint star Mark Cavendish and Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara.
Organisers hope to ensure all teams and riders get adequate time to mix with spectators before each stage.
The Tour Director also called on residents to plan during the four days of competition so as to escape inconvenience due to road closures. “Ideally, it would be nice to have residents coming out in numbers and cheering these riders along the route. But, if for some reason they cannot be part of the race, then they should try and use alternate roads,” Bin Huraiz said.
