Dates for Dubai cycling tour announced

Dubai: The Dubai Tour was billed by its chairman Saeed Hareb as being “destined to become Asia’s most prestigious cycling event,” after the dates for the inaugural event were announced in Italy on Friday.

The world’s best cyclists will battle it out across the city’s streets from February 5 to 8 next year, it was announced in an agreement signed by Dubai Sports Council and RCS Sport on the sidelines of the Giro d’Italia in Pescara at the weekend.

RCS Sport will cover event management, development and global promotion of the new event, which will be inducted into the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) calendar during the world championships in Florence this September.

A delegation from Dubai Sports Council is currently in Italy following the Giro d’Italia to study the various aspects of event management in order to launch the Dubai Tour without a glitch.

Hareb, chairman of the higher committee of the Dubai Tour, said: “The UAE is renowned for the warmth with which we welcome sports stars from around the world, as well as the tourists and guests who come in their millions to enjoy our incomparable tourist attractions and hospitality.

“Today, as we enter the world of cycling in cooperation with our friends and partners at RCS Sport, we are proud to announce details of the Dubai International Cycling Tour or ‘Dubai Tour’, which is destined to become Asia’s most prestigious cycling event.”

Michele Acquarone, managing director of RCS Sport, added: “We are proud and satisfied about the agreement reached with Dubai Sport Council to organise the Dubai Tour. This important goal is in line with RCS Sport’s strategy focused on extending its activities towards new international markets. I would like to thank the Dubai Sport Council for the faith they showed in us and for investing in cycling, a truly global sport.”

Acquarone also spoke to quell fears that the event would clash with the Tours of Qatar and Oman, which are both organised by ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation), who organise the Tour de France.

The Qatar Olympic Committee had listed the Ladies Tour to run from January 28-31 and the men’s from February 2-7, which overlaps with Dubai’s dates, while Oman is reportedly set to commence from February 9.

But Acquarone said the events would not clash suggesting the men’s Tour of Qatar will be pushed back.

“The Dubai Tour was put forward because our friends ASO had a problem of overlapping between the men’s and women’s tours, so this was for us the best solution to allow the teams to enjoy the experience,” Acquarone said.

“The Dubai tour is the youngest race but we will try to make it the best and a showcase for cycling as whole.”