Dubai cements reputation as top cycling destination

The Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge is set for a spectacular debut as a UCI Gran Fondo World Series event on Saturday.

More than 2,500 cyclists are expected at the starting line in Dubai Sports City.

Held in partnership with Dubai Sports Council, the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge is one of the Middle East’s premium sporting races, regularly attracting thousands of riders from all over the world.

The 12th edition of the competition, which is now a part of the 2022 UCI Gran Fondo World Series, will see men and women in the Elite category compete for a lucrative prize-pot of AED 36,000, which will be shared by the top three.

Dubai is one of the premier cycling destinations in the world, hosting five international competitions every year and more than 32 local and community events, including three events exclusively for ladies.

The emirate also boasts 36 dedicated cycling tracks and paths, running a total distance of 554km, and by 2026, a further 287km of dedicated cycling tracks and paths will be added.

Spinneys #Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge,the newest Dubai event on the international cycling calendar,is set for a spectacular debut as a UCI Gran Fondo World Series event on 19 Feb with more than 2,500 cyclists expected at the starting line in Dubai Sports Cityhttps://t.co/7I9oocaeMX pic.twitter.com/Jo0NritbIX

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 17, 2022

Just this week and the next alone, Dubai will host, besides Gran Fondo Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, the Expo 2020 Dubai Stage (February 25) of the 2022 UAE Tour, which is the only WorldTour race in the Middle East and features 17 UCI WorldTeams and three UCI ProTeams; the Al Salam Cycling Championship (February 17) in Al Qudra, Seih Al Salaam; Spinneys Dubai 92 Junior Cycle Challenge (February 18) at Dubai International Stadium; and the GBI Emirates Cycling 2022 (February 18-23) on the Al Qudra Cycling Tracks.

The 180km Expo 2020 Dubai Stage will see 140 cyclists paddle through Dubai, starting from Expo 2020 and touching locations like Dubai Sports City, Silicon Oasis, Meydan Racecourse, Palm Jumeirah and the Jumeirah Islands, before sprinting for the finishline at the Expo.

The race will showcase some of Dubai’s biggest landmarks like Ain Dubai and Museum of the Future.

The 92km course for the Gran Fondo Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, meanwhile, weaves across the city after being flagged off from Dubai Sports City, and riders can look forward to passing several popular landmarks, including the iconic Expo 2020 Dubai and the much-beloved Global Village sites.

This year’s event has seen record sign-ups, with hundreds set to attend the Prime Medical Center Junior Rides on Friday, February 18, as young cyclists aged between 2 and 12 test their skills on their bicycles at the Dubai International Stadium.

The 2022 Spinneys Dubai Cycle Challenge features something for everyone as the newly revealed Live Well Outride, a shorter 40km course will allow new members of Dubai’s diverse and passionate cycling community to join in the weekend’s activities.

"The Learn to Ride programme and Live Well Outride race means there really is something for everyone in this year’s Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, and we cannot wait to see all the cyclists take to the streets of Dubai with their family and friends – be it for competition or fun," said Stewart Howison, Race Director.