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Abu Dhabi wheels out cycling track plans
Abu Dhabi today unveiled the 204km track set for the Cycling Race of Champions event being hosted in November 2007, in a bid to drive the emirate into "an international, major events destination."
Calling it a 'powerful component' in the UAE capital's evolution in the international circuit, Chairman of the Tourism Authority, His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, said: "Abu Dhabi will now join the international professional cycling circuit as the biggest 'Grand Slam' event for this popular sport."
"The event represents a major commitment to align the UAE capital with the most renowned strategic partners," he added.
The US$1 million international race, being hosted for the first time in the Middle East, will boast challenging routes and stages in and around Abu Dhabi for a ten-day, three-stage event. The event will showcase races between cycling champions from the three elite European tours, Italy's Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and Spain's La Vuelta.
The government of Abu Dhabi has recently been pursuing other economic sources to drive the emirate's economic reliance away from its finite oil reserves. As reported by ArabianBusiness.com on Sunday, the emirate is set to build a $350 million solar power plant - expected to start operating in 2009 - in a bid to reduce dependence on hydrocarbon power generation.
In addition to the Cycling Race of Champions event, Abu Dhabi is aiming to build up a selection of the world's top sporting events. Earlier this month, it was announced that the emirate will host a Formula One Grand Prix from 2009, in a schedule that could be extended to 20 races.
The emirate also plans to add 17,000 hotel rooms in a bid to increase tourism to the emirate from almost a million in 2004, to more than three million by 2015.
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority's director general, Mubarak Al Muhairi, said the cycling race has already generated attention as the first event of its kind in the Middle East. "The routes will cover a lot of Abu Dhabi's geography so it's great publicity for the whole emirate - it will highlight the duality of our beautiful natural areas and ultra-modern urban districts."
He added: "One of the Tourism Authority's main criteria in deciding which events to support is the international media impact that is created to build substantial and positive awareness of Abu Dhabi."
The opening stage will follow a 99 kilometre route that starts and ends at the prestigious seven star Emirates Palace Hotel overlooking the Arabian Gulf from Abu Dhabi's Corniche. It will loop around Abu Dhabi island, and three times around the Corniche centre.
The spectator turnout for the Cycling Race of Champions is anticipated to run into hundreds of thousands. It will be staged annually in the UAE capital for the next five years and will be the grand finale in the sport's international calendar.
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Comments 1-1 of 1
Posted by costenoble, dubai, uae on 1 March 2007 at 14:39 UAE time
would be good if all over the emirates, cycling paths would be put in place as much as possible , to reduce car traffic, and increase sport activities for residents and tourists. would be sad indeed to see major cycling event in a country with hardly any cycling paths.
also cycle hiring in hotels would be a good diversification for activities by tourists.
in major cities such as Paris, you can discover Paris by Bike!