Cyclists pass by Emirates Palace and Etihad Towers on route to their finish line at Yas Mall. Second day of the Abu Dhabi Tour, The Capital stage. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National
Cyclists pass by Emirates Palace and Etihad Towers on route to their finish line at Yas Mall. Second day of the Abu Dhabi Tour, The Capital stage. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Mona Al Marzooqi / TShow more

Landscape and dedication of organisers means Abu Dhabi Tour always destined for elite status



If you had flown into Abu Dhabi last October and maybe taken in some of the stages of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Tour, there was little way of knowing that the race was not already among the world's elite races.

You would have witnessed several of the world’s best teams and riders competing, including then-world champion Peter Sagan and Vincenzo Nibali, winner of the three Grand Tours.

You would have seen a sturdy mixture of challenges designed to attract all kinds of riders. You would have seen some breathtakingly close sprint finishes and you would have seen about as dramatic an end as you can hope: 150 metres from the end of an 11.7-kilometre climb, having launched an impressive counter-attack on Esteban Chaves, Team Sky’s Wouter Poels felt his front wheel wobble around a bend and then give way completely.

See also:

• Former Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins pulls out of Abu Dhabi Tour cycling event

• Abu Dhabi Tour 2016: Teams, road closures, schedule and everything you need to know

He slipped, Chaves sped past for the win, and Poels was left heart-broken. He does not often win, he said then, and what a win that would have been.

At that moment, and indeed in the aftermath of Chaves’s eventual general classification win the following day, you would have been forgiven for thinking the race was already part of the World Tour.

It was not. It was a 2.1 category event, a tough race sure, but not one with elite status. It says much about the Abu Dhabi Sport Council’s (ADSC) organisation of that race – along with RCS Sport – that it never felt like it was not a top race.

And it says much about the organisers that after just one edition, the race has been upgraded twice over. On Thursday this week the second Abu Dhabi Tour begins with 2. HC status. Four months from now, next February, it takes its place as an elite UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) World Tour Race, essentially the top-level series of men’s races which includes the three Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.

“It was a great success, one of the highlights of the year,” said Graham Bartlett, chief executive of the Velon group, a joint venture of 11 of the world’s best cycling teams. Velon partners with ADSC for the race.

“I think it is testament to ADSC that they put on such a great race straight out the door. The partnership we have with them we are very, very happy with. They managed to get their race to World Tour status very quickly, which is a big achievement. That’s a real testament to go from a new race to World Tour status inside two years, a fantastic achievement.”

From the beginning the aim was to upgrade the race as soon as possible. But even as recently as April, that target still felt a little while away.

Aref Al Awani, the ADSC general secretary that day, said upgrading the race was “one of the things that has been in our planning from the very first day that we talked about the Abu Dhabi Tour”.

“Most of the requirements are there and they are satisfied with our race. But this is a long journey. During the race we can have another meeting and see from there. There is already an application but it is a long journey.”

Cycling officials believe two factors have coincided favourably for the upgrade. One is that the sport has been actively looking to expand out of its European stronghold into newer regions and markets not known for cycling tradition but which provide scope for growth.

Last year’s World Tour had 27 races but not a single one in Asia. This year’s is an expanded calendar, with 37 races including one in Qatar and in Turkey.

The other, however, is the nature of Abu Dhabi’s long-term commitment itself to cycling. That goes beyond just the staging of big professional races and deeper into the benefits of it as a recreational health pursuit for the community.

The partnership with Velon has also been smart. “When they [UCI] are looking at a race, what they want to see is a strong race, that is sustainable, that has a legacy and has a very high quality field,” Bartlett said. “If you want to be on the World Tour, you need to be having the best teams and riders there.”

Those will be on plentiful display later this week, but even more are expected next February. Better temperatures, and part of a dedicated Middle East swing in the calendar, offers more scope.

“Going to February is a completely different story,” Lorenzo Giorgetti, chief executive of RCS Sport, told www.cyclingnews.com. “We can have much longer stages. This is the largest emirate of the UAE, we could do 20 stages in Abu Dhabi – there’s a lot to show, a lot to see. So from a race perspective we could decide if it’s a race for sprinters, for climbers, or anyone, because the territory offers a lot.”

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The Brutalist

Director: Brady Corbet

Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn

Rating: 3.5/5

The biog

Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Favourite holiday destination: Spain

Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody

Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa

Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19

RESULTS

6.30pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).

7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m

Winner Almanaara, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.

7.40pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Grand Argentier, Brett Doyle, Doug Watson.

8.15pm Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Major Partnership, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

8.50pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.

9.25pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m

Winner Universal Order, Richard Mullen, David Simcock.

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

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Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Company Profile

Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

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Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday (All UAE kick-off times)

Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (11.30pm)

Saturday

Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)

FA Augsburg v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)

RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen (6.30pm)

SC Paderborn v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)

Hoffenheim v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)

Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Monchengladbach (9.30pm)

Sunday

Cologne v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)

Mainz v FC Schalke (9pm)

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Company profile

Date started: January, 2014

Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe

Based: Dubai

Sector: Education technology

Size: Five employees

Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.

Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
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Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.  

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Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.

DMZ facts
  • The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
  • It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
  • The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
  • It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
  • Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
  • Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
  • Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012. 
  • Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
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Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.

The Laughing Apple

Yusuf/Cat Stevens

(Verve Decca Crossover)

Women & Power: A Manifesto

Mary Beard

Profile Books and London Review of Books 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Business Insights
  • Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
  • The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
  • US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
McLaren GT specs

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed

Power: 620bhp

Torque: 630Nm

Price: Dh875,000

On sale: now

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
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  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
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Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
If you go

The flights

Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes. 

The hotel

Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.

The tour

The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours. 

New Zealand 57-0 South Africa

Tries: Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder (2), Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Ofa Tu'ungfasi, Lima Sopoaga, Codie Taylor. Conversions: Beauden Barrett (7). Penalty: Beauden Barrett

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.