In just over three weeks time the third edition of the Dubai Tour will kick off at Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC), with riders like Bradley Wiggins and last year’s winner Mark Cavendish providing the star attraction to a growing local audience.
As well as the Dubai Tour, the UAE is also home to the new Abu Dhabi Tour, and organisers are hoping that bringing these high profile events will have the positive ripple effect of spreading a sport already on the rise.
Sami Al Emam, head of Media at Dubai Sports Council, organisers of the Dubai Tour, believes that a combination of factors have resulted in cycling’s popularity, among them access to better infrastructure and increased awareness of the health benefits of the sport.
ALSO READ: #CycleToWorkUAE: How Cycle Safe Dubai grew from a campaign to an industry
“We’ve started to see a clear rise in the number of cyclists, which has coincided with the rise in the number of tracks,” Al Emam said. “Nad Al Sheba has a track, Al Qudra has a track, and there are several roads on the beach which have dedicated cycle tracks. In the public gardens too.”
The government’s support for cycling, as well as the good work of several riding groups, has resulted in a minor industry popping up over the last decade, as seen by the growing number of outlets that sell bikes, from beginner rides to expert.
“Now you will see many more cycle rentals shops too,” Al Emam said. “When you’re driving around you’ll see many more cars with cycle racks on them, or the cycles hooked on the back, as people take them to the tracks. No doubt the popularity has spiked as has the participation.”
A new culture of cycling
Al Emam is keen to point out that both Tour events have played a big part in showcasing the cycling environment, in many cases highlighting the country’s landmarks as well as its desert terrains.
“The same thing is going on with the Abu Dhabi Tour, the popularity is rising across the whole nation not just in Dubai,” he said. “Why this popularity? Sure, the cameras show the great landscapes of the stages, and that is wonderful for tourism, but more importantly, cycling is about exercise and health. It’s beneficial for your heart, for general health, for weight loss, for diabetes. It’s of great benefit to all of society.”
ALSO READ: #Cycletoworkuae FAQs: How to get involved
Cultural barriers are being overcome too. Cycling is no longer a sport mostly enjoyed mostly by expatriates as it perhaps was in the early years of the 21st century.
“Now Emiratis are embracing cycling just as much,” Al Emam said. “Their numbers are rising quickly, you can see many cycling in Mamzar, near the public beaches and at Al Qudra. So many people are making the effort to go to Al Qudra now. Notice how many shops and medical clinics are established in that area. Why would they set up all the way there if there weren’t so many people cycling and training there? Even at Nad Al Sheba there is a tunnel and there is a dedicated cycle road to avoid any accidents.”
Al Emam conceded that unlike popular sports like football and, more recently, Jiu-Jitsu, cycling will be harder to implement at grass roots level. Providing equipment and riding facilities is a long term challenge for Dubai Sports Council.
“To be frank, when it comes to schools it’s a little more difficult to spread the sport,” he said. “Schools don’t have tracks at the moment. However we want to encourage the students to take up cycling. One of the programmes we have at Dubai Sports Council is to visit schools and raise awareness, and we plan to hold a mini Dubai Tour for kids to take part in at one of the city’s big tracks.”
ALSO WATCH: #CycletoWorkUAE 2016 Ambassador: Ivor Prestwood - video
Cycling in a safe environment
“You have to provide safe roads,” Al Emam added. “The UAE is country of safety and security, that comes before anything else. Security at home, in your bank accounts, in your car. And your security when you’re taking part in your favourite sport. That’s why it is crucial to provide those safe tracks in the gardens and even near public roads, like in Jumeirah. And of course in the dedicated tracks, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid established Al Qudra which is 70km long, you can ride for hours and hours without any fear.”
A passion for cycling
“The hope is that the child will fall in love with cycling, and from there he starts to cycle with his parents,” Al Emam said. “It becomes a family activity, so the father has a his own bike, the brother has one, the mother and so on. And the little kid has his where he can cycle safely in isolated, dedicated environments like Al Qudra or others. You can use tens of kilometres and you never have to worry about cars or motorcycles or anything else, you’re taking part in a safe environment.”
Al Emam believes that only by instilling a true passion for cycling has the sport been able to spread, and hopefully in time produce top class professional athletes.
“This country offers everything,” he said. “But you’ll only take up an activity if you truly love it. Some people prefer going to the cinema, some like take up football or basketball. The most important thing in taking up cycling is to fall in love with the sport. The love of cycling in society is the first step, as well as providing them the right access. The rest is up to them, the more they cycle the more beneficial for them.”
akhaled@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport