Riders in action during last year’s Ooredoo Ride of Champions.
Organisers are expecting a record number of entries for the hugely popular Ooredoo Ride of Champions set to be held on March 15.
This was announced at a press conference addressed by Dr. Abdulaziz Jahan Al Kuwari, President of Qatar Cyclists.
Dr Bahia Tahzib-lie, Ambassador of Netherlands to Qatar, Thani Al Zaraa, Deputy General Secretary of Qatar Cycling Federation, Saoud M Al Shahwani, Community Outreach Officer at Qatar Foundation and Ali Al Kuwari, Managing Director of Ooredoo Ride of Champions, were also present at the press conference.
This year’s Ooredoo Ride of Champions is set to touch the figure of 1,500 riders for an event that will include races for different age groups.
“Our target this year is to reach 1,500 participants, and we are confident that this is possible. Cycling is more popular than ever in Qatar, and the Ride of Champions provides a safe environment for everyone; from experienced cyclists to young children,” Dr. Al Kuwari said.
The event includes competition across various categories comprising of long, medium, and short routes depending on the rider’s fitness level, organisers said at the press conference.
The event includes three events starting at 6.30am (48km, 78km and 137.5km) for experienced adult cyclists, all which start from the Ceremonial Court of Qatar Foundation.
A further festival of cycling starts at 9am for families, beginners and riders who are new to the sport, at Qatar Foundation. All events will be based at Qatar Foundation’s spectacular Ceremonial Court.
This festival of cycling is aimed at the riders that want to participate as a family, young riders or riders new to the sport of cycling. They will cycle a 5.8km distance. Additionally, there will be kids’ events for children between the age of 3 to 8, which begins at 9.00am.
The Ride of Champions is Qatar’s largest mass participation event in the field of road cycling, and the official flagship community event of Qatar Cyclists Centre and Qatar Cycling Federation. The event is for Qatari nationals, residents and international participants of all ages to come out and celebrate cycling, healthy lifestyles and sport.
The event aims to include the entire cycling community of the country, by offering various route distances for families, children, youth and adults participating in a one-day festival of cycling, with multiple fun events, where each will be a champion in his/her own right.
Following the success of the first ‘Ride of Champions’ campaign and mass participation event, hosted during the UCI Road World Championship in October 2016, the 2017 ride brought 1100 cyclists of all ages and levels of experience from beginners to the experienced amateurs by creating a safe, well structured, and friendly environment for all participants.
Dr. Al Kuwari commented on the growth of the sport, saying: “The Ride of Champions is a celebration of cycling, a sport that has grown rapidly in the past few years and changed the lives of thousands of members of our community.
“The main concept of the event is that everyone is a champion. Join us and have fun riding through Qatar Foundation, cross the finish line then celebrate on the podium with your medal. The concept has proved very successful. Many of my friends who tried cycling for the first time at previous Ride of Champions events have become very active members of Qatar Cyclists,” he said.
Al Shahwani said: “At Qatar Foundation, we strive to support initiatives that encourage the community to play sports and to adopt healthy lifestyles. Our partnership with Qatar Cyclists to organise the Ride of Champions has proved hugely successful in the past, and we are looking forward to another great event this year.”
