Jamal Al Kuwari (third left), General Secretary, QTCF; Dr Mohamed Jaham Al Kuwari (fourth left), President, Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation (QCTF); Dr Abdulaziz Al Kuwari (fourth right), President, Qatar Cyclists Center; Dr Jamal Rashid Al Khanji (
DOHA: The third edition of Al Adaid Desert Challenge, scheduled for March 2nd, 2018, is promising to be the biggest and most exciting in the history of the event with a more challenging route and the introduction of a running event.
Participants of this year’s cycling race will need to overcome seven grueling sand dunes and several flat sandy patches with a total distance of 38.5 km - a route that boosts the reputation of the UCI Class 3 event as the toughest off-road mountain bike race in the region.
The event is organized by Qatar Cyclists under the patronage of Qatar’s Ministry of Culture and Sport, and in cooperation with Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation (QCTF) and International Cycling Federation (UCI).
The start line will be at Mawater Sand Dune area near Sealine Beach Resort while the finish line is at the Doha Bus Desert Adventures Camp.
The participants at the running event will use the first and last third of the cycling route, and they will need to cross four sand dunes and complete a total distance of 26.7 km.
Dr Jamal Al Khanji, Managing Director of Al Adaid Desert Challenge said: “In a very short period, Al Adaid Desert Challenge became one of the top one-day cycling events in the region – the turnout has reached record levels this year. We are keen on organising another successful edition and we are putting the finishing touches to welcome all the participants and fans.”
He added: “This year, we added a running race for the first time. We invite everyone to join us on March 2nd to enjoy the event and various related activities” he added.
After winning last year’s edition, Dutch cycling legend Erik Dekker was announced as an official ambassador for the Al Adaid Desert Challenge.
Dekker will not be the only international rider taking part in this year’s UCI Elite Category. The 47-year-old Dutch legend will once again face competition from last year’s runner up, New Zealand’s Roman Van Uden and third-placed finisher in the Elite category, Frederic Gombert of France.
All three riders will take part in a community cycling event at Lusail International Circuit on Wednesday.
Iran’s Faraz Shokri, the best positioned rider in UCI Asia MB Cross-Country Elite Ranking, is also among the notable names taking part in this year’s edition.
In the women’s Elite Category, 2017 Champion Pia Sundstedt of Finland will attempt to defend her title.
This year, the number of Qatari riders is set to reach more than 60 participants and they will battle for a new title, Qatar’s MB Cross Country Champion.
Dr Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari, President of Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation said: “It is amazing to see the rapid progress of this event, mountain bikes are more popular than ever in Qatar, and the addition of Al Adaid Desert Challenge to UCI calendar last year was a proof that we are heading in the right direction.”
He added: “We are building on the legacy of the World Championships, the number of Qatari cyclists is increasing, more young kids are taking on the sport, the future looks bright. This year we have more than 60 Qatari riders taking part in the event as we decided that it will also act the Qatar National Mountain Bike Cross-Country Championship.”
Spectators will be able to cheer the participants at the start line before moving to the finish line on a special route that doesn’t include the sand dunes.
A non-competitive kids race at the finish area and several family-oriented activities is expected to attract huge crowds.
Rashed Al Qurese, Chief Marketing & Promotion Officer at QTA, said: “QTA is proud to be once again supporting the Al Adaid Desert Challenge, a home-grown event which has steadily developed over the years.”
He added: “Leveraging Qatar’s world-class sports facilities and unique natural assets is a key area of focus for us as we implement the Next Chapter of the National Tourism Sector Strategy 2017-2023. We are particularly proud of this sporting event as a public-sector event which promises to contribute to the growing sports tourism sub-sector in Qatar.”
With a total prize money of around QR 150,000, the 2018 Al Adaid Desert Challenge is expected to see record number of participants from Qatar and abroad. Already more than 300 male and female participants, from more than 45 different nationalities, have registered for this year’s challenge and the registration is still open until February 28th, 2018.
Dr. Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, President of Qatar Cyclists, said: “Cycling has seen enormous growth in the past few years. The number of Qatar Cyclists members reached levels that we have never imagined when we launched the initiative few years ago, and Al Adaid Desert Challenge is one of the big events that is eagerly awaited by every cycling enthusiast in Qatar.”
Qatar Tourism Authority are the platinum sponsor of this year’s edition, with the ever-increasing list of sponsors also including, Ooredoo and Doha Insurance Group as Gold Sponsors.
Manar Khalifa Al Muraikhi, Director PR and Corporate Communications at Ooredoo, said: “We are glad to be the Gold Sponsor of this special event and to continue our partnership with Qatar Cyclists Center by organising another memorable edition of Al Adaid Desert Challenge.”
Jassim Ali A Al Moftah, Chief Executive Officer of Doha Insurance Group, said: “We are a national group with a constructive vision, our slogan is Pioneering Spirit, and to translate this into action, we were keen on being at the forefront when it came to be sponsoring and supporting this special sporting event.”
The official event partners are Rayyan Mineral Water Company, GMC, Garmin, Qatar Red Crescent and Doha Bus, while the official event supporters are Rasen Adventure Shop, Mawater,
