
Al Ahli Youth Team Crowned Champion of the Elite Men’s Race in the Al Salam Championship
In the presence and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Al Ahli Youth Team was crowned the champion of the elite category in the eighth edition of the Al Salam Cycling Championship, which took place on Sunday, January 14, with the participation of 314 cyclists from 42 nationalities.
Slovenian Luka Mezgec from Al Ahli Youth Team “1” topped the individual category, followed by his compatriot Matej Mohorič, also from Al Ahli Youth Team “1”, in second place, while Greek Polichronis Tzortzakis from the My Wash team secured third place.
In the team competition, decided in the final meters, Al Ahli Youth Team “1” won first place, while My Wash secured second place, and Team “A” of Dubai Police came in third.
The race, which extended over 182 kilometers, began in the picturesque Hatta Dam surrounded by mountainous nature and concluded in the Al Marmoom Reserve, the largest unprotected desert reserve in the UAE, passing through various terrains and the beautiful urban areas of Dubai. The race was fast-paced and full of excitement, with average speeds exceeding 50 kilometers per hour at certain stages. Additionally, the sprint station set by the organizing committee in the middle of the race, with a prize of 20,000 dirhams, provided an extra incentive for the cyclists.
At the end of the race, the organizing committee, represented by Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mousa, head of the logistics committee, and Rami Al-Nabulsi, head of the financial and marketing committee, honored the winners in both the individual and team categories. Saeed Hareb, Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council, awarded the winner of the sprint phase, Charalampos Kastrantas from My Wash, as well as Bart van der Dries from Wolfi Racing Team, who won first place in the over-40 category.
His Excellency Omair bin Juma Al-Falasi, Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the championship, expressed his utmost gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his guidance, patronage, and unwavering support for the championship. He emphasized Sheikh Mohammed’s commitment to attending the championship events, which have become a leading event in cycling championships at the national, regional, and global levels for amateurs. He stated, “We are very happy with the success of this race, which reflects the support and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The championship was launched under his guidance and has grown and developed year after year, thanks to his continuous support and follow-up on the races and encouragement of the participants. Today, the success of this race confirms the high level that this championship has reached, both in terms of the cyclists’ performance and the excellent organization. Our national teams have successfully organized a major race with over 300 cyclists covering 182 kilometers across a diverse geographical landscape extending from the Hatta mountains through many areas to the Al Salam area in the Al Marmoom Reserve, the largest nature reserve in the world.”
He added, “We are proud to organize this race, which represents a wonderful model of the championship’s development and the success of our national organizing teams and cyclists in presenting an Emirati race with international specifications. I also congratulate the cyclists for achieving a high average speed of 50 kilometers in this major race.”
Saeed Hareb, Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council, expressed his happiness with the strong performances of the cyclists throughout the race, whether in the mountainous regions or the open areas of Al Marmoom. He remarked that this race was faster compared to previous editions, which confirms the improvement in the cyclists’ levels—one of the primary objectives of the Al Salam Cycling Championship.
He praised the choice of the starting point from Hatta, which has become one of the best tourist destinations in the UAE.
On his part, Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mousa, head of the logistics committee for the championship, affirmed that the directives and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for the championship have led to the qualitative leap and development it has experienced year after year, reaching its eighth edition. He noted that the number of cyclists has increased since the championship’s inception, now reaching high levels with a significant participation from professionals, elites, and amateurs.
He added that the choice of starting from Hatta Dam to Al Salam was intentional, especially since there was a Hatta Expo race two seasons ago in celebration of Expo 2020, and now we return to Hatta to witness the beautiful city’s development regarding facilities, tourist areas, roads, and all aspects.
He mentioned that the race distance of 182 kilometers is associated with the eighth edition of the event, and it has always been our practice to link the new edition to a number; last year it was 172 kilometers, and certainly, there will be new developments in the upcoming edition.
The eighth edition of the Al Salam Cycling Championship, which has a total prize pool of 3.5 million dirhams, will continue with the Emirati amateurs and elite women’s races on February 3 and 4, respectively, followed by the desert race on February 11