alsalamchampionship@hhpo.ae 
Rashid Al Bloushi Wins “Race to Space” at Al Salam Cycling Championship
His Excellency Omair bin Juma Al Falasi, Director General of the Private Office of His Highness the Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the Championship, along with His Excellency Salem Al Marri, Director General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, crowned the winners and honored the supporting entities.
In the rest of the individual results, Hilal Jaber Al Harbi from the Ministry of Defense team came in second place, and Saeed Al Bloushi from the “Sheikh Ahmed bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Team” came in third.
In the teams category, the “Sheikh Ahmed bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Team” took first place, followed by the Dubai Police 1 Team in second, and the Al Wathba 1 Team in third.
Mohammed Al Mansouri from the Rabdan 2 Team won first place in the category for those above 40 years old.
In the “Midway Sprint” category, Rashid Al Bloushi from the “Sheikh Ahmed bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Team” took first place.
The race began at the headquarters of the “Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre,” ending in the Seih Al Salam area within the Al Marmoom Nature Reserve, covering a distance of 148 kilometers. This race was held to celebrate and recognize the UAE’s historic achievements in the space sector, contributing to the success of the event, which saw the participation of 250 cyclists and 22 teams, with a total prize pool of 1 million dirhams, part of the 3.5 million dirhams allocated for four main races this season.
Astronaut His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth, gave the starting signal for the race, while astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri participated on his bike in the opening segment, accompanied by the “Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre” team.
The race’s kickoff and proceedings were attended by His Excellency Omir bin Juma Al Falasi, His Excellency Salem Al Marri, His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, Amer Al Saiegh Al Ghaferi, Assistant Director General for Space Engineering at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, and Adnan Al Rais, Assistant Director General for Space Operations and Exploration at the Centre.
The organizing committee allocated a cash prize for the Sprint Champion, determined by point accumulation, with the first place in each sprint station earning 5 points, second place earning 3 points, third place earning 2 points, and fourth place earning 1 point.
Each sprint station was named after one of the UAE’s achievements, with the first station located 21 kilometers from the start line named “Zayed’s Ambition.” The second station, “Hope Probe,” was 55 kilometers from the start. The third station, “M7 Stables,” was 70 kilometers in, the fourth station, “MBZ,” was at 96 kilometers, and the final station, “UAE Gate,” was 118 kilometers from the start.
His Excellency Omair bin Juma Al Falasi expressed his deepest gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. He said, “All the successes and significant efforts in organizing these races are a reflection of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, through his wise directives and immense support, and the allocation of these significant financial prizes to encourage Emirati youth to take up cycling.”
