Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, 14 February 2019: Ras Al Khaimah is gearing up to host the penultimate round of the UAE Tour, the seven-stage premier men’s elite road cycling tour. Scheduled to take place at Jebel Jais on the 1st of March, stage 6 of the UAE Tour will also feature a new amateur race, the UAE Tour Challenge.
The seven-stage UAE Tour will start off in Abu Dhabi and go through all the Emirates before passing through Ras Al Khaimah on March 1st and concluding in Dubai on the 2nd of March. 18 World Tour teams, two UCI Professional Continental Teams and the world’s finest riders will be participating at the brand-new UAE Tour.
In addition to the professional race, the UAE Tour Challenge – named the “Jebel Jais Climb Challenge” – will see amateurs’ tackle the UAE’s highest mountain, Jebel Jais, for a total distance of 46 km, which includes 25km of flat riding followed by 21km of climbing. Amateurs will experience an additional 13 km of warm up/transfer by car escort to the start point of the race. The Jebel Jais Climb Challenge will conclude two hours before the world’s best riders race up the mountain to grace the finish line.
Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said: “We are very excited to feature Jebel Jais, one of the UAE’s most iconic natural landmarks and home to the World’s longest Zip Line, as part of the UAE Tour this year. Our beautiful emirate offers the ideal terrain to enjoy this incredible sports event with stunning natural landscapes and pristine beaches. We are confident participants will be impressed with the contrast between modern cities and the beautiful natural landscapes of the UAE. Sports and adventure tourism is key to Ras al Khaimah’s tourism development strategy, and the UAE Tour and the UAE Tour Challenge is an important addition to our rich sports events portfolio.”
Jebel Jais will be closed for the duration of the race to allow the cyclists free access to the road.
Ras Al Khaimah’s untouched landscape, such as the country’s highest mountain peak, Jebel Jais, 64km of pristine coastline, and further hidden gems provide cyclists with the ideal location for mountain biking, desert excursions and touring.
The amateur championship is open to all cyclists of every age, gender and nationality along the main cycling paths of the UAE. To register for the UAE Tour Challenge, visit: https://www.theuaetour.com/challenge/
