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28 March 2024

Dubai Tour 2014 attracts top riders Costa and Cavendish

Published
By Allaam Ousman

Reigning Road world champion Alberto Rui Costa of Portugal and British king of sprints Mark Cavendish have been confirmed for the inaugural Dubai Tour 2014.

The star duo will be among 128 entries from 16 teams received so far for the newest event in the international cycling calendar.

Organised by Dubai Sports Council in partnership with RCS Sport, the Dubai Tour 2014 will be held from February 5 to 8.

Details of the four stages covering a distance of over 420 kilometres was unveiled at a mega ceremony at the One&Only Royal Mirage in Dubai on Tuesday.

"We are pleased to host the inaugural Dubai Tour 2014 as it puts the spotlight on Dubai as a hub for important international sporting events. We thank those who have made this possible, from the leadership of the Dubai Sports Council to our event partners RSC Sports, as well as sponsors and the media. We are looking forward to a dramatic and exciting race featuring some of the most popular names in the sport as they battle to win the honour and prestige of winning the first Dubai Tour title,” said Saeed Hareb, Chairman of the Dubai Tour High Committee.

“It is a great delight for me to see the growth of cycling in the United Arab Emirates and I am sure that the inaugural edition Dubai Tour, which is a part of the UCI Asia Tour, will not only play a significant role in bringing high level cycling to Dubai but will equally act as an important showcase for the city, promoting cycling’s universal values throughout the region and abroad. My thanks go to the authorities, volunteers, organisers and sponsors who have dedicated much time and effort to bring their vision to fruition, putting Dubai on the international road cycling map,” said Brian Cookson, President UCI (International Cycling Union).

“We are really proud to be here today to underline our partnership with Dubai Sports Council and show how the development of the Dubai Tour project is now in its final stage. The course presentation, the sponsor’s introduction and the appointment of the TV broadcaster are all part of this great project that we have developed together in the last few months. We are now less than 60 days away from the start of the first edition of Dubai Tour," said Lorenzo Giorgetti, RCS Sport Commercial Director - RCS Sport and Events Dubai Director.

The 16 teams consisting eight riders each are made up from 11 UCI ProTeams, the first three teams classified in the UCI Asia Tour 2013, the UAE national team and the Dubai Sky Dive team.

Apart from Rui Costa and Cavendish, Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara, the emerging German sprinter Marcel Kittel, Spanish rider, winner of the 2013 UCI World Tour ranking, Joaquin Rodriguez, young Slovakian champion Peter Sagan and Ji Cheng from China will also be vying for honours.

Tournament Director Humaiz Al Amur Bin Huraiz explained the course details presenting a video.

Dubai, recently appointed as host of the 2020 EXPO, is the stunning setting for the race.

Every stage will start from the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The first stage – a 10km Individual Time Trial – will be held within the new city and named 'The Down Town stage'.

The second stage – 122km long – runs through the area with the most important sports building in Dubai, including as the Hippodrome, the Olympic pool, the Al Qudra cycling path, the Autodrome and the amazing Golf Club. This is called 'The Sport Stage'.

The third stage, the longest of the race at 162km, will go outside the city and through the desert to finish in Hatta. This stage will be called 'The Nature Stage'.

The fourth and final stage – 124km in length – will cross the old part of the city, passing alongside two of the most iconic Dubai buildings: the Burj Al Arab and the Burj Khalifa. This stage has been named 'The Old Dubai Stage'.

Dubai Sports will be the event’s Host Broadcaster and will broadcast all four stages live, along with analysis and updates in the news shows. Dubai Sports Channel will guarantee a wide exposure of the race not only in Dubai and the UAE but also in all the Middle East and North Africa.

European and Asian coverage will be by Eurosport, that will cover live the Dubai Tour on its Pan-European and Asia Pacific network reaching more than 70 countries. In Italy the event will also be broadcasted by RAI.

The TV production will be fully HD and will involve a massive technical system (helicopters, motorbikes, cameras at the finish line and 2 Direction Room: one for the domestic feed and one dedicated to the international feed).

Rashid Amiri, General Manager Dubai Sports Channel said: “The Dubai Tour is a new addition to the series of Sports International Events that Dubai is hosting throughout the season and I am also delighted to announce that Dubai Sports Channel will be the host broadcaster of such prestigious event. We have allocated the necessary technical and human resources to have a high standard production for all the rounds of the Tour. Dubai Sports Channel is happy to partner up with our various local and international parties to make this event a success.”