Skydive at worlds is boost for UAE cycling

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  • The Skydive team.

    Emirati riders need a shift in mentality in order to make the leap to the highest level in world cycling, according to Mansoor Busaiba, the general manager of Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club.

    Skydive Dubai became the first Emirati team to compete at the Road World Championships when they lined up for the Team Time Trial in Doha on Sunday and Busaiba believes it was a significant milestone that can give a boost to UAE cycling.

    Receiving a wildcard invitation from the World Championships was a nod of recognition of the team’s efforts since they launched at the start of 2014 and despite placing 15th out of 17 outfits in the time trial on Sunday, Busaiba feels Skydive Dubai’s participation was a success in more than one respect.

    “This is the first time an Emirati team takes part in the World Championships. It’s a big motivational boost for Emirati riders. It will give them a push to put in more effort in training,” Busaiba told Sport360.

    “Getting exposure like this, with the world’s best teams, can perhaps lead to a shift in mentality. UAE riders can stop thinking ‘I am an amateur rider’ and start thinking ‘I’m a professional rider’. It’s a big jump. Once we reach that stage of professional mentality, then our riders can really make the leap to the world level and can compete in the Grand Tours. It really comes down to our mentality.”

    Skydive competed with six riders in Doha, led by Francisco Mancebo, a Spanish veteran who made the GC podium twice at the Vuelta a Espana and finished fourth in the 2005 Tour de France.

    Mancebo was joined by UAE rider Tariq Obaid, Moroccan duo Adil Jelloul and Soufiane Haddi, Italian rider Andrea Palini and Ukrainian Marlen Zmorka.

    While Obaid and Haddi did not make it to the finish line with their team-mates, Mancebo is pleased with his side’s performance in the Qatari capital.

    “For me I felt good today in the time trial, we rode well, all six riders. The team rode so strong,” said the 40-year-old Mancebo.

    “Too much time without competition and that was a problem for us but we are very happy.”

    Indeed the team’s participations have been sporadic this season, with the main highlights being Haddi grabbing the young riders’ white jersey at the Dubai Tour last February, Palini and Jelloul taking stage wins at the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in Gabon, Mancebo winning the fifth stage at the 2.1 category Tour of Alberta, and most recently Haddi claiming stage two of the Tour de Côte d’Ivoire.

    “The UCI has thankfully recognised the efforts of Skydive Dubai over the past season. We started the season ranked at the top of the Asian Tour but due to the lack of participation since April until now, that forced us to slip in the rankings,” explained Busaiba.

    “It was due to reasons that I don’t really want to discuss, because it is related to our sponsors and investors.”

    Still, despite the lack of appearances in recent months, Mancebo insists the team’s reputation has grown over the past three seasons and they are now a recognised outfit in the peloton.

    For the Emirati riders on the roster, Busaiba admits there are certain struggles faced when it comes to their development.

    “I always tell our riders to look up to Mancebo and see how he leads his life. Being a professional rider requires sacrifices,” said Busaiba.

    “All Emirati riders on my team have day jobs. And that’s a big problem. We do not have athletes who are 100 per cent professionals. Our athletes think ‘what will my future be like if I quit my day job and dedicate myself to sport?’

    “Governmental jobs here secures their career and their future, they offer pensions and so many other benefits. Whereas cyclists here, if they get injured or are forced to quit the sport for any reason, what will they get?

    “So we try to collaborate with the governmental entities here and I must say they do their best to accommodate us.”

    Skydive Dubai were snubbed by the Abu Dhabi Tour organisers which means their next outing will be the Sharjah International Cycling Tour, that starts on October 25.

    Busaiba remains mystified by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s decision not invite Skydive Dubai for this month’s Abu Dhabi Tour. ADSC secretary general had told Sport360 that they could only invite one local team, and they are giving priority to the UAE Cycling Federation and Nasr-Dubai, however Busaiba noted that last year there were two Emirati outfits taking part in the Abu Dhabi Tour.

    Skydive Dubai riders pedaling in Doha.

    Skydive Dubai riders pedaling in Doha.

    “Why are they trying to keep our spirits down like that, when we are receiving invitations from 2.HC races in China – the same category as the Abu Dhabi Tour – but we’re getting rejected inside our own country? Abu Dhabi Sports Council unfortunately is rejecting us. This is very strange. Everyone keeps asking us, our sponsors, ‘why are you not competing in the Abu Dhabi Tour’? It’s not up to us,” said Busaiba.

    “Last year there were two teams from the UAE, one from the federation, and our team. So why not the same this time?”

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