2020 UAE Tour: Remaining UAE Tour Mubadala Challenge events offer thrilling tests to cycling fans

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  • Amateur cyclists, from juniors to adults, inspired by the star-studded 2020 UAE Tour can test out their biking abilities on the UAE Tour Mubadala Challenge’s remaining two stages.

    The 2020 race – the one and only UCI WorldTour stop in the Middle East – organised by Dubai Sports Council and Abu Dhabi Sports Council, in partnership with RCS Sport, is scheduled from February 23-29.

    This seven-stage event has attracted an incredible field that includes four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome’s return at Team Ineos from June’s career-threatening crash, Movistar’s 2019 Tour de France runner-up Alejandro Valverde and two-times UCI Time Trial World Champion Rohan Dennis of Ineos. A total of 18 UCI WorldTour teams and two UCI ProTeams have signed up to bring their premier riders to the Emirates.

    More than 850 cycling aficionados within the country have already taken advantage of UAE Tour Mubadala Challenge’s hilly test at Liwa’s picturesque Moreeb Dune and Al Qudra Cycling Track’s regular road races last month. For a registration fee starting from Dh55 per challenge, further thrilling events are set to take place with a knockout running at Abu Dhabi’s iconic Yas Marina Circuit on February 26 and twin running at the Al Qudra finale on March 14, featuring an individual time trial [ITT] and community sportive ride.

    Information about the Yas Marina Circuit Elimination Stage can be found by clicking here, while details for the Al Qudra decider are here.

    Competitors who will have taken part in all four challenges will be in contention for UAE Tour Mubadala Challenge Classifications glory in the junior, ladies and men’s categories. But this should not dissuade late starters from embracing the remaining Yas Marina and Al Qudra races.

    At the Yas Marina Circuit Elimination Stage, cyclists have a precise time to finish each lap which reduces after lap two as each lap the speed of the lead vehicle increases.

    Riders must complete the lap inside the fixed time (between the front car and the follow vehicle) otherwise they are eliminated at the end of laps two, three, four and five.

    Only the last two laps (six and seven) are “free”. The winners are the ones cutting the finish line as first, second and third.

    The Intermediate Sprint winner is the cyclist who will pass under the finish arch of the second-last lap in first position.

    The Junior Sportive will be a 10-kilometre cycle on a modified 2.5km loop of the northern circuit of Yas Marina Circuit. The junior race begins at 18:00, ladies race at 18:45 and men’s at 20:00.

    The finale of the 2020 UAE Tour Mubadala Challenge will return to Al Qudra Cycling Track and offers two different formats for riders to participate.

    The competitive race is an individual time trial. The rider with the fastest time in each category is declared the winner in this race against the clock.

    Riders will start at identical intervals. The start order is drawn up by the UAE Tour Mubadala Challenge and communicated after the confirmation of starters.

    The event also offers a 46km community sportive ride along the same track as the ITT with a relatively flat course through the desert and conservation area of Al Marmoom.

    Only the ITT race is a designated competitive race and will be valid for the UAE Tour Mubadala Challenge Classifications.

    All participants will receive a UAE Tour Mubadala Challenge goody bag and participation medal.

    Visit https://www.theuaetour.com/challenge/ to sign up and discover more information.

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