RIYADH: Team Jayco AlUla’s success in the recent Tour de France has helped raising awareness of AlUla, the historic oasis city located in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, as a major cycling destination.

The team wrapped up the three-week grand tour with its fifth podium finish, as Dylan Groenewegen sprinted to third place on the final stage into Paris on July 23.

It was the 17th top 10 finish for the team, while Simon Yates finished fourth overall.

As the official naming rights partner for the Australian-registered UCI World Tour team, AlUla is raising its profile in the world of sports, with cycling an important part of its future vision.

The region’s plans to emerge as a global cycling destination are central to AlUla’s 15-year “Journey Through Time” masterplan, which includes the development of extensive road, gravel, and mountain biking networks, in addition to key tourism-focused cycling concepts and events.

AlUla is the ideal location to take Saudi cycling to the next level, the coaching staff behind the Saudi Cycling Federation team told Arab News.

Recalling his past experience riding in AlUla, Groenewegen said: “Both my experience from last year and this year in AlUla were nothing short of incredible. The weather was perfect, the roads were a joy to ride on, and the terrain offered a mix of up-and-downs that made it a challenging, yet rewarding, ride.

“I also had the chance to visit AlUla’s Old Town, which was simply breathtaking in its beauty and historical significance. The locals were incredibly welcoming and hospitable, and I had the opportunity to ride with them, which made for a unique and memorable experience.”

The rider said that he is looking forward to returning to AlUla for future training camps, describing it as an “ideal location for cyclists looking to train in a beautiful and welcoming environment.”

Following the men’s Tour de France, the team’s female riders have taken to the roads in the Tour de France Femmes, which will end on until July 30.

Testament to AlUla’s commitment to promoting and empowering women in cycling, young Saudi star Moroj Adil, who earlier undertook rigorous training sessions with Team Jayco AlUla in Spain, will join the crew in Paris. 

Adil will be present for the women’s team’s opening stages and is set to share exclusive behind-the-scenes updates via Team Jayco AlUla’s official YouTube channel.

Phillip Jones, chief tourism officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: “Cycling is an integral part of AlUla’s future vision. With its stunning natural landscape of sandstone mountains, volcanic plateaus and winding roads, the region is an ideal cycling destination for enthusiasts across all levels of experience and expertise.”

Jones added: “Having been with the team in France, I am inspired and proud by the sheer drive and determination of our cyclists. With cycling being at its core a sustainable and environmentally friendly pursuit, this is perfectly aligned with our strategy to grow AlUla as a sustainable and responsible destination that protects its heritage and monumental assets that have been in place for aeons, while preserving its treasures for the benefit of generations to come.”

With a rich history spanning 200,000 years of human activity, AlUla offers a backdrop of awe-inspiring heritage sites alongside a landscape geared toward premium cycling activities and adventures for cyclists across all levels of ability and expertise.

Building on its dedication to promoting sustainable options, AlUla prioritizes developing environmentally friendly modes of transportation. These include the introduction of electric bikes at Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside the recently introduced Wheels Bike Hub, offering visitors exciting desert biking tours, mountain biking options, servicing and roadside assistance, with opportunities to rent or buy mountain, road and electric bikes and biking gear.

The hub is located on a 26 km cycling path that creates a circular route between Al-Atheeb and Hegra.

AlUla has also successfully hosted a range of cycling events, including the prestigious Saudi Tour, a category 2.1 race on the UCI calendar, in 2022 and 2023.

Participants in these events had the opportunity to cycle through AlUla, seeing the breathtaking natural landscapes and rich heritage features.

To assist in the development of its cycling tourism strategy, AlUla organized and hosted a cycling tourism symposium in March 2023, which brought together experts from the global cycling community with the aim of charting a path toward establishing AlUla as a prominent global cycling hub.