ALULA: Professional road race cycling team Team Jayco Alula has welcomed young Saudi Arabian talent Moroj Adil to their European training camp.
The 24-year-old is in Girona, Spain, a European base for many of the team’s riders and staff. There, Adil took part in more training in the pursuit of becoming a professional rider in the women’s WorldTour peloton.
Adil first met the team in Alula a few days after the UCI Saudi Tour in February, where she attended key presentations and underwent valuable training.
She said it was a great step to join the camp in Spain, and progress for a sport she began as a hobby at just one and a half years old.
“I used to be really attached to my father and whatever he would do, I would do with him. After he passed away, I wanted to find a new hobby. I found cycling and it helped me cope with stress and allowed me to spend more time outdoors.
“As my love for cycling grew, I was determined to become a professional cyclist and compete,” she added. “Being part of the training with Team Jayco Alula is a major step for my career and I’m grateful for such a wonderful opportunity.
“It’s been an honor to be part of the growing cycling community in Alula, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”
Philip Jones, Chief Tourism Officer of The Royal Commission for Alula, said: “Moroj is an incredible talent, embodying the spirit of cycling and inspiring Saudi women and men. I’m thrilled that our collaboration with Team Jayco Alula has empowered her to experience this transformative milestone.
“Moroj’s story is a core part of what Alula is striving to achieve as a destination for cycling, with its scenic roads and mountains, historic landscape and robust infrastructure that is rapidly expanding. We hope that Alula will be a source of motivation and a dynamic hub for even more athletes.”
Brent Copeland, Team Jayco Alula General Manager said that his organization is “very excited” to work with the Royal Commission for Alula and the Saudi Cycling Federation for future camps.
“Despite her relatively recent start in cycling, the team is fully dedicated to supporting her. We all hope Moroj’s unique experience will inspire more Saudi women and men to embrace cycling not just as a potential profession but as a lifestyle choice.”
When Moroj began cycling, she was determined to participate and compete in local cycling competitions and was selected by the Saudi Cycling Racing Federation to join the Women’s Saudi National Team to compete regionally and internationally.
In 2022, her determination enabled her to enter the four-day MTB race in NEOM Titan Desert Saudi Arabia. The race covered a total of 427 km with more than 3,500 meters altitude gain.
Fares Alotaibi, Adviser Saudi Cycling Federation, said: “The Saudi Cycling Federation is proud of Moroj Adil, a young and talented woman who is passionate about cycling.
“Moroj loves cycling and wants to improve her quality of life by achieving her goal of becoming a pro cyclist.
“We, at the Saudi Cycling Federation, will continue to support Saudi cyclists to help them achieve their dreams and will extend our support to our partners in Alula, The Royal Commission for Alula and Team Jayco Alula.
“We strive to achieve common objectives such as engaging more young Saudi men and women to take up cycling and make it a lifestyle choice, while also helping them improve their performances to be able to compete like pro riders.”
Team Jayco Alula welcomes Saudi cycling talent Moroj Adil to European training camp
https://arab.news/4kgs3
Team Jayco Alula welcomes Saudi cycling talent Moroj Adil to European training camp
- 24-year-old describes move as ‘a major step for my career’
- Adil first met the team in Alula a few days after the UCI Saudi Tour in February, where she attended key presentations and underwent valuable training
Drake Maye aims to do what Tom Brady couldn’t with the Patriots: win a playoff game in Denver
FOXBOROUGH, Mass.: Drake Maye has a chance to accomplish something not even Tom Brady did with the Patriots.
Maye is hoping to beat the Broncos in the AFC championship game in Denver on Sunday and lead New England to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018. The Patriots have never won a playoff game in Denver — losing all four tries, with Brady going 0-3.
“Just the AFC championship, the chance to go to the Super Bowl. That’d be huge,” Maye said. “Another road environment that’s had success in the past. … I know it would be a big-time win.”
The Patriots advanced to their 14th AFC championship game in the last 25 years on Sunday when they beat the Houston Texans 28-16 in Foxborough. Denver beat Buffalo 33-30 to reach the conference title game.
New England and Denver both finished 14-3 in the regular season, but the Broncos won the tiebreaker for home-field advantage because they had a better record against common opponents: Denver beat the Raiders twice this season but the Patriots lost to them.
That loss — to the worst team in the NFL in the first game of the Mike Vrabel era — sent New England into one of the most inhospitable environments in the league. In addition to the high-energy crowd, the Patriots will also have to contend with a low-oxygen environment that they won’t have a chance to acclimate to.
“Kind of what we’ve been doing on the road all season long,” said Maye, who has guided the Patriots to an 8-0 road record this season. “They’ve got a great team, so we’re going to have a tough challenge. But I’m looking forward to getting out there. And getting a chance to possibly celebrate on an away field would be pretty special.”
The last team to go undefeated on the road with a new head coach was the San Francisco 49ers under George Seifert in 1989; they won the Super Bowl.
“Coach has always been saying, ‘Road warriors,’” Maye said. “So, we’re trying to find that one more time and finish out strong what we’ve done this year.”
The Broncos are 18-5 in home playoff games all-time. But they’ll will be without starting quarterback Bo Nix, who broke his ankle near the end of the divisional round victory over Buffalo. Instead, the offense will be led by former Patriot Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t thrown a pass since 2023.
That’s why New England opened as a 5½-point favorite — the biggest road favorite ever in a conference championship game. The line has since moved to Denver plus-4½.
“We always feel as though no matter what anyone else has to say, we still have something to prove,” said cornerback Marcus Jones, who returned an interception for a touchdown against Houston. “We’re trying to always prove ourselves right and not trying to prove other people wrong. That’s kind of the philosophy we’ve had for a long time.”
Win or lose, the Patriots could have trouble getting back to New England: A major snowstorm is expected to dump a foot or more of snow on the area.
Vrabel said the team is prepared if it can’t leave Denver on Sunday night.
“We have multiple plans of what could go on based on the weather. something that they’re familiar with here,” he said. “I mean, there’s things I can control, that I can’t control.”
