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Abu Dhabi to host UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in December

The 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships will be held in Abu Dhabi in December. (Supplied)
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Updated 30 October 2024
Arab News
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Abu Dhabi to host UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in December

  • Free-to-attend event takes place Dec. 17-21 at the city’s Nation Towers
Updated 30 October 2024
Arab News

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Sports Council, in collaboration with the Union Cycliste Internationale, will host the 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships later this year.

Taking place at Abu Dhabi’s Nation Towers from Dec. 17 to 21, the event returns to the city following a successful hosting of the 2022 edition.

The championships include competitions in two disciplines: BMX Freestyle (park and flatland for men and women) and trials (Women Elite, Men Elite 20 inch or 508 mm wheel size, Men Elite 26, Men Junior 20, Men Junior 26 and mixed team).

Other competitions taking place in Abu Dhabi include the 2024 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships on Oct. 26, as a part of the city’s bid to promote cycling.

In addition, on Dec. 18 and 19, the UAE capital will host the 2024 UCI Mobility and Bike City Forum, the UCI’s annual conference dedicated to the promotion of sustainable and active mobility, and cycling’s contribution to the global sustainable development agenda.

Aref Al-Awani, general secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said hosting the event reflects the “confidence” of international sports federations in Abu Dhabi’s “ability to dazzle, excel and be professional in organizing the largest global sporting events.”

The UCI’s President David Lappartient said he was “delighted” that the event is being held again in the UAE capital.

“The city provides a fitting setting for the spectacular urban disciplines of BMX Freestyle and trials, and with free entry to Nations Towers, the local population will have easy access to witness the best in the world in action.”

The popularity of cycling continues to grow in the capital following the launch of Bike Abu Dhabi in 2021, a government initiative designed to foster mobility, health and leisure.

The city currently has 300 km of dedicated cycle tracks in locations including Al-Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi Corniche, Al-Wathba, Qasr Al-Sarab and Yas Marina Circuit, home of the iconic Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

This year’s edition will be the seventh instalment of the championships, with China (Chengdu) having hosted the first three events in 2017, 2018 and 2019, before it moved to France (Montpellier) in 2021.

Abu Dhabi staged the competition in 2022 with the UK (Glasgow, Scotland) taking over in 2023.

Topics: Abu Dhabi UCI cycling

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Alonso fears more pain in China with struggling Aston Martin

Updated 7 sec ago
AFP
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Alonso fears more pain in China with struggling Aston Martin

  • Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the season-opener in Australia
Updated 7 sec ago
AFP
SHANGHAI: Fernando Alonso said Thursday he expects another difficult weekend wrestling with his new Aston Martin at the Chinese Grand Prix after failing to finish the season-opener in Australia.
Silverstone-based Aston Martin endured a horror start after serious issues with their Honda power unit and a lack of spare parts.
Two-time world champion Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll had to endure extreme vibration in the chassis caused by the power unit, which was feared could cause the drivers permanent nerve damage.
“The situation unfortunately didn’t change within four or five days since Melbourne, so it will be a difficult weekend,” Alonso told reporters at the Shanghai International Circuit.
“We’ll limit the laps in one or two sessions as we are short on parts. We need laps, to find the window on the chassis side.
“I’ll be happy if we leave China with a more or less normal practice, more or less normal qualifying.”
The Spaniard could not put a timeframe on when improvements might come.
“What can I do within the team? Work harder, help Honda as much as I can,” said Alonso.
“We can allocate resources to help Honda with the power unit. We are one team, it is a bumpy start that I hope won’t last too long.
“We are pushing, we have very talented people in the team, so I hope within a couple of grands prix, we can have a normal weekend.
“To be competitive will take more time. Once we fix the reliability, we will be behind on power and things.”
The 44-year-old veteran has been in Formula One for more than two decades and has driven vastly different iterations of cars from the old V10 petrol engines through to the current complex hybrid configuration.
Despite the issues he said was embracing the challenge of the new cars enthusiastically in what could be his final season on the grid.
His Aston Martin contract expires at the end of 2026.
“Do we enjoy driving these cars? Yes, because we love racing,” Alonso said.
“I do four or five 24-hour races because I love racing and I love driving. So if you jump into an F1 car, you enjoy going fast.
“But it is a challenge, a different challenge.
“I was super lucky to race in (the last) era and I feel lucky to race in both.”

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