Ride of Champions main event sold out online

Ride of Champions 2017 organisers Qatar Cyclists and presenting partner Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) yesterday announced that the main family-friendly cycling event taking place this weekend at Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City has sold out online.
With more than 1,100 participants registered for the main event, it is set to be “even bigger” than the inaugural edition of the Ride of Champions event that was held as part of the UCI Road Cycling World Championships last year, the organisers have said in a statement.
Cycling fans interested in participating in the first-timer, family and kids’ events can still register between 5pm and 8pm today behind QF’s Ceremonial Court.
The morning event will be held at Education City tomorrow, between 6am and 12noon. Ride of Champions is one of the largest mass participation sports events in Qatar, with more than 57 nationalities represented, the statement points out.
Dr Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, president, Qatar Cyclists, said: “It’s wonderful that we’ve managed to capture the imagination of so many new cyclists. I look forward to welcoming them to the event on Friday. Cycling is a relatively young sport in Qatar, and it makes us particularly proud to see that more than 10% of the event’s entrants are Qatari.”
Rashed al-Qurese, chief marketing and promotions officer, QTA, noted: “More than a sports event, Ride of Champions is an invitation for residents and visitors to go out, explore and enjoy different aspects of Qatar’s culture and nature in the pleasant winter weather. Through QTA’s two-year partnership with the Ride of Champions, we look forward to supporting its growth to become a landmark, home-grown mass participation sports event.”
Mohamed Fakhroo, community outreach director, Qatar Foundation, added: “We look forward to welcoming all Ride of Champions participants to Education City this weekend. This event is in line with our commitment to promoting an active and healthy lifestyle throughout the wider community. The diversity of participants registered for the event also reflects the multicultural environment that makes up our community at Education City every day.”
In the interest of public safety, the organisers have said certain roads within Education City will be closed to motor vehicles on Friday morning between 8am and 11am. They have also advised people to check QF’s and the Ride of Champions’ social media channels for the latest road closure updates.
The Ride of Champions is being presented by QTA, while the event partners include Qatar Cyclists, the Ministry of Culture and Sports, Qatar Cycling Federation, QF, Ooredoo, Rayyan Water and GMC. Supporting entities include Garmin, Rasen Sports, Carbon Wheels, Al Shaqab and Adidas Eyewear.
For more information, one can visit www.rocdoha.qa

Ooredoo named official Ride of Champions sponsor
Ooredoo has announced that it is the official telecommunication sponsor for the Ride of Champions event, which takes place at Qatar Foundation tomorrow.
The Ride of Champions is Qatar’s largest mass participation cycling event, and the official flagship community event of Qatar Cyclists and Qatar Cycling Federation. The aim of the event is to involve the entire cycling community of the country by offering various route distances for novice to experienced cyclists, Ooredoo has said in a press statement.
Talking about the event, Manar Khalifa al-Muraikhi, director of PR and Corporate Communications at Ooredoo Qatar, said: “We’re so proud to be working with Qatar Cyclists Centre to help Qatar’s people get active and try new sports this winter. Cycling is a truly family-friendly activity and we encourage everyone to have a go and support this community event.”
Dr Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, president of Qatar Cyclists, said: “It is a real honour for us to host such an event. Ooredoo’s support is enabling us to promote the event to a much wider audience and they are enriching the rider experience, having provided 100 spot prizes”
To ensure the safety of all, this year’s family route will be a 5.8km loop around Qatar Foundation and the Al Shaqab Arabian horse breeding area. Riders can complete as many laps as they want until 11am.
This is the latest in a line of community sports events Ooredoo has supported in 2017, and the company encourages everyone to follow their social media pages as winter begins and more sporting activities become available, the statement notes.