The Peninsula
Frederic Gombert of France emerged on top in the UCI Elite category in the fourth edition of Al Adaid Desert Challenge here yesterday. The Frenchman completed the 38.5 km cycling race – which included the tough task of crossing seven sand dunes on the way to the finish line – in 1:34:52 h, less than a minute ahead of Iran’s Faraz Shokri, while Serbia’s Alexander Roman took third place.
The highest category of the cycling race in Aldaid was the UCI Elite which is recognised by the International Cycling Union (UCI) as an XCP-C3 race and it offers the highest total prize money in the world in its class.
“The race was harder this year, but I have adapted well and the experience I have gained over the past two years made the difference today,” said Gombert.
The event saw 530 participants from 51 different nationalities took part in cycling and running races across the scenic areas of Khor Al Adaid, one of Qatar’s most beautiful natural area. The women’s elite category saw Finland’s Pia Sundstedt winning her fourth title in a row after completing the race in a time of 1:54:49h, ahead of Qatar’s Tala Abujbara and Lebanon’s Marwa El Hage.
Qatar’s Tala AbuJbara achieved a time of 2:34:41h, which gave her the title of the National MTB Cross-country Championship, while her sister Amira AbuJbara finished second, as the third place went to Muneera Al Kuwari.
Marwan Al Jalham, who finished fourth in the overall rankings of the MTB category, won the men’s National MTB Cross-Country Championship title after completing the race in 2:03:51 h, less than two minutes ahead of second-placed Mubarak Al Ajji, while Abdulaziz Al Mohannadi finished third.
In the Fat bike category, Qatar’s Hamad Al Jaaidi won first place after a thrilling race, reaching the finish line in 2:04:46 h, ahead of Iran’s Vahid Fallahi and Jumel Justo of the Philippines, who finished second and third respectively. In the women’s Fat bike category, Maricar Estacio of the Philippines won the title after completing the race in 3:25:12 h, as her compatriots April Joy Frange and Christine Llegos finished second and third respectively. Britain’s Tom Whateley won the title of the MTB category with a time of 1:52:42 h, as Australia’s Glenn Bull took second, and Argentina’s Andres Del Valle came in third.
In the women’s MTB category, Canadian Shawna Rae Garrett came first after reaching the finish line in 2:24:13 h, as Spain’s Carla Pregigueiro won second and South Africa’s Eulogy van Dyk took third place. A kids’ race was also organised near the finish line at the Doha Bus Desert Adventure Camp, where children aged between 7 and 15 had a chance to learn more about mountain bikes as their family members cheered them alongside the route.
In the running race, where more than 200 participants had to cover a distance of 26.7 km crossing four sand dunes in the process, Morocco’s Abderrahim Ghayour won first place in the open category after completing the race in 1:41:21 h, more than three minutes ahead of Qatar’s Mohcine Zaytouni who came second, and Morocco’s Ahmed Sebbar who finished third.
Meanwhile, it was an allBritish podium in the veterans’ category, as Andrew Jones won the title ahead of his compatriots Steven Baker and Andrew Buckley, who finished second and third respectively.
Stephanie Innes-Smith won the women’s running open category in a time of 2:28:16, while Ireland’s Sinead Noone took second and Romania’s Nicoleta Hodorogea took third. In the women’s veterans’ category, Diana Quinton of Canada won first place with a time of 2:39:57 h, as Ireland’s Aoife Boyce and Great Britain’s Vicky Boswell finished second and third respectively.
Dr. Jamal Rashed Al Khanji, Managing Director of Al Adaid Desert Challenge said: “We are planning to expand Al Adaid Desert Challenge next year, to move it to a higher UCI category, may be by making it a three-day event, which will attract more international cyclists to come to Qatar to participate in the race and enjoy this unique adventure in one of the most beautiful natural areas in the world.”