The organising committee of the Al Adaid Desert Challenge unveiled the details of the 2019 edition of the most challenging cycling event on Qatar’s off road cycling calendar, which will take place on Friday, 1 March.
Officials from Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation, Doha Takaful and Ooredoo joined Al Adaid Desert Challenge Managing Director Dr Jamal Rashid Al Khanji during a press conference at The St. Regis Doha Hotel this week.
The 2019 Al Adaid Desert Challenge will be the biggest ever in the history of the event – in terms of number of participants and total prize money – with over 500 cyclists and runners already registered to compete for the US $50,000 prize money offered by the organisers.
Once again, Khor Al Adaid region will provide a spectacular setting for the event, offering participants spectacular desert and sea views of Qatar’s most impressive natural wonder.
Cyclists will follow a 38.5 kilometre route and will need to cross seven sand dunes on their way to the finish line, while runners will cover a distance of 26.7 kilometre crossing four sand dunes in the process. The cycling race already established itself as one of the toughest off-road mountain bike races in the region. It’s a UCI Class-3 event and it also serves as the final stage of the Qatar National MTB Cross-Country Championship.
Two kids’ races at the finish line camp will offer youngsters a chance to get their first taste of mountain biking and provide an ideal family fun event. Kids aged seven to 11 years old can take part in a short race around the finish line camp, while those aged 12 to 15 years old can compete in a five-kilometre race on a specially-designed route.
Dr Al Khanji said they have completed the preparations for this year’s desert challenge, thanks to the support of sponsors and partners.
The Al Adaid Desert Challenge is organised by Qatar Cyclists Center, in association with Qatar National Tourism Authority (QNTC), and supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sport, and the Qatar Cycling Federation.
With the event getting more popular each year, and the number of registered participants reaching 500, the organisers are now only offering VIP registration for a very limited number of participants. Visit aladaid.qa for more information.