Today's Edition
Kuumar Shyam (Abu Dhabi)
Four reputed cyclists from different streams across the world brought their informed perspectives at a Champions Panel during the UCI Bike and Mobility Forum held at a city hotel overlooking the Abu Dhabi Corniche as part of the Urban World Cycling Championships.
Taking the stage for a "Champions Roundtable" were three-time world champion and just retired Peter Sagan of Slovakia, the first female professional cyclist from Saudi Arabia Moroj Adil, world BMX champion Carlos Oquendo from Columbia, as well as German Paralympic three-time world champion Denise Schindler, as they discussed the importance of cycling in society. The Forum has been staged for the first time in Asia, where Abu Dhabi is the 28th established Bike City in the world, as the president of the world body Union Cyclist International (UCI), David Lappartient, informed.
The panellists taking the stage early on an eventful day spoke at length about their experiences as competitors and brand ambassadors, ensuring that bike cities improve the lifestyle of people everywhere they go.
Having started the day with the UAE's own Safiya Al Sayegh, the first Emirati cyclist to compete at the Olympics, expressing her pride in representing the country, the quartet of riders provided their insights.
As the juniormost of the lot, Adil recalled how she drove for an hour and a half from Mecca to Jeddah to rent a bike because it was not an option in her home city.
"When I get onto the bike, I feel like I am very close to nature, its sounds and the landscapes," said the 26-year-old, who is now part of the LIV AlUla Women's Continental Team. "We had not done so many races for women in Saudi. But I'm really happy to see how the women's peloton is growing now in a really short time, compared to the last two years."
Working nonprofit for inclusion in the sport is a bond that connects Adil and Schindler. "We create groups where instructors are educated," said the Munich-based Schindler, her right leg in prosthesis with a large boot covering it fashionably.
"So it doesn't matter if the kid has a mental disability, a physical disability, or is just a normal kid. Everyone is involved. And the instructors look at the abilities. If they don't have legs, if they can't run... I remember we got a prosthesis for a nine-year-old who had wanted to play football but always hit a wall.
"I still remember when he could now play and like him, I still get goosebumps seeing the expression on his face. You give them access, and you give them self-confidence as they discover who they are. It's not about the disabilities, it's about the abilities."
Like Schindler, Sagan emphasised that it is not cycling but playing any sport and staying healthy is the first priority. "We have not come too far away from the pandemic period, when everyone went to nature and started buying a bicycle. In that hard period, sport helped people have positivity in mind and remain healthy," said Sagan who had to give up the sport last month after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat condition.
"Even with my situation, I am doing a lot of events in lot of cities to promote the sport. I still take part in Gran Fondos [Abu Dhabi also conducts one]," said Sagan, who became a brand ambassador for the C40 project to promote the sport way back in 2017, at the peak of his career. "I have spent thousands of hours training and riding on the streets of cities around the world and I know what makes a great biking city."
The Slovakian, who has competed in many road races, like Monaco to Nice, used congested cities like Monaco and Paris to drive home the mobility point for normal people. "If you think about the big cities, you know what is the average distance of transportation by car in an urban area – it's 5 kilometres. I think, when you ride a bicycle, you are much faster from one point to another than the bus and sometimes even the metro."
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Sports Council General-Secretary Aref Al Awani touched on the Emirate's sporting achievements, from winning the hosting rights for road and track world championships in 2028 and 2029 respectively to preparing to host the UAE Tours for men and women in February. He also pointed out that the cycling path network in Abu Dhabi would reach more than 1,000 kilometres by 2028, enhancing urban mobility and public health.
Al Awani expressed his thanks to the Forum participants, noting the importance of their support to a sustainable and healthy future, calling on everyone to benefit from the activities planned to make Abu Dhabi a global destination for cycling.
