AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia –
Saudi Arabia’s many cycling and sports fans will be able to follow the third edition of the Saudi Tour live, with the event being broadcast in full on the Experience AlUla YouTube channel.
Viewers can tune in for all five stages of the 2.1 category UCI event which is being held around the AlUla area. Today’s first stage, a 180.5km route from AlUla International Airport to Khaybar, was won by Team Jayco AlUla team sprinter Dylan Groenewegen in a time of 4h 08m 09s, with Dusan Rajovic of Bahrain Victorious and Maximilian Richard Walscheid of Cofidis finishing just behind the Dutchman.
Day one also saw the Saudi Cycling Federation team gaining invaluable experience, mixing it in a world-class field with seven UCI World Tour teams, six UCI Pro teams and two Asian UCI Continental teams.
Saudi rider Azzam Al Abdulmumin was the pick of the team, finishing the gruelling stage in a respectable time of 4 hours 23 minutes and 36 seconds, while the quartet of Hassan Al Jumah, Murthada Al Shaghab, Hani Al Mrhoon and Abdulaziz AlHashim crossed the line on 4h 31 58.
Over five stages, the peloton will pass some of the area’s extraordinary sights, racing through a living museum of preserved tombs, historic dwelling and monuments, both man-made and natural, and stunning geological formations that hold 200,000 years of largely unexplored human history.
Stage two on Tuesday is a 184km sprint from Winter Park, through Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, finishing up at Shalal Sijlyat Rocks, an area of natural wonder and dramatic rock formations. Stage three on Wednesday is a 159.2km journey from the Al Manshiyah Train Station through to Abu Rakah via a series of short climbs.
The architectural splendour of Maraya offers a unique backdrop for the start of the 163.4 km-stage four which will finish at the Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid, while Friday’s stage five will offer a fitting finale, a 142.9km ride which takes the peloton through the streets of AlUla Old Town and the Aljadidah’s Arts and Culture District, before finishing up at Maraya.
The Saudi Tour takes place from Monday January 30 to Friday February 3. Follow the action on the Experience AlUla YouTube channel.