Oman has all the potentials to become a hotspot for cycling enthusiasts from across the globe thanks to its diverse landscapes and terrain with scenic beauty. Some cyclists even from abroad come to Oman to prepare for worldwide cycling events.
Being host to one of the world’s most sought-after cycling events — Tour of Oman — the Sultanate has seen a steady rise in the number of citizens and residents choosing cycling as their pastime hobby.
This was evident from the Ironman 70.4 held in March this year.
Although the bicycle is a means of transport for some to travel shorter distances, of late, Omani youths have begun to show interest.
Women who have represented the Sultanate at the 2019 edition of the Middle Distance Triathlon World Championships which took place in Nice, France came with flying colours reaffirming how conducive Oman is in moulding future cycling champions.
However, the potential for further development of the sport has been affected by the lack of dedicated cycling tracks and the lack of attention from the authorities.
“Cycling in Oman is faced with a number of challenges, the main being lack of dedicated roads either in the cities or on main roads linking them”, Said al Sarhani, a passionate cyclist who, along with his 10-year-old son, recently toured across the Netherlands as part of the Renaissance Day celebrations.
Oman hosts Tour of Oman every year as part of the Muscat Festival attracting cycling enthusiasts from different parts of the world giving a major fillip to international tourism.
Oman Cycling Association has been established in line with the special attention that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos accords to this sport in Oman.
It aims to develop the sport at the national level while promoting the sports ethics, values, spirit and to fight to dope, according to its written vision and mission. It also aims at participating in activities that aim at achieving social harmony and protecting the environment.
“Another problem is lack of an official association or a body that will strive to liaison for the promotion of this sport”, Said al Sarhani points out.
The Oman Cycling Association is a member of various international bodies such as International Cycling Association (ICA), the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC), the Arab Cycling Federation (ACF) and the Gulf Federation.
A group of both professional and amateur cyclists has recently joined forces to do cycling everyday as it has a lot of benefits.
“As a physical exercise, I do cycling every day after undergoing a transplant two years ago. It makes me energetic. Hardly any day passes without cycling”, says Rigel Sidhiq.
According to Al Sarhani, amateur cyclists from Oman should be encouraged to participate in events in many countries every year.
“Media attention should also be directed towards this sport so that the community gets the attention”, he said.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
