Muscat: Organised by Dhofar Municipality in cooperation with the Oman Cycling Federation, the event will feature riders from Oman, Britain, Algeria, Ethiopia, Germany, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Australia, Bahrain, the Netherlands, South Africa, France, Mongolia, Uganda, Spain, Malaysia, Rwanda, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Eritrea, Mauritius, New Zealand and Switzerland.

The tour is aimed at strengthening Oman’s presence on the global cycling map while showcasing the natural, cultural and tourism attractions of Dhofar Governorate.

It also seeks to organise races approved by the International Cycling Union (UCI), develop the skills of Omani cyclists, discover young talent, improve the technical level of the sport and encourage cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Ahead of the event, a technical meeting was held in Salalah for participating teams, where race regulations and technical instructions were reviewed, jerseys were distributed and the routes for the different stages were finalised.

The competition will begin with the second edition of the Dhofar Classic, a 98-kilometre one-day international race starting from Souq Al-Hafa and finishing in the Hajif area.

It will be followed by four stages of the Salalah International Cycling Tour from September 6 to 9.

The opening stage will cover 127 kilometres from Al Mughsail to Mirbat Fort, while the second stage will take riders across 108 kilometres from Al Dahariz Beach to Wadi Darbat.

The third and longest stage will stretch for 156 kilometres from Taqah Fort to the Jabal Samhan viewpoint, before the tour concludes with a 105-kilometre final stage from Ain Razat to the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah.

Saif bin Sabaa Al Rashidi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Cycling Federation, described the event as an important milestone for cycling in the Sultanate of Oman.

“The Salalah International Cycling Tour is an important milestone in the history of cycling in the Sultanate of Oman, as the Federation looks forward to presenting an exceptional edition that combines the strength of sporting competition with the beauty of the natural scenery of Dhofar Governorate, given that the tour is a sporting and tourist event,” he said.

Al Rashidi said the timing of this year’s event was selected after considering technical, organisational and tourism factors.

The tour coincides with the closing stages of Dhofar’s autumn season, a period he said would help reduce the impact on traffic while making it easier to secure the long-distance racing routes.

He added that the Oman Cycling Federation hopes the sixth edition will build on the success of previous years and further establish the Salalah International Cycling Tour as one of the region’s prominent sporting events.