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Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed attends the first edition of BAIC Abu Dhabi Festival

Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed during his attendance at the activities of the first edition of the "BIK Abu Dhabi Festival" in the presence of Lappartian.

From the source

His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and head of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, witnessed yesterday the activities of the first edition of the “BIK Abu Dhabi Festival”, organized by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, on Abu Dhabi Corniche from the seventh to the 13th of November. .

During his visit to the events of this global event, His Highness met the President of the International Cycling Federation, David Lappartian, and attended part of the qualifying competitions for the fifth session of the World Urban Cycling Championship, which is held for the first time in the Middle East, and includes three main races, namely: BMX Freestyle (which has become an Olympic sport since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics), BMX Flatland, and Hurdles Cycling.

His Highness was accompanied during the visit by the Chairman of the Department of Community Development, Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, and the Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Aref Al Awani.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the activities of the Abu Dhabi Bike Festival will continue for a week, and attract 300 of the world's most prominent athletes and the best urban cyclists around the world, to compete in the World Urban Cycling Championship races.

On November 12, the festival will also witness the organization of the first edition of the "Bike Abu Dhabi Gran Fondo" community race, on a 150-kilometre track that connects the starting point from the "Sharq Mall" gate in Abu Dhabi to the arrival point in the bicycle path in Al Ain. More than 500 cyclists of both sexes won prizes worth up to two million dirhams.

This sporting event is the latest initiative of the "BIK Abu Dhabi" platform, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in November 2021, to support the emirate's ambition to become a leading destination in hosting global events in cycling.

This initiative has achieved many achievements, including the development and enhancement of the infrastructure for this sport, including the expansion of the network of bicycle paths in the emirate from 300 km to more than 1,000 km in length, in addition to the development of the "Abu Dhabi Loop", a connected cycle track with a length of 109 km. , which connects the main destinations in the city, in a move aimed at enhancing mobility options and motivating community members to adopt a healthy lifestyle using safe and sustainable solutions.

The launch of the BIK Abu Dhabi platform comes after the emirate obtained the Cycling City logo from the International Cycling Union, the world governing body for cycling, in 2021, making the capital Abu Dhabi the first Asian city to receive this prestigious title, in recognition of its efforts to develop a world-class infrastructure. It includes sports and community facilities according to the best standards.

Abu Dhabi will once again host the Urban Cycling World Championships in 2024, and the Gran Fondo World Championships in 2028.

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