ALULA, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: With Tour de France captivating the imagination of cycling enthusiasts all over the world, Team Jayco AlUla has made significant strides in raising awareness of AlUla, the historic oasis city located in the north-west of Saudi Arabia, as a cycling destination of note.
Wrapping up the 110th edition of the prestigious event on 23rd July, Team Jayco AlUla earned a third-place finish for Dylan Groenewegen in the sprint finale in Paris and 17 top-10 finishes, while Simon Yates finished fourth overall.
As the official naming rights partner for the Australian registered UCI WorldTour team, AlUla is amplifying its journey into the world of sports, with cycling forming an important part of its future vision. With the region’s plans to emerge as a global cycling destination being a central part of AlUla’s ‘Journey Through Time 15-year masterplan’, the development of extensive road, gravel, and mountain biking networks, in addition to key tourism-focused cycling concepts and events, are set to appeal to cycling aficionados worldwide.
Recalling his past experience riding in AlUla, Team Jayco AlUla’s Dylan Groenewegen commented, “Both my experience from last year and this year in AlUla were nothing short of incredible. The weather was perfect, the roads were a joy to ride on, and the terrain offered a mix of up-and-downs that made it a challenging yet rewarding ride. I also had the chance to visit AlUla’s Old Town, which was simply breathtaking in its beauty and historical significance. The locals were incredibly welcoming and hospitable, and I had the opportunity to ride with them, which made for a truly unique and memorable experience. I’m already looking forward to returning to AlUla for future training camps, as I believe it’s an ideal location for cyclists looking to train in a beautiful and welcoming environment.”
Following the conclusion of the men’s Tour de France on 23rd July, the Team’s female riders have taken to the roads for Tour de France Femmes until 30th July, promising a second phase of exciting cycling action.
Testament to AlUla’s commitment to promoting and empowering women and Saudi talents in the field of cycling, young Saudi cycling star Moroj Adil, who earlier underwent rigorous training sessions with Team Jayco AlUla in Spain, will join the crew in Paris to represent AlUla. As she continues on her cycling journey, Adil will be present for the women’s team’s opening stages and is set to share exclusive behind-the-scenes updates via Team Jayco AlUla’s official YouTube channel detailing her experience.
As Tour de France progresses, Team Jayco AlUla has also been documenting all the spills and thrills occurring during the action-packed stages through a wide variety of activations on the ground and online, including their YouTube channel where daily recap videos from the races can be found. To further showcase AlUla’s rich heritage and captivating landscapes, Team Jayco AlUla’s team bus features eye-catching images of AlUla’s wonders, transforming it into a moving canvas that ignites curiosity and serves as a springboard for even more interesting content – the latest of which is Danish cyclist Christopher Juul-Jensen’s video tour of the amenity-filled bus.
Phillip Jones, Chief Tourism Officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), said: “Cycling is an integral part of AlUla’s future vision. With its stunning natural landscape of sandstone mountains, volcanic plateaus, and winding roads, the region is an ideal cycling destination for enthusiasts across all levels of experience and expertise.”
Jones added: “Having been with the team in France, I am inspired and proud by the sheer drive and determination of our cyclists. With cycling being at its core a sustainable and environmentally friendly pursuit, this is perfectly aligned with our strategy to grow AlUla as a sustainable and responsible destination that protects its heritage and monumental assets that have been in place for aeons, while preserving its treasures for the benefit of generations to come.”
With a rich history spanning 200,000 years of human activity, which incorporates a remarkable 7,000 years of continuous human civilisation, AlUla offers a backdrop of awe-inspiring heritage sites alongside a landscape geared towards premium cycling activities and adventures for cyclists across all levels of ability and expertise.
Building on its dedication to promoting sustainable options, AlUla prioritises developing environmentally friendly modes of transportation. These include the introduction of electric bikes at Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside the recently introduced Wheels Bike Hub, offering visitors exciting desert biking tours, mountain biking options, servicing and roadside assistance, with opportunities to rent or buy mountain, road and electric bikes, and biking gear. The hub is perfectly located on a 26km cycling path that creates a circular route between AlAtheeb and Hegra.
AlUla has also successfully hosted a range of cycling events, including the prestigious Saudi Tour, a category 2.1 race on the UCI calendar, in 2022 and 2023. Participants of these events had the extraordinary opportunity to cycle through AlUla, seeing the breathtaking natural landscapes and rich heritage features.
To assist in the development of its cycling tourism strategy, AlUla organised and hosted a cycling tourism symposium in March 2023, which brought together experts from the global cycling community with the aim of charting a path towards establishing AlUla as a prominent global cycling hub.
Find out more details at www.experiencealula.com.
