Words By: Doug Fleming
Tradition has it that Friday the 13th is an unlucky date. Imagine then arranging the biggest cycling event in the Middle East on Friday 13th 2013. Clearly, Stewart Howison, the event director of the Spinneys 92 Cycling Challenge is not the superstitious type. Either that or he bulk ordered lucky white heather, rabbits’ feet, horseshoes and so on because this inauspicious date saw the fourth running of the event around the streets of Dubai.
Perhaps Stewart was tempting fate just a little too much as a few gremlins crept into this year’s event: the lights at Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park failed to turn on and so for safety reasons the start was delayed until daylight; a last minute route change was enforced only five minutes before the start meaning that the “Old Town” was off limits; some of the lead cars escorted the riders around NAS Cycle Park for more than one lap meaning that different groups rode different distances. That said the fourth running of the event was huge and a huge success. The first event back in 2010 had 400 competitors. This year over 1,600 registered making this easily the largest event of its kind in the Middle East. It is a mammoth undertaking. Nine months of planning went into the event and in addition to the riders there were 20 emergency services vehicles, 10 traffic police vehicles, six RTA cars, 20 Hertz cars for rider escorts, seven ambulances on standby and six physios waiting to ease the riders aching muscles at the race end.
The race village grew substantially this year with 18 stands ranging from ice cream vans, to food stalls, to bike shops, and a stand from the Dubai Tour Pro Cycling event. Three thousand bottles of water were supplied, along with 1,500 bananas, and 175 kilos of ice to keep the water cool. Around the course some 75 marshals and 60 directional indicators were posted to ensure riders followed the correct route.
Once the race started, things went fairly smoothly out on the road. Generally the police did a great job at junctions holding up traffic when groups of riders approached allowing us to fly through red lights without losing momentum. Inevitably though when large groups of people ride bikes there is always a chance of wheel touching and people taking a tumble. So while a few riders came in with bumps and scrapes there was only one serious injury in the form of a broken collarbone.
One of the amazing things about the 92 is just how inclusive it is. There were groups of Elite Men and Elite Women holding UCI licenses, plus a host of seeded groups based on their times in a series of four build-up rides. Also riding were three superstars from the world of cycling, Irish man Sean Kelly former winner of the Vuelta España Grand Tour, multiple stage winner in both the Tour De France and Giro D’Italia, another Irish legend Stephen Roche, the 1987 winner of the Tour De France, Giro D’Italia and World Championship, plus Petra Wiltshire triple Masters Downhill Mountain Biking World Champion and dual Masters Downhill Mountain Biking European Champion. Wow, what a field.
Of course not everyone in the field was an elite athlete and many were there for the personal challenge and the opportunity to raise funds for a good cause. Special mention then to everyone who rode on behalf of the charity Finding Your Feet and also to the Muc-Off Team that raised 10,000AED for cancer charities.
Sean Kelly with the Fitness Hacker
From a personal perspective, this was something of a triumph. Two years ago I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome and spent nine months paralysed. I only returned to cycling in January this year after a relapse that saw me spend my second consecutive New Year in ICU. From January on I tried to ride every Friday and Saturday with Cycle Safe Dubai in addition to three or four physio sessions a week.
Over the summer, I hooked up with a lovely bunch of people nicknamed the Loopers as our main ride was the 50km loop at Dubai Cycling Course. I rode with the Loopers at least twice a week all summer and gradually my fitness levels improved. I also rode the hills in Hatta three times in a six-week period getting faster each time. My training prior to the 92 was disrupted slightly by a visit to Scotland to see my father who was keeping poorly and when I returned my workload was off the charts so I didn’t get as much time on the bike as I would have liked.
On the day, I rode strongly and pretty consistently averaging 38.4kph some 1.5kph better than my time in 2010 when I last took part in the 92. Not bad considering where I was coming from so big thanks to everyone at CSD and the Loopers for keeping me going. Target for next year is to average over 40kph. Training has already begun.
Well done to everyone that took part in the 92K. See you all for next year’s bigger and better event.
