The first ever edition of the HERO Abu Dhabi Hudayriyat Island will take place on February 9-11, 2024. Abu Dhabi and the Trail X tracks on Hudayriyat Island will host Cross Country Olympic and Cross Country Short Track races, as part of an off-road biking agenda.
Gerhard Vanzi, CEO of HERO Series, said “A new HERO race – what an honour to share this piece of news with everyone and to contribute our experience to this event, especially considering how sports and sustainability are ever-growing pillars in this country.
“We are true believers and are sure that with the support of our main partner, Modon Properties, this event will be a runaway success.”
As the only UCI mountain bike race in the Middle East, HERO Abu Dhabi Hudayriyat Island also includes XCO Class 1 races which are qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Aref Hamad Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said “Abu Dhabi Sports Council supports the event’s organisation in terms of logistics and hospitality. The race will see international elite cyclists competing, and we believe in this race due to the impact it can have on a healthy lifestyle, especially considering the cycling boom we’re seeing in Abu Dhabi and across the entire UAE.”
The starting list features athletes representing 20 countries across five continents. Out of the 60 participating athletes, 15 are national champions including the current Australian and African champion.
Peter Sagan, three-time road cycling champion, will also be among the athletes at the starting line -competing in the qualifying Cross Country XCO race. Sagan said “This will be my first year as a professional mountain biker. I’m intrigued to see how things will pan out.
“I won’t predict anything, but I feel optimistic: I’m motivated, I want to have fun and give it my all. It’s supposed to be an incredibly technical race, so I’ll arrive a few days before the race to train on the tracks.”
Other names heading to Abu Dhabi are Luca Braidot, the current Italian champion, and Gustav Pedersen, Danish XCO champion.
In the women’s race the reigning Italian XCO champion Martina Berta, who won the world title in 2023, is joined by Sofie Pedersen from Denmark, the current European U23 XCO Champion, and Ingrid Jacobsen, seven-time Norwegian XCO Champion.
Hudayriyat Island is Abu Dhabi’s main sports and entertainment destination. This island is a marriage of tradition and nature. It boasts infrastructure such as the Trail X centre, with off road tracks and a gamut of services for athletes. The XCO circuit is a demanding route over 5.4km; the XCC Short Tracks was designed for high-speed performance, and covers 1.2 km.
The island has promoted sports and sustainability, a commitment which contributed to its recognition as an UCI Bike City. The area will also host the 2028 Road World Championships, further helping to bolster Abu Dhabi’s profile as a top sports hub, with a special focus on cycling, across the entire Arab Peninsula.
