Bike Abu Dhabi Gran Fondo concludes its 2nd Edition as over 1,000 Participants Compete for AED 2 million Prize Pool

The 2^nd edition of Bike Abu Dhabi Gran Fondo took place today, with cyclists from across the region completing the 154KM-long route for a chance to claim part of the AED 2 million prize pool.

The event, considered one of the landmark sporting events on the UAE’s community calendar, took recreational and competitive cyclists on a fully supported race from Al Baheya in the capital city of Abu Dhabi to the Green City of Al Ain.
Over 1,000 ardent male and female cyclists representing over 80 nationalities set off from the start line at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena, as part of either teams or individuals saddled up for the challenging race. Setting off in five different speed groups, the first group was dedicated to elite men, women, and teams, before the remaining participants were split based on their expected average speed. 

In the overall categories, Yacine Hamza from Dubai Police, crossed the finish line at the Al Ain Cycle Track in first place for the men.

Hamza shared his delight in finishing first place in the second edition of the Bike Abu Dhabi Gran Fondo race. “This would not have been possible without the cooperation of all my teammates and their support in getting me over the finish line at the end. This was truly a team effort, with our strength in numbers and our training has led to achieving the positive result, and it’s an honour to achieve this alongside such a distinguished field of riders,” he said.

In the female category, Akvile Gedraityte made it a double win for the impressive team from Dubai Police.

Gedraityte looked back on her race experience: "I thought at the point where we turned right onto the road [E95], where it was a bit up and down, that everyone would suffer but it wasn't like that. So, then all I had to do was to keep a good position in the last 10km. I actually almost missed the sprint because I thought I had another 5km to go, but I went around and said 'ok'! All of the Dubai Police ladies were at the front and all of us can sprint so in the end it was all about my position and the feeling."

The overall male and female winners each took home an AED 100,000 cut of the AED 2 million prize pot.

The winners were crowned by His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development; His Excellency Brigadier General Essam Abdullah Al Ali, Member of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Cycling Club; Khamis Al Khaili, representative of the Al Ain City Municipality; Suhail Sahid, representative of Burjeel Holding; Nidal Al Ashqar, representative of “Bin Hamouda,” and Fouad Darwish, representative. Palm Sports Company.

After the race, His Excellency Aref Hamad Al Awani said: "Today, we have seen an inspiring example of determination and sportsmanship from start to finish at Bike Abu Dhabi Gran Fondo, which has made the 2nd edition of this event a true success.

"Seeing such sporting excellence only reinforces our commitment to fostering the sport of cycling in the UAE, and we are proud to witness its growth year on year.

"I would personally like to congratulate not only all the winners from the different categories but also thank everyone for taking part. Whether it was your second time with us or your first, we hope to see you again next year for the 3^rd edition of the Bike Abu Dhabi Gran Fondo taking place on 14^th December 2024. Here's to more exciting editions and the continued development of cycling in our vibrant community."

Fabrizio D'Amico, Chief Operating Officer at RCS Sports and Events, spoke about today’s race, saying: “Congratulations to the 1,000+ enthusiastic participants who made this year's event a resounding success and congratulations to the winners for their outstanding performances.
In the spirit of sportsmanship, cyclists from diverse backgrounds and skill levels came together to make the Bike Abu Dhabi Granfondo second edition a memorable and thrilling experience. The overwhelming turnout underscores the growing passion for cycling in the community.
We look forward to welcome everyone again to another exciting edition of the Bike Abu Dhabi Granfondo on 14 December 2024.”

The event also celebrated age group and team categories, as well as the oldest male and oldest female to complete the course. See below for the full list of podium finishers in each category:

Overall Male

Overall Female

Teams Category - Male

Teams Category - Female

Age Group Category Winners

Special Category