By Rizwan Rehmat
DOHA: Organisers of the hugely popular Tour of Qatar race are hoping for an upgrade to UCI World Tour series status next year, it emerged yesterday.
The 15th edition of Tour of Qatar starts today when 8 World Tour teams and other sides will be hoping to clinch the honours at Doha Corniche on the final of the five-stage finish on Friday.
“We have applied for World Tour status with the UCI. I hope we are successful in our bid. We hope that we join the calendar in 2017,” Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Thani, President of Qatar Cycling Federation (QCF), said.
“Now this is a decision that will be taken by cycling world governing body UCI. We have great history of staging memorable Tour of Qatar races. I hope all of this helps us in getting the upgrade we are looking for,” Sheikh Khalid said.
“Since 2001, UCI initiated what’s called a World Tour. There are 18-20 teams registered as Pro Tour teams. There is a promotion and relegation system. Our race was ranked a notch below before the Tour was launched,” Sheikh Khalid said.
“Only 50 percent of Pro Tour Teams are allowed to feature at events such as ours. Now we have 8 Pro teams participating at our event this week. If we get an upgrade to a World Tour event, then next year all teams will be World Tour teams,” Sheikh Khalid explained.
“A World Tour event also runs similar duration - five or six days. It doesn’t make any difference. You register by stages. You could even have four-stage event. The number of events don’t make any difference to teams or riders,” the QCF President said.
With increasing number of cycling events taking place around the region and the Asian continent, Qatar feels it is time to get maximum mileage out of their events.
“The calendar is becoming very busy around the world. The cycling world is booming. Teams are choosing to somewhere else. Once it is a World Tour event, teams will be lining up to come here. It will be more important for them to be here,’ Sheikh Khalid explained.
The QCF chief said a World Tour status means increase in prize money for teams and riders.
“Yes, there will be an obvious increase in prize money for riders and teams. The fees are high for the teams. We don’t know if other races (in the region) will be going for World Tour status. We could get it with other teams - maybe Qatar and UAE getting it together but we don’t know,” he said.
Sheikh Khalid said tomorrow the riders will get a first-hand glimpse of the 2016 World Road Championships route.
“This year is very special for the riders. This is year of the 2016 World Championships. We will test the worlds route (tomorrow, second stage) and it happens to be on the National Sports Day. As you can see we have very good teams,” Sheikh Khalid said.
The QCF chief said the organising committee are committed to a five-day race rather than a six-day competition.
“There is technical reason for reducing the number of stages. There are so many events happening in the region at the same time. We feel that so many races are coming up. The calendar is full. We want to reduce the pressure on the riders,” Sheikh Khalid said
The Peninsula
