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Can pan-flat Dubai, where temperatures top 40°C, really attract cycle tourists? David Millar thinks so

Could Dubai really become a hub for luxury cycling experiences?
Could Dubai really become a hub for luxury cycling experiences?

David Millar has lost my laptop charger. This would be fairly irritating if one of my friends had done it, but the fact that it’s a former professional cyclist (Tour de France stage winner and wearer of the all three Grand Tour leader’s jerseys) who has misplaced one of my possessions somehow makes it almost a positive. Perhaps I am too much of a ‘fan with a typewriter’ to impartially report on having my personal effects misplaced by strangers.

I am here in Dubai to ride with Millar for a preview of Madinat Jumeirah’s new ‘Ultimate Pro Cycling Experience’. The package comprises three days of riding fast bikes in the desert with Millar himself, and will doubtless muscle its way onto many a road cyclist’s bucket list. If it wasn’t so hot here, it’d be damn cool.

The opulence of Dubai, the professionalism of its hotels, the myriad dining options it offers and the exceptionally high standard of service guests receive have all been written about before. You don’t need me to tell you that if you book into a five-star hotel like the newly-opened Jumeirah Al Naseem, where I was lucky enough to spend my time in Dubai, you will be treated well. What is less well-known is Dubai’s cycling culture and it’s position as a viable and attractive option for cyclists in search of a luxury adventure.

The Al Qudra cycling circuit: purpose-built, fast and flat, beautifully surfaced and totally otherworldly
The Al Qudra cycling circuit: purpose-built, fast and flat, beautifully surfaced and totally otherworldly

The emirate has been on the professional cycling map for a few years now, with the Dubai Tour providing an early-season tune-up race for sprinters such as Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel (who have both won here). Cyclo-tourism and the local/ex-pat scene, however, are still fairly nascent – which gives riding in the UAE something of an intrepid, exploratory feel. One would certainly have to be pretty adventurous to ride a bike in Dubai’s Friday afternoon rush hour.

All cycling starts early in Dubai for obvious reasons, with the weekly Friday club run of local road team, Dubai Roadsters, setting off at an eye-watering 5:15am

Our cycling experience begins with an early start, rising at 7am to be on the road by 9. All cycling starts early in Dubai for obvious reasons, with the weekly Friday club run of local road team, Dubai Roadsters, setting off at an eye-watering 5:15am to get back before the sun is fully risen. I must admit I was not man enough to haul myself out of bed for that particular delight – but I’m assured that visitors to Dubai are always welcome to join. The rides are run out of Wolfi’s Bike Shop and there are speed groups to account for all abilities.

"Riding in the UAE has something of an intrepid, exploratory feel. One would certainly have to be pretty adventurous to ride a bike in Dubai’s Friday afternoon rush hour" - Credit: ALAMY
"Riding in the UAE has something of an intrepid, exploratory feel. One would certainly have to be pretty adventurous to ride a bike in Dubai’s Friday afternoon rush hour" Credit: ALAMY

On day one of the Ultimate Pro Experience, we ride the Al Qudra cycling circuit. It’s purpose-built, fast and flat, beautifully surfaced and totally otherworldly. We smash out a very impressive average speed for an hour and a half, enjoying the sun, mainlining bottled water carried in the support car (a white Lincoln Navigator with Wi-Fi) and sprinting up the ‘climbs’ (I use that term very liberally indeed). Turns out it’s easy to hold 37 km/h (22mph) when you’ve got a former yellow jersey to be your domestique.

Custom

We’re told that Sheikh Mohammed often uses the course. Indeed, one of the local riders who has come out to show us around says he once overtook the Sheikh and rode with him for a few minutes. Royalty here is not like royalty in the UK, it seems.

Jumeirah Al Naseem
Jumeirah Al Naseem

Training like the Sheikh

The afternoon finds me chasing David Millar through the bowels of the hotel next door to Jumeirah Al Naseem (there are four hotels that make up the sprawling Madinat Jumeirah complex, all ridiculously pleasant and seriously indulgent). The reason we are running is we are late for a spinning class in the hotel’s fitness centre, which we think is somewhere down one of these carpeted avenues. We turn blindly down corridors, through the cavernous conference centre, up a set of seemingly-dormant escalators that roar into life as we approach. The corridors go on forever, there could easily be a minotaur living down here.

One of the local riders who has come out to show us around says he once overtook the Sheikh and rode with him for a few minutes

Eventually we arrive at the spinning class, which will take place in a simulated altitude suite. The air is artificially thinned inside, so it feels as though you’re working at an altitude of 3,000m. As far as I understand, this puts your blood-oxygen percentage at exactly the best point for physiological adaptations – helping you get fitter, faster. The oxygen tents they used to get Bradley Wiggins to sleep in are based on the same principle.

There are only two such chambers in the whole of the UAE. This one can simulate atmosphere at 6,000m above sea level. The other chamber is in the Sheikh’s house. I feel quite privileged, until the class begins, that is. Then I just feel quite sick. And sweaty.

The best hotels in Dubai

Which way to the mountains?

The Dubai Tour and Abu Dhabi Tour, the two biggest professional races in the gulf region, have the reputation for being largely sprinters’ affairs. They are pan-flat, basically. So it was with a little scepticism that I discovered we would be riding up a 20km mountain road and climbing to an altitude of 1,300m above sea level on day two of our desert expedition. That’s a longer climb with a greater altitude gain than the Col du Telegraphe in the French Alps. Jebel Jais is certainly no trifling sand dune.

Jebel Hafeet, recently used in the queen stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour - Credit: ALAMY
Jebel Hafeet, recently used in the queen stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour Credit: ALAMY

We drive through two other emirates to reach the foot of Jebel Jais, UAE’s highest peak. The ‘other’ mountain in the UAE, Jebel Hafeet, recently used in the queen stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour, is a more popular choice with Dubai-based cyclists as it’s much closer to the city. The drive, to Jebel Jais, however, is worth it once you get out of the car and into the saddle. It takes an hour to ascend from the blisteringly hot valley floor, reminiscent of eighties sci-fi epic, Dune, up to the highest point in the UAE.

Tom Owen finds out what Dubai has to offer cyclists
Tom Owen finds out what Dubai has to offer cyclists

Or it would be the highest point, if we were allowed all the way to the top. Unfortunately the summit is the site of a palace belonging to a member of the ruling family of Ras Al Khaimah – and seemingly the Sheikh does not enjoy having sweaty men in lycra all over his driveway taking selfies of the view. Even when those sweaty men have won a stage of the Tour de France. His loss.

The view from the top of Jebel Jais - Credit: ALAMY
The view from the top of Jebel Jais Credit: ALAMY

Summit or no summit, the descent back to where we park the car is phenomenal. My speedo touches 80kph (50mph) at one point. The deep-section carbon wheels catch the fiery desert wind and the bike wobbles on its line. All part of the fun.

When we arrive back to the hotel, Millar has tracked down my charger with the help of the extremely efficient Jumeirah hotel concierge. He is a good lad, really.

How to do it

The ‘Ultimate Pro-Cycling Experience’ will return to Dubai between October 10-14 2017 and is priced at 15,000AED (£3,245) for a four-night full-board stay for two people at Jumeirah Al Naseem (follow this link for a full review). Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. For bookings, email reservations@jumeirah.com or call +971 4 366 8888.

Emirates flies to Dubai daily from London Heathrow and Gatwick (emirates.com).

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