Under directives from Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee President Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, nearly 100 cyclists participated in the first cycling race held as a trial event as part of kingdom’s preparations to host the upcoming "Challenge Bahrain" international triathlon championship which will be held on December 6 with the participation of many professional triathletes.
The trial race was held over a distance of 90km, with the start point being at Bay of Bahrain. Riders then went through Shaikh Isa Causeway and Amwaj Islands, Shaikh Khalifa Causeway, Al Fateh Mosque, and then return to Bahrain Bay and through to the Hamad Town highway to the finish point at Bahrain International Circuit.
The trial race was part of great efforts made ??by the organizing committee to prepare for the global sporting event, which is to be held for the first time in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Middle East.
Bahrain Triathlon Association President Shaikh Sager bin Salman Al Khalifa stressed the importance of organizing such trial races, which gives a great amount of feedback and knowledge to contestants about the public route of the race.
Shaikh Sager expressed his thanks and deep appreciation to all government and private sectors for their efforts which contributed to the success of the first trial experiment, expressing thanks to the General Directorate of Traffic for providing a safe path for the race and the protection of the contestants for the duration of the event.
Shaikh Sager added: "It was a good and successful experience at various levels; they rode the full path of the race to ensure better preparations for the major event. We will work and study over the next stage on the negatives that we have seen in the first trial, to avoid them in the future especially in the main event."
Shaikh Sager added: "We have found great cooperation from the General Directorate of Traffic, specifically in this trial race, and we hope in the coming days to hold more coordinating meetings in order to ensure great success for this major event, and to implement the direct guidance of Shaikh Nasser to achieve historic success for Bahrain in this first of its kind event in the Middle East."
Source: BNA