Oman- BikingMan Race begins today 52 cyclists to participate

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat- The BikingMan endurance cycling race will begin on Sunday. This was announced by the Oman Cycling Association.

Andreas Fabricius, director, Middle East-Asia, BikingMan Race, said, 'As many as 52 cyclists from 22 different countries, including three cyclists from Oman, will take part. This is Oman's first race in this year's BikingMan global series. It is also the first time an event of this type is being held in the Middle East.'

He added, 'Competitors will have a maximum of five days to complete 1,000km, but we expect the fastest athletes to finish in less than 48 hours. During the race, the competitors will have to carry food, water and gear. No support vehicles will be available to them. There will be four press cars to give 24x7 coverage through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.'

Saif Suba al Rashidi, president, Oman Cycling Association, said the Ministry of Sports Affairs and the association are working to promote Oman as a cycling destination. 'The route will feature some of the highlights of northern Oman such as the coastal, mountainous and desert terrain. Cycling will be done on open roads.'

The race will have two base camps, one at the Jebel Shams Resort and other in Bidiyah, where racers will find tents to rest or sleep and have food. The race will start in Barka and end at Bahri Road in Muttrah.

Axel Carion, CEO of BikingMan, said that the aim of BikingMan races is to bring athletes to spectacular places around the world. Fabricius has lived in the Middle East for the last seven years and had the opportunity to explore Oman several times, Carion said.

'Convinced of the potential with its stunning landscapes, he persuaded me to make a bicycle reconnaissance to build an ultra bike packing event here. After the race, we completed a bicycle loop in May 2017 and were surprised of the road quality, how welcoming Omani people were and how stunning the cycling experience is in Oman.'

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