Star-studded line-up for second edition of HERO Dubai Hatta

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai Sports Council have announced the second edition of the HERO Dubai Hatta will take place on October 29 at the Hatta MTB Trail Centre with cyclists from more than 40 countries taking part, including the sport’s biggest stars.

Supported by Dubai Sports Council, HERO Dubai Hatta is part of the HERO Series and the only UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) mountain bike race in the Arabian Peninsula, and details about the 2021 event were revealed at Wednesday’s press conference in Dubai Sports Council, in the presence of Khalid Al Awar, Director of Dubai Sports Council’s Sports Events Department, and Gerhard Vanzi, CEO of HERO World Series.

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Organising the global race further boosts Dubai’s and Hatta’s rising profile as a venue for international cycling and mountain bike races. The race also supports the overall plan to develop Hatta and enhance its appeal as a world-class tourist and sports destination. Dubai Sports Council is keen to organise international events in Hatta to increase awareness of the area’s natural beauty, biodiversity and picturesque mountain environment as well as encourage a culture of sports.

Speaking at the press conference, Awar said: “We are pleased to welcome HERO World Series back to Dubai for the second edition of HERO Dubai Hatta. The race is billed as the ‘Desert Fascination’ and for good reason, because Dubai is a truly magical and fascinating place, and idyllic Hatta brings its own charm to a glistening, awe-inspiring ultra-modern megalopolis.

“Hosting HERO Dubai Hatta is aligned with the Hatta development plans of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who recently approved six new projects which aim to support development in Hatta and enhance its position as one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the country and internationally.

“It is also aligned with the directives of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, to transform Dubai into a bicycle-friendly city and strengthen its position as the world’s most preferred venue for international sporting events.

“Hatta, with its challenging terrain and an exciting mountain bike trail, has emerged as one of the top destinations for mountain biking in the region and the world, and it hosts a number of local and international cycling events throughout the year.

“Cycling, as both recreation and sports, is gaining in numbers here in the UAE and we can see that in an ever-increasing number of participants and events. We host five international cycling events in Dubai annually, and we organise more than 30 local cycling events every year, and I am confident we will see these numbers grow in the coming period, as we work alongside our local and international partners to promote the many benefits of cycling.”

The starting line for HERO Dubai Hatta 2021 will boast some of the most important figures from the international mountain bike scene, including current World Champions, Ramona Forchini and Leonardo Paez. This is Forchini’s first opportunity to cut her teeth on the routes of one of the HERO Series stages. Paez, on the other hand, knows the HERO like the back of his hand; he has won the BMW HERO Sudtirol Dolomites a good six times and was also crowned winner at the HERO Dubai Hatta’s first edition in 2020.