Tour of Qatar Stage Ride
Tour of Qatar Stage Ride
We have been in discussions with the Qatar Cycling Federation (QCF) on a proposal to help promote cycling in Qatar. Ed Arambarri and I met with the QCF on Monday evening, and I am happy to announce that the Federation has given its approval for Qatar Chain Reaction to ride a portion of the final stage of the Tour of Qatar on Friday, 12 February. This is a huge opportunity for all of us to participate in the biggest annual cycling event in the region. It is an opportunity that should not be missed, and I encourage all of you to make an effort to participate. Details of the event follow, and more discussion is included below:
1. Date: Friday, 12 February, 2010
2. Route: Start in Wakra, ride directly to Doha, then complete 3 laps of the Corniche (between Diwan and Post-Office roundabouts - to be confirmed)...
3. Meeting Place: Wakra at the rebuilt "old town" next to the fishing port (see attached map)
4. Timing: Be in Wakra between 10:30 and 11:00 to take part in pre-race festivities including a seafood (?) lunch, and opportunities to mix with the pros; ride will start ~12:15, or so (5-10 minutes after the pros depart)...
5. Ride Format: This is a group ride, not a race! As such, we will all ride together from Wakra to Doha, and for the first 2 laps on the Corniche, at which point we will let people turn on the gas and stretch their legs for the final lap...
6. Ride Support: The Federation has said that they will provide some support vehicles; however, it would be good if we could also have 1-2 volunteers to provide back-up. Also, QCF have talked about having a police escort for us as well as closing (a portion) of the roads....we'll see where that goes...
7. Re-fueling: No stops en route, but come early to Wakra for refreshments, and/or bring your own on the ride...
8. Approximate Distance: 20 km to Doha, plus additional 20 km on the Corniche (see below for additional ride options)...
9. Approximate Duration: 40 minutes from Wakra to Doha (at 30 kph) plus an additional 30-40 minutes on the Corniche...
10. Average Speed: Around 30 kph - depending upon who shows up and the final Corniche lap. Average speedwill be maintained/enforced (within reason) so the group can stay together...
11. Entry: Open to all / no-charge -- if you intend to participate, please email me (do not copy all) so that we can get an idea of interest; mountain bikes are welcome, but please make sure you will be able to get to the Corniche with the group, as we will likely need to be off the course by 13:45 hrs to make way for the pros...this shouldn't be hard as we will carry on an easy pace and have plenty of people to pull from the front...Also note that the Qatar National teams will likely show-up....
With regard to the route, note that the final stage runs from Wakra to Mesaieed, then back through Wakra and on to Doha (where the riders will complete 7 laps on the Corniche) for a total of 123 km. However, we will ride from the portion from Wakra directly to Doha, then complete 3 laps of the Corniche. The Federation proposed this route for two reasons: (i) to allow as many people as possible to participate and finish within a reasonable time, and (ii) to allow QCR to participate in the pre-race festivities in Wakra, including (we were told) a barbecue featuring some great Wakra fish.
Total distance of the ride will be ~40 km. For those desiring the typical 100k Friday ride, we will depart at Al Bida Park between 7:00 and 7:30 and ride to Mesaieed then up to Wakra - actual route (i.e., down and back, or back via the back road through Wukair) will depend upon the winds that morning, but we want to aim to be back in Wakra by 10:30. If you want to proceed directly to Wakra you can either ride there (20 km) or drive, but if driving, keep in mind that at some point the roads coming back to Doha may be closed for traffic while the cyclists come through. (Check this link for an idea on the timing: http://www.letour.fr/2010/TQA/COURSE/us/600/etape_par_etape.html.)
I want to stress the fact that this is a group ride, not the typical Friday morning blow-out / watch-them-drop-like-flies ride that some are used to....The whole purpose of this is to support the QCF in their goal to promote cycling in Qatar --- to show the community (and probably some people around the world who will be following the Tour of Qatar on TV) that cycling is big here. This is a beginning, and if it goes well we may be able to expand the scope for next year...
Finally, it goes without saying that we want this to be a safe event, so please, please make sure you are wearing a helmet, and be mindful of those riding around you....
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
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Craig R. Kelly
ExxonMobil Qatar Inc.
P.O. Box 22500
Doha, State of Qatar
Phone: +974 497 8189
