Saturday 05 / September / 2026
Muscat: The sixth edition of the Salalah International Cycling Tour kicked off today in Dhofar Governorate, organised by the Dhofar Municipality in cooperation with the Oman Cycling Federation. The five-day event brings together 95 cyclists representing 28 countries.
The participating countries include Oman, the United Kingdom, Algeria, Ethiopia, Germany, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Australia, Bahrain, the Netherlands, South Africa, France, Mongolia, Uganda, Spain, Malaysia, Rwanda, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Eritrea, Mauritius, New Zealand and Switzerland.
The tour aims to showcase Dhofar’s natural and cultural attractions, strengthen Oman’s presence on the international cycling map and host races accredited by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
It also seeks to develop local cycling talent by enhancing the skills of Omani cyclists, identifying young talents and raising the technical level of the sport. In addition, the event promotes health awareness by encouraging the community to adopt cycling as a lifestyle.
A technical meeting for the participating teams was held yesterday in Salalah, where officials discussed technical regulations, distributed race jerseys and finalised the routes for the various stages.
The tour opened with the second edition of the Dhofar Classic, a one-day international race covering 98 kilometres from Al Haffa Souq to Hajeef. It will be followed by four stages of the Salalah International Cycling Tour from September 6 to 9, featuring routes designed to highlight Dhofar’s natural and tourism attractions.
The first stage will cover 127 kilometres, from Mughsail to Mirbat Fort, while the second stage will cover 108 kilometres, from Dahariz Beach to Wadi Darbat.
The third stage will be the longest, covering 156 kilometres from Taqah Fort to the Samhan Mountain viewpoint. The fourth and final stage will cover 105 kilometres, from Ain Razat to the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah.
Saif bin Sibaa Al Rashidi, Chairman of the Oman Cycling Federation, said the Salalah International Cycling Tour represents an important milestone in the development of cycling in Oman.
He said the federation seeks to deliver an exceptional edition that combines the intensity of sporting competition with the scenic beauty of Dhofar, noting that the tour serves as both a sporting and tourism event.
Al Rashidi explained that the timing of this year’s tour was selected following consideration of various technical, organisational and tourism-related factors. The event was scheduled during the final stages of the Khareef season, which is expected to help minimise its impact on traffic and facilitate the provision of long-distance race routes.
He added that the Oman Cycling Federation aims to make this year’s edition exceptional and build on the successes of previous editions, further establishing the tour as one of the region’s prominent sporting events.
The event also aims to showcase Dhofar to an international audience and demonstrate the capabilities of Omani teams in organising and hosting major sporting events to high standards.
