Dubai to host Tour de France's L’Etape race

Dubai is set to host the L’Etape Dubai cycling race, presented by the Tour de France, on February 2, 2025. 

Organised by Belton and Be Cool Events in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council, it is among the most famous races dedicated to amateurs and over 2,000 participants are expected to take part.

L’Etape Dubai will consist of four race components held over two days. The first day on February 1 will see a Kids Race at 9:00am GST over a distance of 300 metres and three km depending on their abilities. This will be followed by a Family Ride that will be held over 20 km with a 9:30am start.

On February 2, the L’Etape race will be held over a distance of 110 km and “The Ride” at over 60 km. Both races will be flagged off at 6:00 am.

The L’Etape race was held for the first time outside France in 2015, gradually moving to a number of new cities on different continents to reach the Middle East region through the Dubai race.

Ali Omar Al Balooshi, Director of Sports Events at Dubai Sports Council, said, “We are pleased to organise this major global race in Dubai, which is one of the most important cities that supports sports in general and cycling in particular.

“Cycling enjoys great interest and support from our wise leadership in Dubai, and this is due to the many benefits of cycling in terms of health, vitality and an active community. We further benefit from organising such important events keeping sports tourism and the sports industry in mind,” he added.

Plans are also afoot to conduct several preliminary training and qualifying races starting in September.

Registration for participation in the various races will continue in three different stages. Riders have until September 30 to confirm for The Ride (60 km) and until December 31 for The Race (110 km).

Christian Prudhomme, Director-General of Tour de France, said, “We are delighted to partner with Dubai Sports Council and Be Cool and Belton to organise events, a collaboration that will mark a new chapter in the history of sports in the Middle East. The L’Etape Dubai series dates back to 1993, when we first organised this project in France on the route of one of the stages of the Tour de France. The interest of cycling enthusiasts was huge and this has grown each year,” Prudhomme recalled.

The Government of Dubai recently announced the addition of new cycling tracks in the Hatta area, extending over a distance of more than 53 km, in addition to the several other existing riding facilities all over the emirate, including the Al Marmoom Reserve, beaches, parks and various destinations of Dubai.