Al Salam Cycling Championship: Ruler Of Dubai Court Race For Elite Men Draws Strongest Riders

The 10th Al Salam Cycling Championship is set to host the H.H. The Ruler of Dubai Court Race for Elite Men on Sunday, 18th January, with total prize money of AED1 million. The event takes place under the patronage and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and is organised by the Private Office of H.H. the Ruler of Dubai.

This Elite Men’s race is being held in cooperation with H.H. The Ruler’s Court of Dubai for the second year in a row. The previous edition introduced a route that started in central Dubai, crossed major cultural and urban landmarks, and ended at Al Marmoom Reserve in Saih Al Salam, supported by strong coordination with government entities.

According to the updated programme for the 10th Al Salam Cycling Championship, the Women’s Race will run on 25th January, followed by the Women’s Desert Race on 31st January and the Men’s Desert Race on 1st February 2026. Omair bin Juma Al Falasi said the committee increased the programme to five races after directives from H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, adding the women’s desert event to highlight Dubai’s backing for women’s sport.

The Championship opened at the end of last month with the UAE Men’s Amateur Race, organised in cooperation with Dubai Police under the theme ‘Safety and Security’. The race started from the Dubai Police Academy headquarters and underlined the role of law enforcement partners in ensuring safe racing conditions and effective traffic management across the course.

The 10th Al Salam Cycling Championship is being held under the slogan ‘Ten Years of Achievements and Success’, marking a decade since the event was launched. Over these ten years, it has grown into one of the largest cycling championships in the region in terms of the mix of categories and inclusive participation, and this edition has already shown strong competition levels.

Across nine previous editions, plus the opening race of the 10th Al Salam Cycling Championship, the event has hosted 41 races with 5,137 male and female riders. Competitors have covered a combined distance of 4,881 kilometres in Dubai. A total of 2,685 riders took first place across different races and received prize money for their results.

The current edition of the Al Salam Cycling Championship also includes a Photography Competition, organised for the second consecutive year with the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award. The opening race drew strong interest from both amateur and professional photographers, and similar participation is expected during the H.H. The Ruler of Dubai Court Race, with registrations open until 26 January.

The photography competition offers participants a chance to capture race action and Dubai’s well-known landmarks along the routes. Winners will be honoured at the end of the 10th Al Salam Cycling Championship. First place for each race will receive AED12,000, second place AED8,000 and third place AED5,000, underlining the event’s support for creative documentation of sport.

The Championship, including the Elite Men’s race, is being organised with a group of strategic partners. These include Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Sports Council, the Government of Dubai Media Office, the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award, Dubai Sports Channel, the UAE Cycling Federation, which acts as Chief Referee, and Dubai Film.

Omair bin Juma Al Falasi, Director-General of the Private Office of H.H. the Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee, said that the Elite Men’s race will start from H.H. the Ruler’s Court, a location tied closely to Dubai’s history and present development. This choice of venue, together with the route through major landmarks to Al Marmoom Reserve, reinforces the Championship’s status among leading cycling events in the UAE.

The 10th Al Salam Cycling Championship therefore brings together elite riders, amateur cyclists, photographers and many government partners in one programme. With expanded race categories, a significant prize pool and routes that highlight Dubai’s urban and natural landscapes, the current edition maintains the Championship’s sporting profile while reflecting the emirate’s wider support for community sport and organised competition.

With inputs from WAM