As part of the Abu Dhabi Bike Festival surrounding the fifth edition of the 2022 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, Gran Fondo Abu Dhabi took place on Saturday 12 November with the world’s largest ever one-day race prize list, AED 2,000,000 (€500,000) cash for overall placings and in six age categories equally split between men and women. Professional riders were not eligible for the cash prizes shown in AED currency below (1 AED = €0.28).

A field of 500+ amateur road cyclists took to the start line on the fast ‘n flat 150 kilometers long course from Abu Dhabi to El Ain.

Prize payout results (30 places for each category) are unofficial since they have not yet been adjusted to remove professional riders.

Grega Bole (Shabab Al Ahli Cycling Team) won the overall race and the 18-39 year-old open category with a time of 3:33:32. Essaid Abelouache (3:33:39) was next seven seconds later and Yahya Aldeen Khalifa (3:33:39) was third

In the women’s race it was an all Dubai Police Cycling Team podium, with Olivija Baleisyte claiming both the overall and 18-39 year-old win in 3:44:47. Makhabbat Umutzhanova (3:44:48) and Ebtissam Zayed (3:44:48) placed second and third.

The 40-49 masters age category saw Jill Mair (4:02:15) and Danilo Colombo (3:35:18) win the women’s and men’s races.

Melanie Bowman (45:34:55) and Noor Haouchine (3:44:16) won the 50+ year-old veteran’s race for the women and men respectively.

Complete Gran Fondo Abu Dhabi results HERE (unofficial).

Dubai will also host a UCI Gran Fondo World Championship Series race in February 2023 at Spinney’s Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge.

Photos/Media: UAE Tour CorVos