Mountain bike racing has had a short life, but one that has seen the popular sport spread around the globe. And Oman, The United Arab Emirates and Jordan are no exception.
The Arabian Epic Series are about to set their new dates, but the mix of racing and countries is one of the most exciting additions to marathon and stage racing yet.
There are 5 one-day cross-country marathon (XCM) races in the UAE, but there is also 3 mulit-day events across the countries, covering the 2018/2019 season. So far January will have a stage race in the UAE, February will have a stage race in Jordan and the plans for a stage race in Oman are in their final phases.
There is a point score for the men’s and women’s open and age group categories – and the single day events will have an option for juniors.
The full marathon courses will range between 80 and 100km, with at least 1200m of climbing and less than 20% road. The half-marathon courses will typically be 40-50km, with 500m+ of climbing and less than 10% road and more than 10% singletrack.
It is expected that the stage races will be a mix of a prologue, along with three full marathon length stages and a half marathon length stage, working within the above formats.
We’re keen to see how this series pans out. Cycling is one of the best ways to experience a country and with the growth of cycling in Oman especially, the Arabian Epic Series could be the perfect ticket to explore this area of the world from the relative comfort of your bike seat.
Registration opens on 1st July.