Dubai Cycle Tour 2014

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Dubai Cycle Tour 2014

Dubai Tour international bicycle race around Dubai, (or Tour de Dubai cyclisme perhaps ...). First time the event is held in the UAE is in 2014, for 4 days from 05-08 February. The Dubai Tour is an official UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) cycle race, part of the UCI Asia Tour.

Dubai Tour 2014 route maps - maps of routes and road closures for each day of the cycle race.
2014 entrants include Fabian Cancellara, Mark Cavendish, Rui Costa, Marcel Kittel, Joaquin Rodriguez, Peter Sagan, Ji Cheng, Vincenzo Nibali. Dubai Police will make things a bit easier for them by closing roads to other traffic while they race. Which won't be so exciting for them, they won't get the same adrenaline rush as resident cyclists in the UAE when dodging speeding cars using them as target practice.
Organised by the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and RCS Sport.
Total distance 416.9 km, a bit more if pedaling around camels instead of ducking under them.

Stage	2014	Area	Distance	Timings	Start	Finish	Notes
Day 1	Wed 05 Feb	Downtown Dubai, DIFC	10 km	1300-1630	DWTC¹	DWTC	The Downtown Stage
Day 2	Thu 06 Feb	Dubai	121 km	1120-1630	DWTC	Atlantis	The Sport Stage
Day 3	Fri 07 Feb	Dubai to Hatta	162 km	1030-1630	DFC²	Hatta	The Nature Stage
Day 4	Sat 08 Feb	Bur Dubai, Deira, Jumeirah	124 km	1130-1630	DWTC	Burj Khalifa	The Old Dubai Stage

DWTC - Dubai World Trade Center (The Start Village for all races except Day 3).
Start point changed from DWTC? RTA information says "the Festival City" (Dubai Festival City?) but Dubai Police information says "From Ibis Hotel"? Finish line is Hatta Roundabout, near the Hatta Police Station.

Participating teams in Dubai Tour 2014

Astana Pro Team, Kazakhstan
Banco Bic Carmim, Portugal
BMC Racing Team, USA
Cannondale Pro Cycling, Italy
Garmin Sharp, USA
Katusha, Russia
Lampre-Merida, Italy
Movistar Team, Spain
Omega Pharma-Quickstep, Belgium
RTS-Santic Racing Team, Taiwan
Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team, UAE
Team Giant-Shimano, Netherlands
Tinkoff-Saxo, Denmark
Trek Factory Racing, USA
UAE National Team
Vini Fantini-Nippo-De Rosa, Japan

Road closures during the Dubai Tour 2014

Information is our best guess based on maps and Dubai Police announcements - some conflicts.

Wed (Day 1) from about 1200-1700: 312 Rd (behind DIFC), Financial Center Rd, Sheikh MBR Boulevard (Emaar Boulevard). Probably roads leading to The Dubai Mall. Information supplied also says Sheikh Zayed Rd and Al Khail Rd but not clear why those roads are closed, might be information error.
Thu (Day 2) from about 1000-1700: DWTC > Zabeel Rd > Oud Metha Rd > Meydan Rd > Al Ain Rd > Emirates Rd (E611, Outer Bypass Rd) > Al Qudra Rd > Umm Suqeim Rd > Al Sufouh Rd > JBR The Walk (Dubai Marina) > Jumeirah Islands > Meadows Drive > Al Sufouh Rd > Palm Jumeirah trunk > Atlantis Hotel Resort. Roads used and access roads closed. Confusing information supplied about whether E311 (Sheikh MBZ Rd) or E611 (Emirates Rd) closed - map shows E611 closed but road name used is Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Rd which is the E311. It looks to us like the E611 is closed, and the E311 is open to normal traffic. Expect increased congestion and traffic jams on it though.
Fri (Day 3) from about 0930-1700: Updated start location Dubai Festival City? (Previously DWTC > Zabeel Rd (Second Zabeel Rd?) > Al Khail Rd > Business Bay Crossing?) > Marrakech St > Airport Rd > Al Khawaneej Rd > E611 (Emirates Rd, Abu Dhabi direction) > E44 (Hatta Rd) > Lahbab > Al Madam > E55 (direction Al Dhaid) > E102 (after Maleihah) > Shawka (Shawkha) > Munay > Huwaylat > Hatta. Road closures in direction of cycle race only, other direction open? Maximum altitude 495 meters (summit point on E102).
Sat (Day 4) from about 1030-1700: DWTC > Sheikh Zayed Rd (direction Abu Dhabi) > Umm Suqeim Rd exit > Burj Al Arab > Jumeirah Beach Rd > 2nd December St (Al Diyafah Rd) > Sheikh Zayed Rd (direction Sharjah) > Umm Hurair Rd > Maktoum Bridge > Baniyas Rd > Hyatt Regency (U-turn) > Baniyas Rd > Maktoum Bridge > Khalid Bin Al Waleed Rd (Bank St) and Al Seef Rd > Shindagha (U-turn) > Al Khaleej Rd > Al Mina Rd > Jumeirah Beach Rd > Burj Al Arab (U-turn) > Jumeirah Beach Rd > Al Urouba St > Al Wasl Rd (turn left) > Al Safa Rd (turn right at Emirates NBD) > Financial Center Rd > Sheikh MBR Boulevard (turn right after Dubai Mall) > Burj Khalifa - Burj Plaza area? Might be a bit bumpy going down the steps there.
- Some maps and route directions seem to indicate that Al Shindagha Tunnel is part of the route, but as far as we know, cyclists go along Baniyas Rd to the Hyatt and back again to the Maktoum Bridge. Dubai Police information says Al Shindagha Rd will be closed.
- Road closures in direction cyclists are traveling for the duration of the race. Both directions on Jumeirah Beach Rd which will be completely closed from 1200-1500 between the Burj Al Arab and Union House at intersection with 2nd December St (Al Diyafah Rd).
- Possibly an additional loop on Jumeirah Beach Rd between Burj Al Arab hotel and the Union House flagpole?
- Zabeel Rd or 2nd Zabeel Rd given in some route maps, might just be closed but not used by cyclists for Stage 4?

School closures during the Dubai Tour 2014

Major General Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Assistant to Dubai Police Chief for Operations Affairs, said Dubai education authorities should close schools in Dubai on Thu 06 Feb 2014 to reduce traffic congestion during the cycle race.
The UAE Ministry of Education said public schools in Dubai will remain open as normal on Wed 05 Feb 2014, but didn't say if they would close on Thursday (perhaps they're waiting to see how bad the traffic problems are first).
The Dubai education authority, the KHDA, said private schools affected by road closures for the race could choose to close but must notify the KHDA first.

Schools closed in Dubai on Sat 08 Feb 2014

Schools in the UAE are normally closed for the weekend on Friday and Saturday. Some schools have extra classes or extra-curricular activities on Saturdays, expect any in the list below for Thu 06 Feb 2014 to also be closed on Sat 08 Feb 2014.
The Dubai Tour Stage 4 on Sat is in the heart of Dubai so expect severe congestion due to road closures in Deira, Bur Dubai, Jumeirah, Sheikh Zayed Road.

List of schools in Dubai closed on Thu 06 Feb 2014 due to the Dubai Tour cycle race

All GEMS schools are open (Dubai Gem School is not a GEMS Education Group school, and will be closed).
Public schools (government schools) will remain open as usual according to news reports.
List below according to KHDA information (except for Al Mawakeb schools and a few others as noted).
Error in list, various reports said 40 schools closed, not 41 schools?

Al Eman Private School
Al Itihad School Al Mamzar
Al Ittihad Private School Jumeirah - Emirates 24-7 report 06 Feb 2014.
Al Mawakeb School Al Barsha - closed according to Emirates 24-7 report.
Al Mawakeb School Al Garhoud - closed according to Emirates 24-7 report.
Al Salam Private School
Al Shrooq Private School - Emirates 24-7 report 06 Feb 2014.
Al Thuraya Private School
Al Worood Academy Private School - Emirates 24-7 report 06 Feb 2014.
Ambassador Kindergarten - Emirates 24-7 report 06 Feb 2014.
Ambassador School Dubai - Emirates 24-7 report 06 Feb 2014.
American School of Dubai
Arab Unity School
Brandenton Preparatory Academy
Choueifat School Al Sofouh (KG1 to Grade 4)
Dar Al Marefa School (Dar Al Mareefa)
Delhi Private School
Dubai Arab American School
Dubai British School - open but will close earlier than normal? Confirm with school.
Dubai Gem Private School
Dubai International Academy
Dubai International School
Dubai National School Al Barsha - Emirates 24-7 report 06 Feb 2014.
English Language School (Private) (previously the English Medium School) - ELS information (FB page).
Gulf Indian High School - Emirates 24-7 report 06 Feb 2014.
Indian High School Oud Metha
Indian International School DSO
International Academic School
JSS International School
Lycée Français International Georges Pompidou
Lyceé Libanais Francophone Privé
Mirdiff Private School - open but will close earlier than normal? Check with school.
North American Internatinal School
Pakistani Education Academy
Queen International School
Regent School (Regent International School?)
Russian International School Dubai
Sabari Indian School
Springdales School Dubai
Star International School Al Twar
Victory Heights Primary School (name reported as Victoria Heights)? Confirm with school.

Dubai Tour history and timeline

03 Oct 2013 (Cycling Weekly) - dates of the first Dubai Tour confirmed as 05-08 Feb 2014. The event will start off the 2014 UCI Asia Tour.
04 Jan 2013 - memorandum of agreement signed between Dubai Sports Council and RCS Sports to hold the first Dubai Tour cycling race event in Dubai, in 2014 (Cycling Weekly 07 Jan 2013).

References

Dubai Police route maps and road closures (Twitter).
Gulf News maps of road closures - Major diversions set for Dubai Tour, 04 Feb 2014 (but some road names don't make sense, and some information conflicts with the Dubai Tour maps).
RTA Dubai route maps and road closures (not found online, published in print editions of UAE newspapers).
The National - Interactive map: Routes and stages of Dubai Tour 2014, 03 Feb 2014.

Dubai Cycle Tour 2014