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DUBAI: L’Etape Dubai by Tour de France made its grand debut in the UAE this weekend, bringing together over 1,000 cycling enthusiasts, from hobby riders and amateurs to elite athletes, and recording the highest number of participants for the first edition of any amateur cycling event in the history of the UAE.

The main race, held on Sunday, Feb. 2, saw hundreds of competitors set off from Dubai Design District (D3) on a thrilling 101-km route, navigating Dubai-Al Ain Road (E66) before a decisive push by Syrian national and UAE resident Ibrahiem Alrefai, along Zayed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street (D54), delivered a first-place finish at Expo Village Park.

In total, the event featured the highest number of international competitors to have participated in the first edition of an amateur cycling race in Dubai, including over 250 Emiratis.

Alrefai secured the first-ever L’Etape Dubai title in a time of 02:17:24, followed closely by Ivan Kormshchikov, with Danil Konotop rounding out the podium.

Alrefai said: “Winning the inaugural L’Etape Dubai is an incredible honor. The course was both challenging and rewarding, and the atmosphere was fantastic with all the new cyclists, whether they were professionals or trying cycling for the first time. It was a true test of endurance, and I couldn’t be prouder to stand on the podium as the first winner of L’Etape Dubai by Tour de France.”

The female winner in the overall race was Olha Shekel with a time of 02:20:20, with Ebtissam Zayed in second position and Olivuja Balesisyte finishing third. One of the youngest female finishers was 15-year-old UAE resident Darcey Minton who took first place in the 50-km ride and was supported by race sponsor Skoda.

The event was backed by the Dubai Sports Council. The organization’s Secretary-General Saeed Hareb said: “We are pleased with the wide participation of cyclists, especially those who have come from outside the country to participate in this famous race that combines the luxury, splendor and beauty of the city of Dubai with the history, traditions and name of the most famous Tour de France race.

Hareb thanked the UAE’s leaders, attributing the success of cycling in Dubai to their continuous support.

“Dubai has become one of the most important cities in the world that supports sports in general and cycling in particular,” he said, adding that Dubai hosts international and local cycling championships throughout the year.

“February happens to be the most exciting month for cyclists as Dubai organizes a total of six cycling competitions, which (draw) the participation of thousands of cyclists of all nationalities, ages and abilities. All are keen to come to Dubai and participate in these events and benefit from the sports facilities designed according to the highest standards. These facilities include the more than 544 km (of) cycling tracks that connect most of the areas and neighborhoods of Dubai,” Hareb added.

KABUL: Afghans are pushing back against calls to ban their national cricket team from participating in international competitions, saying that such a move would not reverse the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on women in the country. 
Regarded as the most popular sport in Afghanistan, cricket has represented a rare bright spot for many Afghans as they struggle amid a devastating economic and humanitarian crisis sparked by sanctions slapped on the Taliban administration following their takeover in 2021. 
Since last month, foreign campaigns calling for Afghanistan’s men’s team to be barred from international matches have been gaining traction, as a protest of the Taliban restricting women’s access to education, the workplace, public spaces, as well as sports. 
This includes British lawmakers urging the England Cricket Board to boycott the country’s upcoming match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 26. 
“There are problems in the country – we can’t deny that – but cricket is certainly not one of them,” Ahmad Nadim, a 23-year-old cricket fan in Kabul, told Arab News. 
“The national players were among the first ones to criticize the restrictions on girls’ education and they have continuously voiced their support for Afghan women’s rights. Cricket has been a great source of happiness for Afghans and still continues to be one.” 
Despite record-setting performances – including high-profile victories against England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia – over the last few years, Afghanistan’s place on the world cricket stage has become increasingly controversial. 
After the Taliban disbanded the country’s women’s team following their takeover, most of the squad members fled to Australia, where they reunited for a match just last week. 
Though the International Cricket Council requires member nations to have both a men’s and a women’s team, as Afghanistan kept its status as a full member in the ICC it triggered boycotts from countries like Australia and England, which have refused to play them in bilateral matches. 
Human Rights Watch have also called on the ICC to suspend Afghanistan’s membership “until women and girls can once again participate in education and sport” in the country. 
In their home country, Afghans are openly opposing the boycotts and called for sports to be separated from politics. 
“Afghanistan’s cricket team is all supportive of women’s right to education because education is the foundation of a strong society and development in the country,” Hasti Gul Abid, Afghan cricketer who has played for the national team, told Arab News. 
“Afghanistan’s cricket reached the current stage with a lot of difficulties,” he said. “The people of Afghanistan have been supporting their national team since day one. Our people contributed to the advancement of cricket as much as the players did.”
As the men’s team’s popularity and victories have brought joy across the country on many occasions, some argue that the squad should not be seen as representatives of the Taliban government. 
“The cricket team belongs to the whole country and all Afghans. It represents us all, not a specific political or ethnic group,” said 21-year-old Khanzada Shaheen, who plays in a local cricket team in Kabul. 
Banning Afghanistan’s cricket team will not change the Taliban’s policies against women, said Lal Pacha, a fruit vendor in Kabul. 
“We all want Afghan girls to return to schools and universities but why punish our cricket team for that?” he told Arab News. 
“Let’s say the cricket team is banned from playing internationally, will this change the Islamic Emirate’s policy? There’s no logic in the demand for banning the cricket team.”