Manama: His Majesty the King’s Representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee President Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa yesterday attended the final stages of the historic Tour de France cycling race.
During his visit, Shaikh Nasser met Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, members of the organising committee and a number of French and European cycling officials and athletes.
The 20th stage took place at the Alps and was for a distance of 110.5km, while the final stage continued for 109.5km and took place in the heart of the French capital, passing through the famous street of champs elysees. The 21st stage was won by German cyclist Andre Greipe.
Shaikh Nasser praised the high technical level shown by the athletes in 102nd version of the race, especially in the final stages as the best cyclists in the world competed for the prestigious championship title.
Shaikh Nasser congratulated the winners who raced throughout the 21 stages of the championship in 23 days and also praised the organisers for conducting a successful event.
Shaikh Nasser underscored that such international sports events are also an opportunity to exchange Bahrain’s experiences in hosting international events. He highlighted the triathlon championships in the kingdom, adding that cycling is the fundamental stage of triathlon races and it is important to learn the tactics used in organising these races.