2023 L’Etape Egypt Celebrates Uptake of Egyptian Cycling

400 cyclists from 30 countries took part in L’Etape Egypt, a 170 kilometre international race organized by the Tour de France in Sharm el-Sheikh at the end of September

The race marked Egypt’s first-ever appearance on the Tour de France amateur circuit. Cycling enthusiasts across Egypt hope the high-profile race can inspire a new generation of cyclists.

“We enjoyed hosting one of the most important sporting events in the world in the field of cycling and we believe that this is just the beginning,” stated Ahmed Mostafa from Bike Zone Egypt.

The race in Sharm el-Sheikh attracted cyclists all the way from Russia, Canada, and India. The scenic route, running from Sharm el-Sheikh to Dahab across the mountainous Sinai landscape, helped bring back the glamor of cycling to Egypt. Minister of Youth and Culture Ashraf Sobhy also pointed out that hosting this event reflects confidence in Egypt’s capabilities to organize the tournament successfully.

400 riders took started from Charm el-Cheick Museum to challenge through one of the 3 race formats: the Race (170km) & the Ride (62km). The peloton was mainly composed from participants who came to discover this amazing Sinaï region and challenge themselves through the challenging routes of the event. 

Across Egypt, cycling has fallen from its status as a popular means of transport in the middle of last century, to a less common sight today. During the 1950s and 1960s, bikes were a prominent form of transport from Alexandria to Aswan to Asyut. Film stars in classic movies and farmers in Ismaliah alike relied on two wheels to deliver everything from love letters and mangoes.

In the later half of the 20th century, cycling became less common due to population expansion, more cars on the route, and worsened air pollution. In the last century, car ownership jumped from around 150 cars in 1905 to around 9.9 million registered cars today.

Social stigma was also a driver which led to the decline of cycling. “There was a perception that cycling is related to lower-income households or people who cannot buy a car,” said Samy. “This caused a stigma for cycling in the 70s and 80s.”

“Egyptian society understands the priority of cycling in our country,” says Mostafa. “In the last 10 years, Egyptian cyclists succeeded in launching lots of campaigns to increase daily cycling.”

“Cycling in Egypt is not yet a mainstream form of transport, but there is a growing interest in it among Egyptian citizens for it to become a sustainable means of transportation,” Samy said.

“Cycling in Egypt will be in continuous improvement. Egyptians have a longstanding relationship with bicycles and cycling is in our blood,” he commented.

“Since cycling is a favorite traditional hobby and lately became an exciting sport, I think more people will start cycling, especially the youth and kids which will improve mental and physical health.”

Lin to 2023 L'Etape Egypt Results: https://results.sporthive.com/events/7111077189098935808