Thousands of cyclists ride 15th spinneys Dubai 92 cycle challenge in Dubai

Elite riders Franceso Lamon and Makhabbat Umutzhanova stood top of the podium, earning AED 10,000 each in the 15th Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge

Shaun Carey and Helle Bachofen Von Echt emerge as the overall male and female champions of the Aster Pharmacy BIG 5, claiming the Yellow Jersey (45+) and record-numbers of cyclists took part in the InstaShop Junior Rides and The Live Well Outride for the 2025 event.

Over 1,700 participants entered as the 15th edition of the event concluded in style. The top 25% age groupers qualify for the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, taking place in Australia, later this year.

Held in partnership with the Dubai Sports Council, the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge marked its 15th edition at Expo City Dubai, attracting over 1,700 participants in the 92 km main event, with over three thousand cyclists registered for the various challenges over the weekend.

Dubai’s streets came alive over the weekend as thousands of cyclists set off from Expo City Dubai, filling the city with an electrifying energy of competition and family fun. The 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Series qualifier saw over 220 elite riders embark on a thrilling 96.4 km course, starting and finishing at Expo City Dubai. Along the way, participants enjoyed a rare traffic-free ride past iconic landmarks like Global Village, the vibrant DMCC/Jumeirah Lake Towers, and the scenic communities of Tilal Al Ghaf, Springs and Jumeirah Golf Estates, before crossing the finishing line at Expo City Dubai, with celebrations at the Spinneys Eat Well Live Well Village.

In the elite category, male athlete Francesco Lamon and female athlete Makhabbat Umutzhanova were fastest across the finish line with respective times of 2:01:47 and 2:01:49, taking top spot in the standings and earning AED 10,000 each from the lucrative AED 36,000 prize pot. Lamon was followed closely by Maksim Orekhov and Jasper Verkuijl both securing podium positions with finishing times of 2:01:47 respectively. Similarly, Ebtissam Zayed and Akvile Gedraityte took second and third place with close margins, finishing with times of 2:01:49.

To cap off a remarkable Aster Pharmacy BIG 5 competition, the overall winners saw Shaun Carey and Helle Bachofen Von Echt emerge as the male and female winners with incredible times of 2:01:49 and 2:02:26 respectively. In the Open Category it was Emmauel Cabanas and Tania Rodrigues who took home the wins in the grand finale, with Cabanas crossing the finishing line in 2:01:49 and Rodrigues completing the 96.4km course in 2:02:28. In the Vets Category it was Simon Cox and Adriana Sanchez who took home the Blue Jerseys in the grand finale, with Cox crossing the finishing line in 2:01:51 and Sanchez completing the 96.4km course in 2:15:46. 

Kicking off the 2025 event in style, young riders took to the track for the InstaShop Junior Rides on Saturday, February 22nd, with almost 1000 little ones joining in the fun. This year also marked the exciting return of The Live Well Outride, a family-friendly 35km course with a 12km shortcut that saw cyclists ride out and back from Expo City Dubai on Saturday morning. At Al Forsan Park, the Spinneys Eat Well Live Well race village buzzed with post-race celebrations, offering a vibrant atmosphere for both cyclists and spectators. Whether elite riders qualifying for the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Australia or local participants achieving personal milestones, everyone had a reason to celebrate at the race village.

One lucky Outride participant had even more reason to celebrate, as Jetour surprised a random rider who completed the course with a brand-new Jetour X50. Adding to the excitement of the family-friendly race, the incredible giveaway created unforgettable moments for both the winner and the crowd.

Stewart Howison, Race Director of the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, said: “The 15th edition of the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge has been nothing short of extraordinary. With a record-breaking 7,000 plus participants across the series, we’ve reached incredible new heights this year. We are especially proud to see so many riders qualify for the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Australia, showcasing the growing strength of cycling in the region. A massive thank you to the RTA, Dubai Police, and the Dubai Sports Council for their unwavering support over the past 15 years. This journey has been amazing, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back for the 2026 edition.”

Held in partnership with Dubai Sports Council, Spinneys and Dubai 92, the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge is one of the Middle East’s premium sporting races, regularly attracting thousands of riders from all over the world. The 2025 Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, a key qualifying race in the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Series season, saw elite cyclists take to the streets of Dubai, with 346 riders earning their spot in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Lorne, Australia.

Link to 2025 Spinneys Dubai 92 cycle challenge:  https://cyclechallenge.ae/results-15