Dhofar Classic 2026 Kicks Off: 98 km from Al-Hafa Souq to Hajeef

Salalah: The sixth edition of the The Tour of Salalah kicks off in the Dhofar Governorate, organized by the Dhofar Municipality, in cooperation with the Oman Cycling Federation, and will last for five days.

The tour includes 95 cyclists representing 28 countries: Oman, Britain, Algeria, Ethiopia, Germany, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Australia, Bahrain, the Netherlands, South Africa, France, Mongolia, Uganda, Spain, Malaysia, Rwanda, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Eritrea, Mauritius, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

The Tour of Salalah  aims to highlight the natural and cultural assets of Dhofar Governorate, consolidate the presence of the Sultanate of Oman on the global cycling map, organize races approved by the Union Cycliste Internationale  (UCI), develop competencies by honing the skills of Omani cyclists, discover young talents, and raise the technical level of the game, in addition to spreading health awareness by encouraging the community to adopt cycling as a lifestyle.

The technical meeting for the Tour of Salalah for the participating teams was held in the state of Salalah, during which the technical instructions were discussed, race jerseys were distributed, and the routes of the stages were determined.

The tour opens with the second edition of the “Dhofar Classic” race, a one-day international race covering 98 kilometers starting from Al-Hafa Souq to the Hajeef area,, followed by four stages of the Tour of Salalah during the period from September 6 to 9, which includes routes that highlight the natural and tourist attractions of the Dhofar Governorate.

The first stage of the tour will be 127 kilometers from Al Mughsail area to Mirbat Fort, the second stage will be 108 kilometers from Al Dahariz Beach to Wadi Darbat, the third stage will be 156 kilometers from Taqah Fort to the viewpoint of Jabal Samhan, and the fourth and final stage will be 105 kilometers from Ain Razat to the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah.

Saif bin Sabaa Al Rashidi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Cycling Federation, said: “Tour of Salalah” is an important milestone in the history of cycling in the Sultanate of Oman, as the Federation looks forward to presenting an exceptional edition that combines the strength of sporting competition with the beauty of the natural scenery of Dhofar Governorate, given that the tour is a sporting and tourist event.”

He added that the timing of the tour this year was chosen after studying a number of technical, organizational and tourism aspects, and this period was specifically chosen because it usually coincides with the last stages of the autumn season, which contributes to reducing the impact on traffic and securing routes for long distances.

He explained that the Oman Cycling Federation aspires for this year’s Tour of Salalah to be an exceptional edition, to continue the previous successes to consolidate the Tour’s position among the prominent sporting events in the region, and to send a beautiful image of the Dhofar Governorate to the world, and an organization that reflects the ability of Omani personnel to host sporting events at a distinguished level.