The new frontier of world cycling is Arabia. The AlUla Tour kicks off today, starting from the city, not far from the Red Sea, which was located on the Incense Route and has archaeological remains dating back over two thousand years. This is the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Saudi Arabia, and racing in the desert, with such a unique backdrop, is certainly one of the most beautiful experiences for a rider. The name AlUla is on the jersey of Jayco, the Australian WorldTour team led by Brent Copeland.

Copeland, how is cycling growing in Arabia?
"There is increasing interest from local people, increasing interest from the Federation we've been working with for two years and helping with men's and women's teams, track and para-cycling. One of our coaches is following these riders with physical preparation and nutrition. Here in AlUla they've created an 80-kilometer bike path from the airport to the old city: such a long path is really hard to find in another country. Obviously, you need to come here in the right season, because in summer it's too hot: right now it's the perfect time, with 5-6 degrees in the evening and 20-25 degrees during the day, it's perfect for cycling".

And in terms of races?
"There are more and more. Every week there are races in Riyadh, Jeddah, and also in the mountains south of Jeddah, which reach up to 3000 meters altitude, where many local teams go for training camps".

Bicycle tourism?
"It will take a few more years, but the intention is precisely to push in that direction. Especially in the AlUla area, they are investing a lot; the Gravel World Championship will be held here in 2028. There's curiosity, there are people, we've seen some cyclists coming to pedal, but they are mostly people living in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Oman, because it's easier for them to arrive. From Europe, it takes three more hours. But the Saudis are investing heavily".

The places are certainly beautiful and fascinating, and once tourists from Belgium, Great Britain, Netherlands, and Germany manage to arrive, then bicycle tourism will definitely take off.
"Yes, that's true. Also because people think Arabia is far away, but it's almost simpler than flying to Tenerife. A new airline, Riyadh Air, is coming, which they say will be larger than Emirates: flying from Milan to Riyadh takes an hour less compared to Dubai or Doha, and then from Riyadh to AlUla it's a 45-minute flight".

The AlUla Tour was promoted by UCI in the Pro Series category: could some WorldTour races arrive in the future?
"The federation believes in it very much. Maybe not WorldTour yet, especially with the cycling idea that teams and UCI have, meaning creating a calendar that's a bit easier to follow. But other Pro Series races will definitely come".

What's it like living in Arabia today?
"If you think about Saudi Arabia 5-7 years ago, now it's completely different, it's another culture. We're in a country where you can feel tourism is being pushed, there's a very pleasant welcome everywhere, beautiful hotels, excellent food, good road conditions. We've been coming here for four years and have seen an incredible improvement. And then we have more women working for us than men, it's completely the opposite of what one might think. We have a girl racing for our women's development team, she lives here in AlUla and moves around freely dressed as a cyclist, there's absolutely no problem because for five years anyone has been free to dress as they want".

So, how is women's cycling received?
"Very well. There are many girls racing every weekend. Some girls still choose to pedal covered, but it's a free choice: most race dressed as a normal cyclist".

Let's talk about your team, Jayco-AlUla, which also includes Italian champion Filippo Conca. What approach have you taken for this season?
"We've made some changes, especially the choice not to have a top-level sprinter like Groenewegen. We have Pascal Ackermann, who is still a good sprinter, but not among the top five in the world. Investing in a sprinter means investing in a train. With this choice, we could take riders like Covi and Vendrame, who bring home important results and points for our team. Then there's Michael Matthews who has already won, Luke Plapp who is growing more and more, Ben O'Connor who had a slightly difficult first year with us, but I believe he'll be able to do more. Let's say it's a more complete team, we've kept our feet on the ground and built a more balanced team to get results. Because if we go to the Tour de France thinking O'Connor can beat Pogacar or Vingegaard, we're dreaming, but maybe a top 5 placement is possible".

And for the women's team?
"We expect another growth phase. We started with a very young team two years ago, the girls are improving, and now with Monica Trinca Colonel and Letizia Paternoster, we expect that extra step. They also believe in this project".

How much is women's cycling growing?
"It's a good investment for us, yes. We were one of the first, if not the first WorldTour women's team, because our owner Gerry Ryan started investing in cycling thanks to women. In 1992, there was a girl named Kathy Watt, selected for the Barcelona 1992 Olympics but without funds for high-altitude training. So Gerry decided to invest in this girl, who went to Barcelona and returned home with two medals (gold in the road race and silver in individual pursuit, ed). Ryan has always had his heart on women's teams. In other sports he invests in, like baseball or netball, he always pushes for women's teams. It's important for us, important for our sponsor, especially important for Giant, which provides bicycles to the girls".

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