DOHA: Qatari cyclists Arafa and Noor featured in a one-day Mountain Bike Championship organised by Qatar Cycling Federation (QCF). Coach Pia Sundstedt, who is from Finland, watched the girls compete with a large group of riders.
“Arafa and Noor featured in their first ever MTB cross country race. We went to the track for the first time on Tuesday and they both enjoyed it and had so much fun that they decided to race for the first time,” Pia said after this week’s race.
“It was with great excitement they came to the start. For them it was good to see and to learn what they have to do before a race during a race and after a race. A great learning experience, I would say,” Pia added. “Both produced a great performance and during this week they have improved their bike handling skills a lot. They are both on a good way and the most important thing is that they enjoyed it and had a lot of fun out on the course today.
“A course that is technically very demanding (Qatar’s most technical MTB cross country course), but without fear they were riding down the steep and tricky downhills. Something that they can be very proud of,” Pia told QCF website.
Just over three months ago, QCF announced a batch of 22 girls to form the country and region’s first women’s cycling team.
Last month top Australian rider Chloe Hosking met Qatar’s women’s cycling team at Losail International Circuit and exchanged ideas about developing riding skills. “I have a fantastic group,” Pia said in an earlier interview with local media. “They are all young. The youngest is 13. The oldest is 21. It is a good age to be doing all this,” she added.
“I am very excited about it. The process started in March-April (2013). I got this group together a four months and we have been training since then,” she added.
“I have some good riders. They still have to learn about the sport. I am teaching them skills on how to ride at corners, how to break from a group and how to change gears etc. They show great interest in everything we do,” she said.The Peninsula
