Abu Dhabi Cycling Race of Champions

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Abu Dhabi Cycling Race of Champions
Race details

Date	Early-November
Region	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
English name	Abu Dhabi Cycling Race of Champions
Nickname(s)	The World's Richest Cycling Race
Discipline	Road race
Type	Stage race
Organiser	Abu Dhabi Tourism Autority
History

The Abu Dhabi Cycling Race of Champions is a road cycling race expected to have been held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates annually for at least five years. The race, not being part of the UCI calendar, is organized by Unipublic (Vuelta a España organizer), Kenzay and Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. The overall winner of the race will be awarded the largest prize in professional cycling, amounting to US$1,000,000.

In 2007, the race would have been featuring the individual and team winners of the three Grand Tours, the UAE National Team along with five Championship teams selected from other international cycling races(to be selected in late September), taking place from November 7 until November 10, with a rest day in November 9. It would have consisted of three stages covering a total distance of 212 kilometres, involving a flat stage around Abu Dhabi, a stage finishing in Jebel Hafeet mountain and a final Individual time trial in Abu Dhabi.

Incumbent winner of 2007 Giro d'Italia, Danilo Di Luca, has openly said that he was planning to win the race.^[1] Along with Di Luca's Liquigas team, Saunier Duval-Prodir, winner of the team classification at the Giro d'Italia, and Alberto Contador's Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team have also guaranteed spots in the race.

Spanish race organiser Unipublic decided to suspend the 2007 Abu Dhabi Cycling Race of Champions citing "repeated failure to meet contractual obligations" by local contractors. The future of the race, although Unipublic remains interested in organising the event in future years.^[2]