It's normal for the home circuit to lead through forests and meadows - but through the desert? This is the case for racing cyclists in Dubai. Every Friday at sunrise, up to 100 cyclists set off on a training ride together.
Mashallah", oh God, our Pakistani taxi driver exclaims. We have just explained to him that he should take us to "Wolfi's Bike Shop" - and that this shop sells bicycles, not motorbikes. "Bike - you mean motorbike?" he asks anyway. "No, bicycle." "Ah, motorbike." "No, push bicycle." "Motor push bike?" We give up. Also because the man is travelling at what feels like 200 and is actually 120 km/h along what is by far the most dangerous shopping street in the world, at least for pedestrians and cyclists. When we pull up outside the shop, he has a tip: "The Harley-Davidson store is round the corner. I'll take you there in a minute if you want!"
Admittedly, being interested in bicycles in Dubai is quite unusual. The second largest of the seven United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi stands for many things - desert, oil, skyscrapers, luxury hotels, golf - but you won't find the keyword "bicycle" in any travel guide. And yet, week after week, a growing community of racing cyclists pedals along the streets of the Arab metropolis. The initiator of the racing bike boom is Wolfgang "Wolfi" Hohmann. Born in the Black Forest, he moved a branch of his bike shop to Dubai five years ago after his brother, who lives there, convinced him to try his luck in the boomtown.
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