CYCLING RACES

Egypt has a good mix of terrain for road, mountain, and gravel riders. Wadi Degla Protectorate, on the edge of Cairo, is a 60 km² desert canyon (protected since 1999) with mountain bike trails for most levels. The wide boulevards of New Cairo and the dual carriageway towards Ain Sokhna give road riders long, well-paved stretches. On the Red Sea coast, El Gouna and Sahl Hasheesh have light traffic and good views, which makes them a relaxed setting for casual rides.

The main cycling season is October to March. Daytime temperatures sit between 18 and 25 degrees in most of the country. In summer (June to August) it gets very hot inland, often above 40 degrees; serious training shifts to before sunrise or after sunset. Coastal cities (Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh, Alexandria) stay more comfortable thanks to sea breezes. The dry desert air dries sweat quickly, which can hide how much you are losing; keep up with electrolytes even on cooler rides.

Hydration, sun protection, and a working tool kit are the three things to plan for. Roads vary from very good to rough, especially at the edges.

L'Étape Egypt by Tour de France is the headline road event. The first edition, held in Sharm El-Sheikh in September 2023, drew 400 cyclists from 30 countries over a 170 km route through the Sinai mountains. The Soma Bay Endurance Festival on the Red Sea (held annually in late May) includes a cycling leg as part of its triathlon-format races and welcomes everyone from sprint to Olympic distance. Cairo Crit, the country's first road criterium series, runs closed-circuit races at Smart Village in New Cairo with separate categories for children, juniors, and adults. The Egyptian National Road Cycling Championships are held each year; in the 2025 women's elite road race, Ebtissam Zayed Ahmed (Dubai Police Cycling Team) took the title.

Egypt's cycling community is welcoming, but road culture is different from Europe and following local practice keeps you safer. Friday mornings are the best window; roads are quiet and many group rides set off at dawn from Maadi, New Cairo, and Heliopolis. Stick to known group-ride corridors on public roads rather than major highways; cycling on most Egyptian motorways is not allowed. Use clear hand signals for every turn, and do not ride two abreast on busy roads. After an organised ride, expect a stop for coffee and breakfast; the café stop has become part of cycling culture here.

The cycling community covers road, mountain bike, and casual recreational riders, mostly across Cairo, Alexandria, and the Red Sea coast. Cairo Cyclists Club (CCC) is one of the oldest active groups, multi-national, with Friday sunrise rides from Cairo American College in Maadi (typically 90 to 130 km through Moqattam, New Cairo, and the Ain Sokhna road) and multi-day events in Sinai. CairoCrit, founded in 2015, runs the country's first road criterium series and weekly road training. Cairo Cycle is a semi-pro team with Saturday rides (60 km minimum at about 25 km/h average) along the Ain Sokhna road, plus casual Friday fun rides in Zamalek, Maadi, Heliopolis, and New Cairo. MTB Egypt is based around Wadi Degla and runs trail days, beginner courses, and the annual Wadi Degla MTB Championship. Go Bike Egypt is active in Cairo and Alexandria and focuses on building safe cycling culture for all abilities. Bike Zone Egypt is a non-profit that runs events and rents bikes and helmets for people who do not have their own. Alexandria Cycling Team is the main organised group on the Mediterranean coast.