Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, today announced that its cycling team “Team Air Arabia” has won the amateur team category of Cape Rouleur 2013 multistage race in South Africa. The airline’s involvement in road cycling is part of wider sports programme aimed to support Athletes across home communities in achieving their sports dream.

Held over four days, the Cape Rouleur covers over 525 kilometres of South Africa’s Western Cape, including more than 6,000 metres of climbing. ‘Team Air Arabia’, sponsored by Air Arabia secured overall first place in the Fastest Amateur Team Category, while one of the team members also finished first in his group’s general classification.

The trophies were presented to Team Air Arabia by legendry former Tour de France winner, Stephen Roche (the second of only two cyclists to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia stage races in addition to the World Road Race Championship) and former World Cycling Championships winner, Maurizio Fondriest.

Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: “In addition to helping promote the sport of road cycling in the region, our participation in this initiative also comes as part of our broader commitment to support communities at home and abroad. Through the success of the cycling team, we have been able to help individual athletes achieve their sport dreams and at the same time to create awareness for charitable projects in the UAE.”

As part of its fundraising efforts, Air Arabia presented a team jersey signed by Stephen Roche and Maurizio Fondriest to the Dubai Animal Welfare Society (DAWS). The jersey will be auctioned at a later date to help raise funds for the organisation.

Air Arabia is well known for supporting individual athletes achieving their sports dream. In addition to cycling, Air Arabia supports a number of other sports such as the 2007 Air Arabia World Endurance Challenge, Bahrain Team Air Arabia in 2009, Air Arabia Sailing Adventure in 2010 and Air Arabia Para-Gliding in 2011.

To learn more about Air Arabia cycling team at South Africa’s Cape Rouleur, please visit https://www.facebook.com/AirArabiaCyclingTeam.