In this episode Elspeth is joined by Ahlam Al-Zaid, Saudi Arabia's first ever female national Champion and also a regular visitor of Mallorca. Ahlam shares how she got into cycling and loved the feeling of training outdoors. In 2020 they announced the first ever National Championships for women and it would mean a lot for her to win it, so she trained really hard to get the title and beat her opponents .
Much has changed in Saudi Arabia in the past few years for women so the title did not just mean so much to her but also to the women of her country to feel empowered and have the opportunity to work hard for their goals.
You may not think but Saudi Arabia to be a popular cycling or tourist destination, but there are some amazing and very challenging mountains to the south of the country. You can also find Al-'Ula (sponsor of the wome's team Jayco Alula) which is an oasis city in the centre of the country with ancient monuments and some spectacular hotels.
Alhlam shares how she would really love to see cycling grown for Saudi Arabia and would be wonderful to some riders at world tour level in which is yet to happen.
Ahlam is always drawn to the island of Mallorca, for the all year round cycling climate, the challenging mountains, spectacular views and the friendly cycling culture.
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