For the first time in Egypt and under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and His Excellency Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, Stamina Sports and Fitness is bringing to Egypt the infamous international amateur cyclists’ event L’Etape Egypt by Tour de France.

The event will take place in the magnificent Sharm El Sheikh city on the 22^nd of September, 2023. This was announced in today’s press conference, which stated the event details, the required age range for the contestants, and the cycling distances to be covered during the race. It is worth mentioning that the press conference was witnessed by representatives from the organizing companies Stamina and Tour de France and other representatives who work in the athletic domain.

The Minister of Youth and Sports affirmed Egypt’s enthusiasm to welcome one of the biggest sports events of the year, L’Etape’s Tour de France to be held in Egypt for the first time.

In addition, the Minister also expressed his support towards the international sports events taking place in Egypt, praising the role of the private sector as leading the development of these initiative during this past period.

Dr. Ashraf Sobhy added that all organizational details will be supervised along with the organizers and that all necessities will be provided to ensure the success of the event.

For the first time in Egypt and MENA region, “L’ Etape Egypt” will be held in Sharm El Sheikh on the 22nd of September 2023 and will include three races categorized based on the distances covered.

The first race covers 170km with a minimum age of 18 years old for registration, and the second race covers 40km, with a minimum age to register of 15 years old, while the family race will only cover 6km. The race’s starting point will be in front of the Sharm El Sheikh Sheraton Hotel, while the 170 km race will cover a return trip from Sharm El Sheikh to Dahab.

In its special statement commenting on one of the most recognized sporting events in the world, the French Embassy in Egypt says, “We are very proud to announce our solid support of the first L’Etape Egypt by Tour de France. This event will be the perfect occasion to showcase French culture, French know-how, and French products and foster our bilateral cooperation in sports, a true driver for solidarity and cohesion.”

On the other hand, Business France, the French Trade Commission Office to Egypt, released another statement praising Egypt’s hosting of the event: “This event will boost business partnerships between both countries in the sports sector and beyond. It is a wonderful opportunity to gather all the French companies interested in Egypt and the Middle East to come and join the event.”

Extending his gratitude to Egypt for hosting the event, Kévin Quiniou, Head of L’Etape by Tour de France Series, notes,

“At ASO, Tour de France organizer, we are delighted to have L’Etape by Tour de France series coming to Egypt and being back in the African continent. I had the pleasure of coming to Egypt to work on preparing the event and finding the best possible route for the participants.

I’m 100% convinced this territory has so much to offer amateur cyclists, with perfect weather, challenging routes, and amazing local hospitality. With 170km and a challenging profile, L’Etape Egypt will look like a Tour de France stage and will definitely be a great sporting challenge for every foreign and local cyclist. I’m sure this event will strongly help to promote Egyptian territory and culture.’’

Expressing his enthusiasm Hassan Khalifa, Co-founder and CEO of Stamina Sports and Fitness, says,

“I am very pleased to organize L’Etape Egypt under the auspices of the Ministry of Sports and Youth and the French Embassy in Egypt. We would not have been capable of organizing this huge event without the help of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, led by His Excellency Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports.

The Ministry has always been the most cooperative partner to Stamina, where they helped ease the process and regulations enabling us to conduct the biggest races in the world in Egypt.”

“Stamina Sports and Fitness will host the most famous bicycle race in the world in cooperation with Tour de France for the first time in Africa and the Middle East. All athletes will live the Tour de France experience, and the winners will qualify for the l’Etape series in France.

We are targeting all countries to join us in September and enjoy the breathtaking scenes and the natural beauty of our exquisite Sharm El Shiekh’s spectacular landscape and wonderful weather. We aim to have around 1000 participants from all over the world.” 

he added.

It is worth noting that L’Etape by Tour de France is the world leader in mass participation cycling events, with more than 30 events in 25 countries planned in 2023. Through these events, L’Étape by Tour de France offers amateur cyclists the opportunity to participate in the race or ride on a stage of the Tour de France race while enjoying its distinguished French flavor.

Moreover, Tour de France is the world’s most recognizable annual sporting event and is considered a worldwide cycling premium brand. Furthermore, L’Étape Egypt by Tour de France offers numerous distances to all levels of cyclists’ competencies, where participants can choose between long-distance racing and sprint racing for medium distances.