RIYADH, 19 December 2003 — The highlight of the Saudi Hollandi Bank-Riyadh Wheelers Championship season came together in an action packed weekend of exciting racing in the form of the SHB 2-Day Event. Thirty-seven cyclists took to the line in three events, each one requiring a particular skill.

The top three, Moussa Al Qahtani, Fathi Ahmed and Abdulaziz Al Sharani, are members of the Saudi national team and proved that consistency is the key in stage racing with each one winning a stage and none finishing lower than 4th in a fine display of team riding. Stage one consisted of a 1-hour criterium around a technical 1.5km circuit, with Steve Decato setting a brisk pace to discourage early breakaways.

At half distance, Alan Wood decided to go it alone with a strong attack into the wind, taking with him Moussa, Fathi, Abdulaziz, Jaime Sunga, and Herbert Rom. Up at the front a slow puncture rid the leaders of Wood and with Rom also having problems, and it was left to Sunga to take on the mighty trio alone. Cat B honors were taken by L. Pentlebury from N. Desanghere and K. Allan.

Stage 2 came around all too quickly for tired legs with the riders facing a 5km Time Trial in cold windy conditions, where once again the Saudi riders showed their class.

A change in the order gave Fathi and Moussa a share of first place ahead of Abdulaziz, Wood, Patrick and Decato, who were separated by 20 seconds.

A good ride from Matt Hughs to pip work colleague Rob Ervin shows that the hard training is beginning to pay off. A slight reshuffle in the Cat B race resulted in L. Pentlebury taking it from K. Malone and K. Allan.

Stage 3 started almost immediately and the riders faced a 40km road race to decide the final outcome, which on paper could have gone to any one of the 3 Saudi stars.

After a steady start it was again left to Wood, to start the action. With only 15km to go, he quickly gained a 30 second gap, which looked to the appreciative crowd to be enough to take victory.

The national squad riders had others ideas though and launched Moussa in pursuit of Wood with Fathi and Abdulaziz happy to police the remnants of the bunch. With deceptive ease Moussa reeled in Wood and was able to outsprint him to the line and become the SHB-RW 2-Day Champion.

Stage 1 Result: 1st A. Al Sharani; 2nd F. Ahmed; 3rd M. Al Qahtani; 4th J. Sunga; 5th A. Wood; 6th R. Patrick; 7th P. McParland; 8th S. Decato; 9th H. Abdulmajeed; 10th H. Rom; 11th R. Ervin; 12th M. Hughs.

Stage 2 Results: 1st equal. F. Ahmed, M. Al Qahtani; 3rd A. Al Sharani; 4th A. Wood; 5th R. Patrick; 6th S. Decato; 7th J. Sunga; 8th equal. H. Abdulmajeed, G. Morete; 10th M. Hughs; 11th R. Ervin; 12th R. Platil.