Grit and gratitude: Saudi Arabia’s first pro cyclist is making moves

Saudi Arabia’s first pro cyclist, Moroj Adil, is an athlete on the move, her trajectory set firmly on an upward path. The past two years have been a transformative journey for the 26-year-old from Makkah, one marked by determination, resilience and many firsts.

In 2022, inspired by the Tour de France Femmes and Giro d’Italia Women, Adil made a bold decision: She wanted to become a professional cyclist. The challenge? She didn’t know how to ride a bike.

“I already decided that I want to be a pro cyclist,” Adil recalled. “When you have this idea in your mind, or when you think about something and start to look at everything around you, things just start to happen to you.”

Her resolve was unwavering: “I was thinking about what it would be like, and I was really worried about the idea. How could I start this professional journey and take a step forward into a cycling career?”

But Adil didn’t just dream; she acted. In 2022 she joined a cycling group in Jeddah and showed up without a bike and no real experience. She borrowed the group’s bike and, by the end of that first outing, she was a cyclist.

Eager to put her new skills to the test, Adil entered her first races. An early challenge was the 2022 NEOM Titan Desert Race, a grueling 400 km mountain bike stage race that takes place each November during the NEOM Beach Games. With a rookie’s spirit but limited experience, she showed up with a downhill bike that was completely unsuitable for the course. She was disqualified for missing the time cutoffs but remained undeterred.

Adil set her sights on being involved in the AlUla Tour, the Kingdom’s largest cycling competition, in January 2023. She reached out to the Saudi Arabian Cycling Federation and offered her help for the professional men’s event. She was warmly welcomed and, during the event, had the opportunity to ride with members of the Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s WorldTour Pro team, the Jayco-AlUla men’s team, and the Saudi National Cycling Team.

“I was the only Saudi girl during that ride,” she said. “When I saw these professional riders, I got more excited. I told myself, ‘One day, you’re going to be part of that team. You will ride with them as one of them.’”

Adil’s dedication paid off when she was invited to a team training camp in Spain and subsequently signed a contract with Liv AlUla Jayco’s Continental Team, a stepping stone to the Women’s WorldTour Team. A move to Girona, Spain for the 2024 season solidified her status as a professional athlete.

With her first year as a pro drawing to a close, Adil describes her routine as “eat, sleep, cycle.” She admits the transition was tough but rewarding.

“The first season was so fun, full of learning, making mistakes, and growing from them,” she said.

“When you have a rider who started cycling two years ago, racing with and against cyclists who have been riding since they were seven or eight years old, it’s kind of hard. While everyone else is putting in 100 percent effort, I have to put in 1,000 percent.”

Yet Adil embraces the challenge: “I was enjoying this kind of struggle and challenge, and that’s what makes cycling fun.”

With her second NEOM Titan Desert Race fast approaching — it starts on Nov. 18 — Adil is hopeful and determined. Despite disqualification in 2022, she placed second last year and is eager for another podium finish.

“When you’re on the podium once, you crave that feeling of winning. I’m aiming to always be one of the top riders in this race,” she said.

Reflecting on the year past, Adil is grateful for the support of her team and feels it is a responsibility to give it her all in the race: “The hard work I’ve done with the team throughout the year has paid off. They opened so many doors for me. This is the least I can do to give back.”

And looking ahead, Adil has big plans.

“One of my goals is to take full advantage of being on the Continental team,” she said. “It means I have more chances to make mistakes and learn. I’m not looking forward to making mistakes, but to gain experience so I can take my performance to the next level.”

Having embraced the steep learning curve, Adil is preparing for new challenges. Next season, she will move to Belgium to train in harsher weather and improve her racing in new conditions.

“Last year, I struggled with the wind. Belgium and the Netherlands will be the best places to work on that,” she said, adding that her journey so far had been transformative: “The biggest thing I’ve learned is that whatever you think about yourself becomes your reality. Be careful about your thoughts. What you believe can come true.”

Her dreams and dedication go beyond personal victories, as Adil hopes to inspire the next generation of Saudi cyclists. She is also optimistic about the growth of women’s cycling in the Kingdom.

“Everything has a first time, and I hope I’ve opened the door for others,” she said. “This year, the women’s racing calendar is expanding, and the peloton is getting bigger.”

She says young Saudi women are also reaching out to her, curious about her life as a professional cyclist: “They’re asking about cycling as a career, not just as a hobby. It makes me so happy. I hope we see more professional Saudi riders, both men and women.”

• Dawn Barnable is the founder and host of The Mettleset Podcast, a platform dedicated to women in sport from across the region.