Qatar cancels 2017 Tour due to lack of sponsor interest
The 2017 stage race, which was to be run in Doha, has been cancelled because of "difficulty attracting sponsor financial support" said the UCI.Super Bowl 2018 live online: Patriots vs Eagles
The 2017 Tour of Qatar has been cancelled due to the lack of a financial sponor, the International Cycling Union (UCI) confirmed on Thursday.
The stage race, due to take place in Doha in February, was called off because of "difficulty attracting sponsor financial support," the UCI said in a statement late on Wednesday.
15 years of Tour of Qatar
The announcement is a blow to the sporting ambitions of Qatar which has hosted the race for 15 years.
The Gulf state is planning for the 2022 World Cup and has hosted the Asian soccer cup, the Men's Handball World Championship and the FINA World Swimming Championships.
Previous editions of Tour of Qatar have been won by top cyclists including Britain's Mark Cavendish and Belgium's Tom Boonen.
In October Qatar became the first Arab country to host the UCI Road World Championships, an event which was hailed by Qatar as a success but which detractors criticised for the heat and low fan turnout.