On December 10th 2022, the Africa Triathlon Cup took place in Dakhla.
This article will provide some photos of the event and a discussion about the tour. Moreover, I will write about general road and weather conditions for cyclists in Dakhla.
The 2022 Africa Triathlon Cup route
The triathlon followed international norms as an olympic short distance with about 1,5 km swimming, 40 km cycling and 10 km of running. Both cycling and running took place on flat, paved roads in the city center of Dakhla. The roads were closed off to traffic and police hinted the way for cyclists. There were some spectators and media, but probably because of the world cup match not long afterwards, the reception was rather limited.
Weather condition during the Africa Triathlon Cup
Weather conditions were perfect. It was about 22 degrees and mostly sunny with gentle wind.
Overall conditions for cyclists near Dakhla
Dakhla is world famous for kitesurfing. That being said, most of the year there is a strong wind from the north which makes cycling challenging. In December and January, winds are usually much slower or non-existant, making these times great for cyclists.
Weather is almost always sunny and warm, but not hot. The water around the peninsula lead to daily temperatures of 17 to 27 degrees. During the night, temperatures rarely fall below 10. While it almost never rains, it certainly can feel like rain when the morning fog makes everything rather moist.
Touring Morocco to Senegal by bike
A few cyclists tour Morocco from the north and continue via Mauretania all the way to Senegal. An important feedback of some was that roads in Morocco are now really good, unlike just a decade ago. However, the long roads South of Agadir can be a bit dull.
There is also no spare parts south of Layoune until Dakar. Cyclists be better prepared!
Photos of Dakhla 2022 Africa Triathlon Cup
Here are some of the pics from the Africa Triathlon Cup 2022 and Video.
