"I finally took the decision in sake of obedience to Allah" - UAE's top female rider leaves cycling at age 25 due to religious reasons
Cycling
Born in Dubai, Safiya Al Sayegh has become UAE's top rider and has spent several years racing at the Women's World Tour level. At age 25, the female peloton's only rider to consistently wear a Hijab throughout her stint in the professional peloton, has ended her career.
"I share with all the people following me along the journey of the past 10 years of my life as a cyclist the news of my retirement from bike racing and cycling," Al Sayegh wrote on an Instagram post.
"The past couple of years have been tough mentally, not because this sport is tough, but because I found myself in an identity crisis. Being a Muslim woman that fully believes in covering and dressing modestly, and a girl that just loved racing, riding a bike, and that loved sports".
Al Sayegh's presence in the peloton was always a notable one, with the Emirati rider - a Hijabi - racing in a full-length kit that allowed her to respect her culture's requirements whilst taking part in the sport at the highest level. This would go on to further elevate the sport's diversity.
Safiya Al Sayegh has retired from professional cycling
Al Sayegh has been for years UAE's top rider
Al Sayegh was also a very successful rider, winning on six separate occasions the women's elite road race title in the UAE, and the time trial on five occasions. She has represented the UAE on several instances of the World Championships and Olympic Games whilst racing in the Women's World Tour for several years.
That has come to an end in 2026. "This year I finally took the decision in sake of obedience to Allah and the rules of my religion upon female attire and what I believe to be right over what I have loved and kept behind in my mind for so longggg".
The 25-year old raced for UAE Team L'IMAD from 2022 to 2025, although mostly taking part in events outside of Europe. In 2026 she has stepped down to the team's development team, where she has nevertheless won both national titles. The Asian Games were the final races of her career, where she finished in the Top20 of both events.
Religious reasons the main reason for Al Sayegh's retirement
Al Sayegh has cited religious reasons as for her departure from the sport. "The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, you will never leave anything for the sake of Allah Almighty but that Allah will replace it with something better for you.”
Nevertheless, she does not neglect the success she has had in the peloton: "The little Safiya is immensely proud of what she has become, all by the succession of Allah of course and with the support of my parents, family, friends, and the community that have supported from all around the world. A big thank you to each and everyone of you".
"A thank you also goes out to UAE Team L'Imad for the past 5 seasons of professional racing and support helping me reach the furthest of my limits for my country".
Her presence in the peloton might have played a role in inspiring other Muslim riders to take part in professional cycling, showcasing her racing with one of the world's top teams.
"For a while I have thought deeply what I’d like to be remembered by and I hope it can be good manners, smiles, trying my best to spread joy to the people around me, and a Muslim woman that tried her very best to show, wherever she went around the world, how lovely Islam is and that it is a religion of peace, balance, and obedience to our creator, Allah".
"Proud to have represented my country and to have tried my best in all the stages of my career, but what feels wrong deep in my heart can’t keep going on," she concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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