Israel hosting 2 cycling competitions

Israel will play host to two international cycling competitions this spring, showcasing the unique and diverse terrain of this small Mediterranean nation. The two tours include:

1. Tour de Dead Sea (March 5): Taking travelers through the moon-like landscape of the lowest point on earth, the Tour de Dead Sea will attract more than 1,000 cyclists from around the world to ride along the contours of the Dead Sea in support of its candidacy as a finalist in the New7Wonders of Nature Competition.

Cyclists will be able to choose between 3-, 15-, 27- or 40-mile routes around the Dead Sea region with passage through Beit Ha'arava, the King Abdullah Bridge and Qasr el Yahud-the site on the Jordan River where Jesus was believed to have been baptized.

In addition, the 40-mile course will also pass through the Dragot Cliffs and over the He'Etekim Cliffs down to Kalia Beach.

Tour d'Israel (March 7-10, March 30-April 2): The Tour d'Israel, Israel's country-wide cycling event, will provide unrivaled views of Israel's diverse landscape with two challenging bicycle courses.

The tour's 380-mile on-road race will begin at Mount Hermon in the North and pass through the Galilee region, Masada, Nazareth and the Sea Galilee, Jerusalem, Beersheba, the Jordan Valley, Masada and the Dead Sea with a finish line at the seaside resort town of Eilat on the shores of the Red Sea, March 7-10.

For the more adventurous rider, the 224-mile off-road course will begin in the northern Golan Heights and include a four-mile climb finishing at the southern tip of the Carmel Forest mountain range, March 30-April 2.

To vote for the Dead Sea in the New7Wonders of Nature Competition, please visit www.new7wonders.com . For more information on the Tour d'Israel, visit www.tourtheisrael.com .

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