Polish Idea: Bike Ride ‘Olympia to Beijing’

(ATHENS NEWS AGENCY) Two Greeks, 21-year-old Danae Tezapsidou and 32-year-old Vassilis Mesitidis, will be among the 12-member team of cyclists – from Poland, Lithuania, Italy and the United States – who will attempt a bike ride from ancient Olympia to Beijing via the so-called “silk road” in order to highlight the 2008 Olympic Games in China. The ride began at ancient Olympia on Wednesday and participants hope to arrive in the Chinese capital on August 8, the day when the Beijing Olympics begin, after crossing over a distance of some 12,000 kilometres.  The team will pass through, among other countries, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and much of China. . The idea originated with a team of cyclists (Travellers’ Association CROTOS) in Poland and was organised under the auspices of the Polish Olympic Committee. Ministry of Culture: Cultural Year of Greece; Embassy of Greece in China, Press and Communication Office: www.grpressbeijing.com ,  Polish Olympic Committee:  http://www.olimpijski.pl/15.html, Travellers’ Association CROTOS: http://www.bicycle.pl/, Caption: Greek riders Danae Tezapsidou (L) and Vassilis Mesitidis (R) on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008. ANA-MPA / STR