Athens Bike Weekend held to boost urban cycling

Cyclists ride during the second Athens Bike Weekend in Athens, Greece, on May 7, 2017. Thousands of cycling lovers jumped in the saddle and pedals last weekend to celebrate the second Athens Bike Weekend in the heart of the Greek capital aiming to accelerate the development of urban cycling in the city. [Photo/Xinhua]

From May 6 to May 7, Syntagma Square was flooded with cycling enthusiasts of all ages willing to promote a more active and environment-conscious lifestyle with races, exhibitions, bike rides and parallel events.

On Sunday morning, more than 15,000 bike lovers, racing teams and professional athletes took part in the 24th Cycling Tour, organized by the Athens Municipality's Cultural, Sport & Youth Organization (OPANDA).

In two separate routes -- the 13-kilometer race and the 3.5-kilometer race for children and people with disabilities, cyclists enjoyed the race passing through the city center to reach the finish line at Syntagma Square.

"The Cycling Tour, along with the Authentic Athens Marathon, the Half-Marathon and the Tour of Athens, are four major sports events held in Athens. It is important to prove daily that public space is open to every citizen," Athens Mayor George Kaminis said during the event.

"On this front, the municipality gives a daily struggle and I appeal to all citizens, telling them that we have to respect public space, whether we are shop owners or drivers," said Kaminis.

For the first time, visitors had also the opportunity to watch a unique spectacle, as professional cyclists and teams from Greece and Europe raced on high speeds.

The first Athens International Criterium, was a "circuit" race of 3.5 km, that cyclists covered 15 times at speeds exceeding 80 km/h at specific points.

Throughout the Athens Bike Weekend, parallel events took place at Syntagma Square, including a bicycle exhibition, a unique BMX show with professionals and a slow-cycling game called "the slowest wins".

Children and adults had the chance to learn more on the latest bicycle trends and enjoy their ride in the city center.

Following the example of many European cities, Athens develops a growing cycling culture with an increasing number of cyclists. But, due to economic crisis that has hit the country in the past years, funds need to be found to invest in the required infrastructure.

According to Kaminis, among the future plans of the municipality is to create cycling routes and friendly measures for the safety of cyclists.

Such festivals give the opportunity to citizens not only to discover the human side of the city, but to raise awareness on ecological issues as well.