Paolo Bettini, 800 km by bike back to Athens
The words of Paolo Bettini
It è ended Thursday, Sept. 5, in Athens, the journey of Paolo Bettini, which took him to explore Greece by bicycle to discover the country where he won the’Olympic Gold in the memory of the emotions he experienced twenty years ago.
Paul began his adventure on Saturday, August 24, from the foot of Mount Olympus and then continued south. From the very first rides Bettini è found himself sharing the road with fans and representatives of the municipal administrations of the cities he crossed.
“È it was very nice to see the enthusiasm with which I was welcomed” Bettini tells. “For example, in the mountain village of Stournaraiika, a village of 200 souls where time seemed to have stopped fifty years ago, they organized a dinner in the square, under a centuries-old plane tree. In Arta, on the other hand, I set off on a bicycle ride with the mayor, and with every kilometer I rode, more people were added, and in the end there were more than 50 of us. And also in Arta I met the national under-20 volleyball team, which was in Greece to participate in the European Championship in their category. In Olympia I was greeted by the mayor who spoke perfect Italian as he attended the University of Pisa, we are making arrangements for him to visit Tuscany.”
The ride through the Hellenic peninsula è was an opportunity to meet the Greek people, but also the discovery of a beautiful area: Dion and its archaeological museum, Kalamata and its beaches, Sparta with the remains of its ancient Acropolis and monuments in memory of Leonidas, the Rion Antirion bridge that connects the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, and again the towns of Argos and Korinthos rich in archaeological sites dating back to antiquity’
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After pedaling more than 800 kilometers on Thursday, September 5, Paolo Bettini è arrived in Athens where, once he had ridden the last three thousand meters of the course that crowned him Olympic Champion 20 years ago, he è was warmly welcomed by the city’s mayor and the president of the Greek Olympic Committee. Paul also had the’opportunity’to visit the building housing the Athens City Hall, where the press conference following the 2004 victory had been held.
Then in the evening, in the picturesque setting of the City Hall terrace overlooking the Parthenon, a ceremony was held to recall the success of 20’years ago and to encourage exchange between nations. The meeting was attended by several Italian entrepreneurs who promote their brands in Greece and a number of Italian consuls, as well as the Mayor, the President of the Greek Olympic Committee and the Italian Ambassador. È this was an opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions on the topic of cycling tourism and cycling in general, also as a means of decongesting large cities from traffic.
“This trip è was truly enriching: I discovered some fantastic places and met some special people, who turned from mere acquaintances into friends. To then walk the last kilometers of the Olympic track in Athens, where 20’years ago I won the gold medal, è was very exciting. È it was a beautiful experience that I will always remember with great joy” concludes Bettini.
