Vasiliki Voutzali and Dionisis Kartsambas from Greece, Steffen Streich from Germany, Christopher Ross Bennett from New Zealand, and Paul Alderson from Britain had, by Sunday, August 6 (Australian time), ridden 240 kms from London to Lille, France.
They left London on Saturday, from the British Museum on August 5 on an ultra-endurance cycling to Athens as part of a campaign to bolster the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures.
Vasiliki Voutsali, the ultra-endurance cycling racer, was joined by other Philhellene cyclists and the race is supported by the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM), who sent off the riders.
The race began at the unforgiving time of 5 am outside the British Museum gates, and the “sky was heavy with grey clouds” according to Marlen Godwin from the BCRPM.
“There was plenty of excitement for the five cyclists, the team London to Athens on two wheels, Bring Them Back, prepared to set off for the second year,” Godwin told Neos Kosmos.
Christopher Stockdale, a member of BCRPM and the first person to cycle from the UK to the Acropolis in 2005, was also present, along with Liz Bennett, the wife of Christopher Ross Bennett from New Zealand, David Wilkinson, the documentary producer of ‘The Marbles,’ and his filming team, as well as Marlen and Tony Godwin.
Christopher Stockdale and Marlen Godwin from the British Committee for the BCRPM signed the cyclists’ travel card.
Godwin said that parts of the UK were “facing the worst weather in the first weekend of August.”
“England’s national weather service issued three yellow warnings and two amber warnings on Saturday,” he added.
Storm Antoni brought strong winds, and 15-25 mm of rain fell within the space of an hour, with an additional 30-40 mm accumulated in three hours. East Midlands, East of England, London & Southeast England, Southwest England, and West Midlands were all impacted as the London to Athens on 2 wheels team headed through London and the Southeast of England.
The riders not only faced rain storms but had to endure flat tyres and physical ailments but they persevered.
“Steffen had a flat tyre, Vasiliki had a stomach-ache, but their spirits were high, despite the heavy rain and high winds as they crossed the UK,” said Godwin.
Vasiliki told Neos Kosmos that she was bent over with pain as the rain pelted but that she “rode through the pain to make it to Lille.”
“Yesterday’s [Sunday Australia] rain and wind were a real challenge for those of us traveling in trains, or cars, so for the cyclists, it was very difficult, if not impossible, but they did it,” said Christopher Stockdale, a member of the BCRPM.
Stockdale called the cyclists “amazing endurance heroes of the campaign.” “We salute their fortitude and their support for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles [Sculptures],” Stockdale said.
Day 2
The second day of the London to Athens race was another miserable rain fest. “I felt validated when Steffen Streich said that he also found it hard and he is tough as nails” wrote Christopher Ross Bennett.
The riders left at 7 a.m to 13C and with constant drizzle, the weather continued to task the cyclists. On the positive side the wind was now behind them, except for Paul Alderson as he had a headwind for his ride back to London.
They all made good time for the 75km to the Mons checkpoint where they shared some breakfast pastries and warmed up. The highlight was Melina Mercouri Street and meeting up with Georgios Galanopoulos and Genevieve Gene.
Dionisis Kartsambas rode in later, this is his first bikepacking trip and he only got 2 hours sleep the night before. From there, the cyclists braved the rain (again) as they headed east, passing through farmland and villages. Shelter from the rain was poor, even the churches don’t have overhangs in the entrances, but they soldiered on.
The flat area became rolling terrain which turned into the Ardennes forest. Memorials, monuments and military cemeteries to those fallen in World War I battles greeted the riders as they climbe over 2600 metres.
Christopher played catch up with Steffen and Vasiliki all day.
Karlsruhe will be tomorrow’s target.
