International Cyclists Take on Kyrgyz Peaks in Silk Road Mountain Race

More than 170 athletes from 40 countries are participating in Kyrgyzstan's annual Silk Road Mountain Race. The route this year will take competitors over many of the country's dramatic mountain passes, and past the largest lakes of Son-Kul, Chatyr-Kul, and Issyk-Kul. Riding 1,938 kilometers in total, cyclists will have to traverse 14 mountain passes, and part of the route will be at an altitude of more than 3,500 feet. The race started in Bishkek, and will end in a few weeks' time in Cholpon-Ata. Competitors must carry everything they need with them, such as tents and sleeping bags, food, water, and spare bicycle parts. “This is the best advertisement for our tourism potential. It is gratifying that its popularity and the number of participants, including among Kyrgyz people, is growing yearly,” said Edil Baisalov, deputy chairman of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers. Baisalov said that hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are watching the race. The Silk Road Mountain Race is a multi-day bicycle race in inaccessible mountainous terrain. Athletes compete on endurance, riding through mountain passes and old trails. The marathon route changes every year, but the goal remains the same.