Three green cycling tours to promote EXPO-2017

Three biking tours will take place in Kazakhstan to support EXPO-2017: Savoy-Astana in 2013, Astana-Shanghai in 2015 and EXPO to EXPO in 2017, Tengrinews.kz reports, referring to Florian Bailly, organizer of solar bike rides called The Sun Trip. The special feature of the tours is the solar-powered bicycles that will be used by the participants. Bailly has already gained support for his first cycling tour from the government of Kazakhstan. He is looking for sponsors now to help him arrange and hold all three bike rides. Bailly chose Kazakhstan for his green The Sun Trip biking tours because the government of Kazakhstan is devoted to development of the Green Economy. “Traveling through Kazakhstan is a real adventure. I am fascinated by dynamic development of Astana and preparation for EXPO-2017,” Bailly said. “Together with Aleksandre Vinokourov I supported Kazakhstan’s bid to host the EXPO-2017 Fair dedicated to the Energy of the Future in Paris.” Bailly also supports launch of Astana Solar project, a plant for production of solar modules that was partially funded by French investors. 35 cyclists from 6 countries will take part in Savoy-Astana bike ride that will kick off from French National Institute for Solar Energy in Chambery on June 15 and finish in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The 7300km long route from Savoy to Kazakhstan's Astana is expected to take about 2 months. The plan is to take the northern route from France, even in spite of the risk of low solar radiation. On the second day there will be Col du Petit Saint Bernard mountain pass in Alps that is 2188 meters above the sea level. The route will continue through Italy, Slovenia, Serbia, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia to Kazakhstan. Bailly hopes that Kazakhstan cyclists will be able to take part in The Sun Trip as well. Some of Almaty cyclists have already expressed interest in joining the Savoy-Astana tour. According to Bailly, many more Kazakhstan riders will be able to join the next two rides. Bailly cycled over 10,000 kilometers in 2010 when he rode his solar-powered bike all the way from France to Japan. He passed through Kazakhstan steppes back then. “Kazakhstan people were very friendly to me during my first ride. Complete strangers helped me when I experienced difficulties and even allowed me to stay for the night. People in Kazakhstan are very warm-hearted,” Bailly said. By Alisher Akhmetov