The Afghan cyclists who fled to pursue their Olympic dreams

 

It has been one year since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan.

One of the first things they did was ban women from playing any sport, putting female athletes in danger.

But with the help of a former World Champion cyclist, five young women from the national cycling team managed to escape to a town in northern Italy.

Some of them are now hoping to become the first cyclists to ever represent Afghanistan at the Olympics. The BBC visited them to find out how they’re settling in to their new lives.

Tokyo by Bike

How about a bike around Tokyo... all of it. I go on a 120km trip from the Eastern banks of the Edogawa river to the Western banks of the Tamagawa river.

Why the Tour de France is so brutal

The Tour de France is the most prominent cycling race in the world. It’s now in its 109th edition and it’s being called the ‘Highest in History’ because there are more climbs than ever before. This is important because the climbs are where the race is won and lost. The best riders rely on their teammates to get them through the long, flat, and hilly stages, before they take on the mountain stages on their own. These are the hardest and most brutal stages of the race - but they are exactly what makes the Tour de France famous.