22:59, 03-Aug-2018
'Silk Road' Solar Bike Rally: Belgian cyclist wins Lyon-Guangzhou race in 45 days
Updated
22:58, 06-Aug-2018
[]
Share
Copied
02:06
From the French town of Lyon, all the way to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, on a solar-powered bike. This route for this year's SUN TRIP took on the New "silk road" and crowned its winner on Friday. CGTN's Sun Ye has this report from Guangdong province.
He made it in a record 45 days. All twelve-thousand kilometers. From France's Lyon to China's sun city Guangzhou.
RAF VAN HULLE BELGIUM "Really happy I've made it. I've made it alive and my bike seems okay. This is definitely dream come true for me."
He covered some 300 kilometers every day in the last month and a half. Overcoming difficult terrain and just as difficult weather.
RAF VAN HULLE BELGIUM "The hardest part is the gobi deserts, I have to be constantly drinking water. The temperature feels like 50 degrees Celsius."
The veteran built his solar powered bike to hold more water, stay light and strong enough for the trip that spanned the Eurasian silk road.
FLORIAN BAILLY CEO, THE SUN TRIP "We wanted to do something amazing this year and chose the Silk Road route. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, road conditions have really improved from before. That's one of the reasons Van Hulle made it in such a short time."
The second place finisher isn't expected to reach Guangzhou until the weekend. The race started on June 15th. And having weathered so much, the solar powered bikes will head back to Europe on the China Railway Express, the rail link for the silk road. SY, CGTN, GZ.