Traveling to watch their team play at the World Cup took a little longer than usual for two French fans.
Mehdi Balamissa and Gabriel Martin decided the best way to travel from France to Qatar was on two wheels.
The friends spent three months traveling 7,000 kilometers (roughly 4,350 miles) by bicycle to reach Qatar 2022 and watch their beloved France defend its title.
"It was a crazy idea, but we’re the kind of people that have big ideas and don’t want to have any regrets," Balamissa said, as both spoke to CNN Sport a day after arriving in the country.
"So, since we are both self-employed, we decided to block off three months of our time and come to Qatar."
The pair started their mammoth journey at the Stade de France in Paris, home of the French national team, and finished at the stunning Lusail Stadium, the venue that will host the final at Qatar 2022.
They would travel on average 115 kilometers per day, taking appropriate rest days when needed.The idea came about after cycling from France to Italy to watch their country play in the UEFA Nations League last year and they wanted to test themselves with a much longer trip.They hoped their trip would promote the benefits of sustainable travel and said they plan to offer cycling workshops to children from disadvantaged backgrounds when they eventually arrive home.But first the pair plan on enjoying their time in Doha. After all, they’ve worked hard for it. Battling deserts, woods and everything in […]
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