Paris-Marseille by bike to support their friend, who has cancer
They could have given up but their friend’s illness made them hold on. In five days, from Monday August 22 to Friday August 26, Ismail El Omari, 28, Walid Bouchiki, 26, and Ali Chemchaoui, 40, cycled from Paris to Marseille.
“We drove an average of 9 hours a day”, says Ismaïl, at the initiative of the project. The three friends who had never ridden a bike before, frequent the same gym, the Fitness Park of Aéroville (93) where Ismaïl is manager, Walid coach, and Ali, a simple member. It is also from this gym in the Ile-de-France that their journey began. After 854 km of mountain biking, they reached the Fitness Park in Marseille.
The three athletes rode 200 kilometers on the first and second day, 154 kilometers on the third and fourth day and 152 kilometers on the last day. “We brought back the bare necessities, a toothbrush, boxers and a spare t-shirt, a bike chain and an inner tube”says Ismail.
A trip that these non-specialists in two wheels prepared in just six weeks. “We did a bike ride to Dieppe as a test,” says Ismaïl. Beyond the sporting challenge, this journey was above all a means of raising funds for our friend Rizki”. At only 27 years old, this is the third time that their friend has fought against cancer. “There were very difficult times during our adventure and it was thinking of him that we never gave up”proudly Ismail.
The adventurer remembers especially from this trip the beautiful encounters. “We were always very well received by our fellow citizens”, enthuses Ismail. “Fortunately, we don’t trust what we see on TV”, concluded the young man who is already preparing another big project. This time it will be in Morocco.
>> To read also: Yvelines. A bicycle trip from Ecquevilly to Marseille to support people with disabilities