Cycling

It was a small message on twitter. Rein Taaramäe, an Estonian rider with Intermarché, was on altitude training in Rwanda. He prepared himself here for the Tour of Italy.

As part of that, he changed bikes. He tried out a local bike. In the video you can see how he sprints with the other cyclist, who uses Rein's bike for the occasion. Rein soon gives up, he loses with flying colours.

If you pause the film, you can take a closer look at the borrowed bicycle. Yes, it has gears. But it also has an extra construction. A sort of extended carrier has been created with a cushion on it. Indeed, it is a bicycle taxi. The driver can take two or even three people on the back. In a country full of hills, this is heavy work, very heavy work. Cyclist Rein, also without passengers, losses from the taxi rider. Who has the best legs here? The film puts the concept of top-class sport into perspective.

The taxi bike in the film has gears, but most bicycles used here for transporting people and goods are very heavy, iron steeds without any refinement. Climbing a hill often is an impossible task. So, either the cyclist takes the bike cum load by the hand and pushes it up the mountain, or the cyclist hitchhikes with another vehicle. It is a matter of clinging to the back of a truck at the beginning of the slope. Of course, this is not without danger. Once at the top, they easily cycle past the lorry on the road winding down the hill.