German cyclist stops by in Burdur on way to India

BURDUR

A German cyclist who departed from Germany’s Bonn city on Aug. 15, 2021, has stopped by in the southern province of Burdur on his route to India.

“I have pedaled some 8,400 kilometers in 174 days,” 23-year-old Milan Winkler told Demirören News Agency.

His target is to finish the route in a year.

“I started this tour for meeting people from different cultures and exploring natural beauties,” he said.

So far, he has cycled across France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece.

“After leaving from Turkey, I will arrive at India following some parts of Georgia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Pakistan,” he added.

When asked about the challenges he faced during his trip, he quickly complained about the harsh weather conditions.

“I witnessed some difficulties due to cold weather. Especially, the weather was extremely cold when I was in Serbia cycling on the mountains,” he said.

Saying that he was about to freeze, he highlighted that he was lucky enough to find an abandoned hotel in the Serbian mountains to take shelter.

But the cold weather was not the only problem he faced while in Serbia. “I wanted to visit Kosovo with my bike. But local authorities refused me to enter, saying that the border was closed,” he said.