Team members' presentation - Costis Contopoulos

Why is it that nearly all children feel this deep attraction for cycling? And why is it that most of us, as we abandon our innocent youth, forsake this childhood's desire? Or is it not forsaken, but rather concealed somewhere deep down? Is it like this children's innate tendency for drawing, and how this wears out as we grow up? I sometimes ask myself.

My story with cycling is not much different than that. I always remember my early years on a bike. And then at my late adolescence, came a time that for many years I relinquished my relation with bikes.

But I guess the flame was never lost. It was 4 years ago that I rediscovered the magic of cycling. Cycling up on the mountains, in the woods and under the shadow of dense foliage, or across rivers. There is an indescribable feeling in this thrill of biking close to the elements of nature.

It was only a matter of time that I also took up road cycling. The desire for long-distance routes, the excitement for the companionship of a riding group. A love affair was born again.

Last year I cycled from Milan to Dusseldorf, for the benefit of Global Biking Initiative 2009. We are amateurs in cycling, even if many of us take it seriously. However, a continuous 8-day riding of more than 1000km is always a challenge for all of us; which requires great reserves of will, perseverance and high spirit. An ambitious test, to prove to ourselves how much of a fighter we can be; a test for which we'll all be inspired by the thought of the children we met at the S.O.S. Children Villages, the real fighters in life.

I look forward to GBI 2010!