In Türkiye, the 11th Yeşilay Bicycle Tour was held simultaneously in 81 provinces, including Istanbul, Trabzon, Erzurum, Ağrı, Ardahan, Adana and Kayseri. The event attracted around 2,000 athletes nationwide, and governors and officials emphasized the role of sports in addiction prevention.
Starting from Sarayburnu in Istanbul and passing through Yedikule coastal road (Kennedy Avenue), Genç Osman Avenue, 10th Year Avenue, Topkapı, Edirnekapı, Ayvansaray, Balat and Eminönü, the event concluded at Sepetçiler Kasrı. The event, with the slogan “Let’s enjoy healthy living together,” was attended by around 2,000 athletes.
Speaking before the race, the Governor of Istanbul, Davut Gül, stated that sports are the most effective instrument for combating addiction.
Emphasizing that Yeşilay organized an event in line with its purpose, Governor Gül said: “The city, the venue and the weather are beautiful. You want to ride a bike as soon as possible. I thank Yeşilay, the Cycling Federation, all sponsors supporting the event and each participant. Combatting addiction is most effectively done through sports, one of the most enjoyable branches of sports is cycling. This event aligns with Yeşilay’s purpose. I wish you all success.”
Emin Müftüoğlu, President of the Turkish Cycling Federation, remarked: “When we see this community, we feel once again how much love there is for cycling. Yeşilay is accomplishing very important tasks. We want to thank everyone involved. As the cycling community, we can say that we are rapidly progressing towards becoming a cycling country.”
Yeşilay Deputy Secretary General Mevlüt Büyükhelvacıgil also noted the following:
“Our most important goal in coming together is to promote a healthy lifestyle. 174 university youth have put in great effort, which shows that our fight against addiction has a positive reception in society. Young people are our biggest supporters in the fight against addiction, and we value organizing such events. Together, we are stronger and look forward to the future with hope.”
Metin Özdemir, General Manager of Ziraat Participation Bank, stated: “Yeşilay has been combating addictions for over 100 years. Sport is one of the most important ways to overcome addiction, especially for our youth. As one of the youngest brands, we are delighted to sponsor this event and stand alongside Yeşilay.”
Yeşilay General Manager Nurullah Atalan expressed their aim to create awareness about addictions, saying: “In fact, we consider this event as a festival. We want to raise awareness that our 11th bicycle tour has now become traditional and is extremely important. This year, we are organizing it simultaneously in 81 provinces with our ministry and the Cycling Federation, and our goal is to raise awareness about addictions. For the future, for our youth, we believe in the power of culture, art and sports. That’s why our events will continue without slowing down.”
Atalan explained their aim to instill a sense of sports and health awareness, saying:
“What we aim to instill is a sense of sports and health awareness. As technology advances, people, especially our youth, are more inclined toward this. The old culture of playing games with friends on the street is disappearing. We don’t want that. We are advancing our efforts in this direction. We want our youth and children to stay connected to sports. The interest is growing significantly every year. The numbers we are seeing are reaching a remarkable figure in 81 provinces. Our goal is to make our voices heard by everyone. To ensure they stay connected to sports. If we can achieve that, we are happy. Of course, we set goals, and our goal is always to increase participation.”
In Erzurum, Ağrı, Trabzon and Ardahan, the 11th Yeşilay Bicycle Tour was organized by collaborating with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Turkish Cycling Federation.
Participants showed great determination as they braved various weather conditions to participate in the nationwide Yeşilay Bicycle Tour. Emirhan Tanay, President of Yeşilay Erzurum Branch, emphasized the event’s goal of promoting healthy living and combating addiction through sports.
In Ardahan, around 100 participants from diverse age groups attended the event, advocating for a healthy and active lifestyle as part of Yeşilay’s 104th-year celebrations.
Meanwhile, in Trabzon, the “11th Yeşilay Bicycle Tour” united cycling enthusiasts across Türkiye. Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu underscored the event’s importance and the role of sports in fighting addiction.
Despite rainy weather, cycling enthusiasts enthusiastically joined the nationwide Yeşilay Bicycle Tour, highlighting their commitment to healthy living and community engagement.
The event concluded with Minister Uraloğlu inaugurating it, followed by participants enjoying various activities organized by the municipalities.
