DUSHANBE, April 5, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Two Tajiks – 25-year-old teacher from Tajik Technical University Alisher Khoushvakhtov and 27-year-old German teacher from Dushanbe’s school # 28 Said Azizov – started a multi-country cycling tour today morning, at 10:00 am, from Dushanbe’s Dousti (Friendship) Square on April 20.

According to Alisher Khoushvakhtov, they plan to travel on bicycles some 14,000 kilometers around 13 countries.  “Thus, our itinerary includes Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Astana (Kazakhstan), Moscow (Russia), Minsk (Belarus), Kiev and Odessa in Ukraine, the Russian cities of Krasnodar, Grozny and Makhachkala, Baku (Azerbaijan), Tabriz,, Tehran and Mashhad in Iran, Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Samarqand (Uzbekistan) and through Panjakent back to Dushanbe,” he said.

Cyclists failed to find sponsors for the trip despite numerous appeals.  Only the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Tajikistan has provided support to them.