Bicyclists around the world will take to roads and bike paths on Jan. 14 to mark the 100th day since the Hamas attack on Israel last October. The event was created by the professional cycling team Israel Premier Tech, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and the Israeli Cycling Federation.
Participants will tie a yellow ribbon on the front of their bikes as a sign of identification and to support the hostages and their families, and share their journey on social media using the hashtag #RidetoBringThemHomeNow.
In St. Louis, the St. Louis Area Mountain Bikers will gather to support the effort at noon at the Bike Stop Café at 701 S. Riverside Drive in St Charles. The long-range weather forecast calls for a high of 26° on Jan. 14, so if you plan to ride, dress appropriately, suggests Galit Lev-Harir, an avid mountain biker.
“I wear a balaclava, a Merino wool underlayer shirt, a Merino wool bra and Merino wool leggings,” Lev-Harir said. “I also have a warm cycling jacket that is effective against wind. I wear battery-operated heated socks, too. If you don’t have specific winter cycling shoes, then hiking boots are a good option. For my hands, I have handlebar mitts. If you don’t have those, then ski gloves will work.”
Tens of thousands of bike riders are expected to take part in solidarity rides around the world to support Israel and the hostages. Those will include an event at the Velodrome in Tel Aviv and cycling events in Barcelona, Paris, London, Melbourne and Los Angeles.
Chris Froome, a four-time Tour de France winner, has joined the campaign and called on his fans and the global cycling community to join in. Froome is a member of Team Israel Start-Up Nation, Israel’s first professional cycling team.
“As a human being, as a father myself – I cannot stand idly by,”said Froome, explaining on Team Israel’s website that he was moved to action by the story of the Calderon family, whose father Ofer and 12-year-old son Erez, both cyclists, were abducted on Oct. 7. The son, Erez, was released after 51 days in captivity, but his father is still being held by Hamas. “Their suffering and that of all the other captives deeply affects me, and I call on all cyclists to come out for a solidarity ride that day – just as I will myself – in the hope that this show of support will bring them closer to returning home,” Froome said.
You can learn more about the local event on the St. Louis Area Mountain Bikers Facebook page.
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