Paul from Cluj and Valentin from Sibiu partnered for a two-month bike ride from Spain’s Barcelona to Romania, which saw them cycling over 3,000 kilometers. At the end of the journey, the Sibiu two-wheel lover confessed that he is set out to discover other continents by bicycle too, not just Europe.
Paul arrived in Cluj three days ago, while Valentin Oprisor finished his cross-continental trip on Tuesday evening, in Sibiu, welcomed in the Grand Plaza of the city’s historic center by family and dozens of friends, as well as by fellow cyclists.
“It took me 65 days. We left in the middle of summer and arrived when cold set in, in autumn. I have to thank Paul from Cluj, who was my traveling companion. He finished his journey three days ago and I continued up to here, but without him I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere. I think we averaged 75 kilometers a day, our toughest day had us pedal 108 kilometers through the Hungarian plain. The hardest time was when it rained, it’s easier to endure five straight days of heat than five days of continuous rain,” Valentin Oprisor declared.
This is not Valentin’s first long-distance ride: two years ago he crossed Romania west to east. Now, after the trip from Spain to Romania, he wants to cross other continents by bicycle too.
“Two years ago and did the tour of Romania, from the westernmost point to the Black Sea, and now I’ve moved on to the next level – an entire continent. I think other continents will follow, until I check them all,” he said.
Valentin is a native of Sibiu who completed a Cultural Management master’s in Spain, and chose to return home to chip in to the development of Sibiu culture.
The young man who has crossed so many countries by bicycle wishes his fellow citizens in Sibiu pedaled more as well.
“I’d like to see bike lanes designed for transit rather than for Sunday afternoon rides. I’d like everyone in the city to be able to cycle to work, to school, and I’d be thrilled to see that. (…) I would tell non-cyclists to check out these bike lanes when they get into the saddle for the first time and see that it’s not that hard, and then persevere, because it’s much nicer than riding by car, or by any other means of transport. The bike takes you anywhere. If anyone is flirting with the idea of doing a longer, multi-day tour, my suggestion is for them to go to Austria, from from Passau to Vienna, 300 kilometers are done in no time,” Valentin said.
