Greece to host toughest Bike Odyssey race

Greece is set to host the annual Bike Odyssey, one of the most challenging mountain bike races next month in the mountain range of Pindos.

The Bike Odyssey, which is the ultimate challenge for any biker, will start on June 15 and end on June 23.

Organisers announced that that the race was included for the first time in the calender of the Union Cycliste Internationale or UCI, the world cycling federation.

According to the founder and organiser of the Bike Odyssey, Christos Makriyiannis this means that more and better athletes will come from all over the world.

"The participants will enjoy nine days of mountain biking along the most beautiful routes of Pindos. The race will kick off from the village of Smixi and will end at Kato Tithorea in the region of Fokida with midway stops at the villages Kalliroi, Pyli, Kalyvia, Krikello and Athanassios Diakos. The total length of the race is 637.56 km with an altitude difference 20,531 metres," he said.

The cross-country race includes paths and dirt roads in forests but also short paved sections. It passes through 57 marvellous villages in the mountains of Greece and passes through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country.