After more than 40 years as an osteopath in Dudelange, Dan Leiner is not settling into a quiet retirement. Instead, the 65-year-old has embarked on a cycling journey from Cairo to Cape Town – a journey of between 8,000 and 10,000 kilometers.
On 31 January, Leiner began the Tour d’Afrique, an 80-stage cycling expedition that traverses 10 African countries. Though he is an experienced long-distance cyclist and ultramarathon runner, he acknowledges the unique challenge of the continent’s climate: “The further south we go, the more we’ll be riding into summer, with temperatures over 30 to 40 degrees. I’ve tried to get used to the heat, even though I came away with a proper sunburn straight away.”
As there is unrest in some areas, the participants are only told the exact route the day before. A Canadian organisation provides medical and technical support, and participants sleep in tents.
For Leiner, the journey is about more than athletic achievement. He treasures the human connections formed on such trips, having often travelled previously with his wife. “When people see you on a bike, you get a completely different experience of the countries and their people”, he explained.
While tackling this tour alone, he looks forward to highlights like Kenya, Victoria Falls, and the foothills of Kilimanjaro. He also remains committed to a cause beyond cycling: throughout the trip, he is raising donations for charity.
