Gou Huanqiang sets off on an epic bike ride from southwest China to Portugal on May 4, 2016. (Photo: China News Service/Zhao Boyun)
A middle-aged Chinese man set off on an epic bike ride from southwest China to Portugal on Wednesday, China's Youth Day, hoping to prove that age is no barrier to fitness and achievement.
Gou Huanqiang, 48, plans to pass through multiple continents and reach his destination in 88 days. After sprinting away from the start line in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, he will have to ride 170 km per day to cover the total 15,000 km within his self-imposed time limit.
"I have always wanted to challenge myself and prove to the world that youth has nothing to do with age," said Gou from Qingdao.
As well as fatigue, he expects to face difficulties including military checks, high temperatures and maybe even animal attacks on a ride taking in Tibet, Xinjiang, Karachi, Istanbul, Barcelona and Gibraltar.
Gou will also have to cross notoriously difficult cycling routes such as the Sichuan-Tibet Highway and the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway.
If successful, he will be the first person in the world to reach Portugal from Chengdu by bicycle.
It's hard to imagine that Gou was obese a decade ago. "I weighed 90 kg back then and my health was deteriorating," he recalled.
In 2005, while on a business trip in Venice, Gou met an elderly couple who rode over 2,000 km from the Netherlands to Italy in less than two months.
"I was amazed by their physique and youthful spirit at their ages, and I decided to follow in their footsteps," Gou said.
He plans to blog about his exploits on the way to Portugal on Sina Weibo and WeChat to "cultivate public passion for sports."
Many followers are already expressing enthusiasm online.
"Most cyclists are young people in their 20s or 30s, so it is amazing to see a middle-aged man like Gou take on such a challenge," said one Weibo user. "He is an inspiration to me."
"I wish him the best of luck," wrote another user. "With such willpower, I'm sure he will reach his destination."
