Adan Finet, a 19-year-old paraplegic Belgian cyclist, has completed a 1,000-kilometre hand bike journey from Bastogne to Monaco, arriving at Port Hercule on Sunday evening.
Finet, who has been paraplegic since suffering a stroke at age 14, set off on 8th August with his friend Pascal Liégeois for the ambitious 10-day challenge. The pair tackled six mountain passes including the Galibier, Télégraphe and Valberg, with daily distances ranging from 70 to 175 kilometres.
The journey proved more challenging than expected. Extreme summer heat added to the physical demands, with Finet relying entirely on arm strength and battery assistance to power his hand bike over mountainous terrain.
The cyclists frequently arrived at their overnight stops after midnight, and faced accommodation problems on several occasions, including one night in Briançon where they had to seek emergency shelter at a parish house after hotel reservations fell through.
Navigation errors also extended their planned routed, with one stage between Besancon and Bourg-en-Bresse stretching to an unplanned 175 kilometres instead of the intended 150.
Official recognition
At the finish line Finet was welcomed by Mayor Georges Marsan and Sports Deputy Jacques Pastor, who presented him with the Monaco Sports Gold Medal. The award is typically reserved for athletes from Monégasque sports associations, with Charles Leclerc being the last non-association member to receive it following his 2024 Monaco Grand Prix victory.
Representatives from the Automobile Club of Monaco also attended, extending an invitation for Finet to attend a future Grand Prix as their guest.
Finet chose Monaco as his destination due to his passion for motorsport. His friendship with Liégeois began when Pascal helped raise over €12,000 to fund the specialised hand bike, making the ambitious journey possible
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Main photo credit: Mairie de Monaco.