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The long ride home

Fariba and Yulduz Hashimi made a life and career from cycling in one of Afghanistan's most conservative provinces. But when the Taliban returned, they had no choice but to flee.

It's a scorching hot June afternoon in the middle of an Italian heatwave. Two sisters are in the foothills of the Dolomites, about to start a 10km climb. They鈥檙e elite cyclists Fariba and Yulduz Hashimi, two of the best from their country, but they're not used to riding around bends, with cars in their way. It's far from the dusty landscape of northern Afghanistan where they come from, where often the rubbly roads aren鈥檛 even suitable to walk on. This is the story of how Fariba and Yulduz made a life and career from cycling in one of the most remote, conservative provinces of Afghanistan, where it was practically unheard of to see women cycling, and of their subsequent escape from the Taliban.

The Long Ride Home has been adapted from an article by Ivana Scatola on the Insight pages of the 大象传媒 Sport website. Audio scenes have been re-created for your enjoyment.

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15 minutes

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