Youth cyclists race in Türkiye's 3,000-year-old valley

The ancient rock formations of Phrygia Valley rise above Ayazini village in Afyonkarahisar province, western Türkiye, a landscape shaped over three millennia that served as the backdrop for a regional mountain biking competition drawing young athletes from across the country.

Carved into the volcanic rock of the Phrygian highlands, Ayazini's cave dwellings and ruins stand as remnants of one of Anatolia's oldest settled civilizations.

The site, located within the boundaries of Ihsaniye district, has a recorded history stretching back 3,000 years and has increasingly been used as a venue for outdoor sports events.

Ihsaniye District Governor Koray Yaniktepe waves the checkered flag to signal the start of the races.

Officials noted that the valley's rugged terrain makes it well-suited to extreme sports, with competitors navigating a course that runs through the traces of a millennia-old landscape.

Riders set off from the Ayazini metropolitan area at the starting line, launching into a course approximately 3 kilometers long, designed by age group.

Athletes competed across eight categories, including U11, U13, U15, and U17, with separate races held for boys and girls in each division.

A competitor leans into a turn on the rocky course as the valley walls frame the route.

A total of 108 club-registered and individually licensed athletes from 14 provinces took part in the event, making it one of the wider youth mountain biking gatherings held in the region.

Young riders in the lower age categories, such as U11 and U13, navigate the same course terrain as their older counterparts. Participants travelled from provinces including Istanbul, Eskisehir, Izmir, Bursa, Antalya and Zonguldak, among others across western and northwestern Türkiye.

Cycling Federation Provincial Representative Osman Coban addresses participants and officials following the races.

Coban confirmed that the 108 athletes represented clubs and individual licences from 26 provinces, underlining the event's reach beyond the immediate region.

Medals are presented to the top finishers in each category at the conclusion of the races.

The ceremony marked the end of a competition that brought together youth athletes across a course set within one of Türkiye's most historically significant natural landscapes.