Some lives are marked by dates, almost as if they were a history book. Probably if one day Fariba Hashim will write her biography, the first will be that of April 22, 2003, the day of her birth in Maimanah, in northern Afghanistan, but we will start from another day, that of August 14, 2021 because, after all, it is the day of her second birth. That day the very young Afghan faced a crossroads that could lead her to an end preterm or an existence marked by deprivation, humiliation and suffering. Or, as it was, from freedom.
A flight to Italy
Kabul. The Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan. As soon as the Americans withdrew after a decade-long war, they descended like locusts on villages and cities, reconnecting with history exactly where they left off. Terror descends with them: the youngest know what their religious dictatorship means only through the dramatic stories of those who are a few years older.There is confusion in the city: Westerners are fleeing on the last planes and with them also many Afghans ready to travel towards the unknown, those who can do it, those who can afford it.
The cell phone of one of the Hashimi sisters rings. The message reads: "Come to Kabul immediately, maybe there's a flight to Italy." The girls are in Faryab, over 800 kilometers to the north. A journey through fear begins, a thousand perils, like taking a taxi to change their cell phone. Checkpoint: Girls are violently forced down and pulled because their hijabs are not worn correctly.Luckily they are let go and continue on by makeshift means.
“We crawled from wall to wall,” one of them said. “We arrived at Abbey Gate on the 24th, in apocalyptic chaos. We could hear the machine gun fire and the explosions, but I don't know how we found ourselves on the plane, just two hours before the attack that caused blood and death."
Afghanistan is a memory
They are arriving in Italy, there are 5 of them, thanks to the incredible work of the former world champion Alessandra Hat and its organization Road to Equality. The end of the journey is also the beginning, because a new life begins in a faraway place., where we support each other, but where there's so much to do to integrate into society. Afghanistan has become a memory, especially the Afghanistan where they were free to play sports, to ride a bike. Fariba and her sisters have always loved cycling and competed in local eventsThey dreamed of one day representing their national team at the Olympics. But in the "new" Afghanistan, a woman who participates in sports is committing a mortal sin, just like studying or working.
Alessandra works very hard to help them. Find a school for foreigners run by the Venetian cooperatives, where the girls go every morning and they are slowly learning Italian and English, then after lunch they all get on their bikes. Valentino Villa took care of providing them with all the material and from 1 August 2022 Fariba became fully part of the Valcar Travels & ServiceAnother date, another chapter…
Aigle's Day
The days continue, a routine approached with enthusiasm mixed with that usual hint of melancholy for the distant homeland and family. And we arrive at another fateful date: October 23, 2022.
Aigle, the Swiss city where the center is located UCI training. The highest institution sets up in Switzerland the Afghan national championship, recovering the June 2021 race which had been suspended due to the explosion of a truck bombMore than 40 athletes are taking part, all of whom left the country during those terrible days. They are now scattered around the world, but they meet again for a match that is worth much more than the national title, at least on a moral level. All five girls who arrived in Italy are there, two of them, Fariba and Yulduz, who after just three kilometers say goodbye to the group and leave the group behind.
The Hashimi sisters are moving forward at a brisk pace, regularly switching places, and their lead is growing. "What are we going to do?" asks one. "Simple, we're evenly matched," replies the other. It's a race between sisters, no holds barred, the victory being played down to the last inch. Fariba wins, the two embrace, and await the arrival of the others, along with their teammates Zahra and Nooria, who finish third and fourth, much to the Valcar's triumph. A distinguished gentleman approaches them: his name is Sylvan. Adams, is a Canadian billionaire who set up a team that reached the WorldTour, the Israel PremierTechHe is developing the female counterpart and makes her a sensational proposal: to join be part of the team, with a two-year contract and the promise to be at the start of the next Tour de France.
Together in the WorldTour
Fariba would like to say yes, but she thinks back to those inches that made the difference. Maybe if they were against her, the proposal would have gone to Yulduz. Accepting means parting ways, leaving her sister and friends. Fariba doesn't know what to do. Alessandra Cappellotto sees his dismay and intervenes, starting a long negotiation with Adams. In the end, the contract was also extended to Yulduz, who will compete in the satellite team, while the others will receive support to continue combining study and cycling.
The girls hug each other and burst into tears. It's as if that long journey, which began in a Kabul illuminated by bomb explosions, has found its end.While we wait for another fateful date, perhaps the start of the next Tour de France Femmes...
