Residents at nursing home Hlíð in Akureyri, North Iceland having been breaking a sweat recently in an international cycling competition called Road Worlds for Seniors. This is the third year that Hlíð takes part in the competition and its residents are currently in second place of 120 homes that are participating.
Physiotherapist Ásta Þorsteinsdóttir manages the project, which she says is very popular among Hlíð residents. “First thing in the morning there’s a queue outside here when we arrive and this is on from eight until four o’clock, just constantly,” she told RÚV reporters. “As it stands, we are in second place of 120 teams with 1,700km (435mi) cycled. Last year we were in fifth place so we are doing a bit better this year.”
Residents take part in the competition on stationary spinning bikes in the home, while a screen provides them with video and audio of point-of-view bike trips through cities around the world.
Jónína Axelsdóttir is one of the residents participating in the competition daily. “It’s just so fun, amazing to participate in this.” Jónína hopes Hlíð takes home the trophy this year, but adds “it would be OK to get second place.”
