US EditionFrench cyclist freed by Russian court after world record attempt
Sehili was detained over seven weeks for crossing a border meant only for trains and buses during his record attempt and was released without paying a 50,000-ruble fine.
- A Russian court in Primorye freed Sofiane Sehili on Thursday after more than 60 days in detention, despite finding him guilty of illegal entry.
- Sehili was arrested in early September after trying to break the Lisbon-to-Vladivostok record by cycling across the Russian‑Chinese border using a crossing meant for trains and buses.
- The court imposed a 50,000‑rouble fine but exempted Sehili from payment, and a court statement said his passport, electronic visa copy, two mobile phones, video camera, navigator, and bicycle were returned.
- 'Sofiane is coming home,' Bensussan wrote on social media, welcoming the ruling and praising their Russian lawyer as the cycling community celebrated.
- Sehili describes himself as an ultra‑endurance racer whose 2017 Guinness‑verified 14,331 km route took 64 days two hours and 26 minutes, aiming to surpass Jonas Deichmann's record.
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38 Articles
A bicycleist from France, Sophiaine Sehili, who had been detained in the Maritime region in early September and later accused of illegally crossing the State border, left Russia and was informed by his lawyer, Alla Kouchner.
French cyclist Sofiane Sehili freed by Russian court after border arrest
French endurance cyclist Sofiane Sehili was headed home on Thursday after a Russian court freed him despite finding him guilty of entering the country illegally during his attempt to break a world cycling record.
French cyclist freed by Russian court after world record attempt
A Russian court freed a French long-distance cyclist on Thursday after finding him guilty of illegally crossing the country's border with China while trying to break the world record for cycling across the Eurasian landmass.
For more than two months, the cyclist Sofiane Sehili is on the road to break a world record. On the last day, click the handcuffs: The Frenchman is arrested when he enters Russia and sent to prison. Just two months later, he is now free again.
Today, the Russian court acquitted the French citizen Sofian Sechili, even though it found him guilty of illegally crossing the state border of Russia.
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