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amey
The per capita GDP of Kyrgyzstan is $3,400 per annum. Male life expectancy is 66 years. In rural areas on 86% of the people have access to improved drinking water. Unemployment is 13%. 33% of the population is below the poverty line. Rural communities are incredibly poor.
The race introduces Kyrgystan to a wider world and opens it up to tourism but the benefits of that tourism are probably not immediately apparent to all of the communities that the races goes through. While one hears beautiful stories of locals befriending and helping racers, at the same time, it not difficult to imagine a certain resentment in some quarters.
One way of looking at the race is of a group of highly privileged people parading their affluence in a masquerade of suffering in front of people for whom suffering is a quintessential part of life.
I think that the achievements of the riders are amazing in terms of athleticism and mental resolve. I do also think that we have to consider the position of the locals. It may be that more education of them is required together with more direct benefits delivered to the communities through whom the race travels; but it seems that we have, this year, seen some signs of resentment and one cannot merely blame this resentment on the people who live there.