A total of 153 professional cyclists from six countries around the world have begun their tour in Turkey's southeast, the cradle of civilization.

Organized by the Turkish Cycling Federation, the International Civilization Cycling Tour kicked off on Tuesday in Mardin. The tour continued in Batman province in Turkey yesterday and will come to an end in Diyarbakır today. The tour is held in four categories including adults, masters and young and young stars with the participation of sportsmen from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia.

Speaking to the press at the finish line, Bayram Akgül, vice president of Turkish Cycling Federation, said their aim is to organize an international cycling tour all over Turkey and continued: "A few months ago, this region was not safe even for tourism, but today we are organizing a cycling tour with international sportsmen. These people will return to their countries and talk about the historical treasures of Turkey as well as the peaceful atmosphere that is now prevalent in the southeast of Turkey."