The Sarajevo Grand Prix 2014 has marked the Centenary of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination.
Thousands of amateur and professional cyclists raced through the streets of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital city in an effort to mark one of the key anniversaries of the Centenary period.
Archduke Ferdinand was the heir-apparent to the throne of Austria-Hungary when he was killed by Gavrilo Princip – a Bosnian-Serb nationalist seeking- to end the empire’s rule over his people.
The assassinsation would trigger a series of events and defensive alliances which would plunge Europe into war a month later.
The course to “promote peace” evoked memories not only of the First World War, but followed a route which took in many sites of importance during the Bosnian War in the 1990s.
The race, which was held on the 22nd June 2014, was sponsored by the Tour de France and is one of a series of events which are being planned to mark the Centenary of the Archduke’s assassination – 28th June.
Source: Sarajevo Grand Prix 2014
Images courtesy of the Sarajevo Grand Prix 2014
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News