Cairo - Wearing sporting gear including cycling gloves, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi asked Egyptians on Friday to cycle and walk more to help the cash-strapped government that spends tens of billions of dollars a year on fuel subsidies.

The former army chief gave one of his first speeches since last Sunday’s inauguration to several hundred Egyptians on bicycles at a military college in the capital Cairo before taking part in a cycling marathon.

Cyclists are rarely seen in Cairo where chaotic traffic regularly clogs up large parts of the city.

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