MANSFIELD AND ASHFIELD: Follow cyclists all the way into Paris

The big wheel will keep on turning for five intrepid Mansfield and Sutton charity cyclists over the coming months after vowing to ride from London to Paris inside two days.
Channel Crossing: The team will take in a Newhaven to Dieppe boat ride in the middle of their two-day trip.Channel Crossing: The team will take in a Newhaven to Dieppe boat ride in the middle of their two-day trip.
Channel Crossing: The team will take in a Newhaven to Dieppe boat ride in the middle of their two-day trip.

Richard Candlin, Richard Eldridge, Andrew Charles, Alex Etches and Chad reporter Matt Halfpenny will be putting in the miles ahead of their epic trip over Whitsun Bank Holiday in May.

The quintet are hoping to raise an initial target of £5,000 for their chosen charity of Parkinson’s UK.

“We’ve all got differing ability on a bike, and we’re also at different fitness levels, but we’re all prepared to give it a go,” said Richard Candlin, who came up with the idea.

“My initial suggestion was that we did Land’s End to John O’Groats or even a coast to coast ride, but some of us have family commitments, so this is better for us in terms of the time it will take.

“Even so, we are under no illusions as to how hard it will be and the training has already begun in earnest, both in the gym and out on the road.”

The team will ride from London to Newhaven on day one before catching an overnight ferry and then completing the second leg from Dieppe to Paris, covering more than 200 miles on two wheels.

Already there have been a couple of minor crashes when out pushing the pedals, but it hasn’t dampened spirits.

“I don’t think some of the lads are used to getting up as early as we’ve been going out,” added Richard Eldridge.

“It’s already getting quite serious as a couple of us have ditched the mountain bikes and bought racers instead.

“There’s also an idea of us doing the trip in fancy dress, but it would have to be something that doesn’t risk getting stuck in the wheels!”

Follow the five’s progress on regular written and video blogs at chad.co.uk and sponsor them at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/LondontoParisontwowheel

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