The UK's answer to the 'Tour de France' - Scope fundraisers to cycle from London to Paris in 24 hours
21 July 2010
One hundred and sixty cyclists from across the UK will be taking part in their very own ‘Tour de France’ on Friday 23 July, as they cycle all the way from London to Paris in 24 hours to raise money for the disability charity Scope.
Celebrity chef John Torode will wave off the ambitious cyclists from London Blackheath where they will begin pedalling the 300-mile route. The event is a twist on the iconic London to Paris charity bike ride which normally takes three days.
From Blackheath the cyclists will travel through the Kent countryside towards Dover where they board a ferry to Calais. Following a brief respite from the saddle during the crossing they will keep going through rural France under the cover of falling darkness until they approach the Parisian suburbs.
It’s then a storm through the ‘City of Love’ to their finish line at the Eiffel Tower exactly 24 hours after they first set off and just in time to see the climax of the Tour de France.
Commenting on the event, John Torode, who is best known for presenting the popular BBC series MasterChef and is an avid cyclist, said “Good Luck to all the brave cyclists that are going to have their work cut out cycling through the night and hopefully, all being well, they will arrive safe just in time for a well-deserved Parisian breakfast. They’re doing such a fantastic job raising so much money to support Scope’s work.”
Alison Peet, event fundraiser at Scope, continued:
“This is not a challenge for the faint-hearted but has been developed to meet the needs of those cyclists looking for a greater physical challenge than the traditional charity bike ride offers. We wish everyone the best of luck and thank them for choosing to support Scope. The money they raise will make an important difference to the lives of thousands of disabled people.
Anyone who missed out on this year’s race can register their interest for next year’s London to Paris in 24 hours at www.scope.org.uk/adventures
Notes to the Editor:
- For further information please contact Amisha Koria in the Scope press office on 020 7619 7201 or email amisha.koria@scope.org.uk
- For out-of-hours press enquiries, please call 020 7619 7200.
- Scope is a charity that supports disabled people to enjoy the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. To find out more about its work and range of challenge events visit
- The London to Paris 24 bike ride takes place from 23 – 24 July 2010.
- The route has been structured so each cyclist pedals an equal distance across 11 stages including three where both team members can take to the roads together. Return journeys back to London will be via the Eurostar.
- Each team has raised £1,800 for Scope in order to take part in the event.
- The event has been organised by Action Challenge, a specialist organiser of international challenge events and overseas cycles.
- John Torode is an Australian-born chef, a well-known food writer and successful restaurateur. He is best known for his role presenting MasterChef on BBC 1.
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