The chance to imitate the world’s best cyclists by riding around Paris on the final weekend of the Tour de France is being offered to supporters of The Little Princess Trust. The children’s cancer charity has secured 60 places on a three-day cycle ride that will make its way from London to the French capital from July 16 to July 18. Riders will complete the 500-kilometre journey by making their way down the Champs-Elysees before finishing below the Eiffel Tower.
The London-Paris 2020 participants will celebrate their achievements with a finishers’ party before watching the Tour de France professionals race around the Paris streets the following day. Organisers HotChillee will get everyone fully prepared with group riding skills sessions, monthly supported UK group rides and specialised training plans. The unique format of seeded groups within the cycle ride means that there is an option to suit all riding abilities. Each of the five different groups will have a lead car, motorbike outriders, a mechanic’s van and rolling road closures. Ride captains will be in radio contact with the support vehicles to ensure the safety of each group at all times.
The event begins on July 16 in Imber Court in East Moseley and parking is available nearby for the duration of the event. The first day’s ride totals 175 kilometres and ends in Folkestone, before riders make their way for a welcome night’s sleep in Calais. Day two is a ride of 164 kilometres down to Amiens, while the final journey to Paris is 183 kilometres.
Jon Sleightholme, former England rugby player, is one of the many amateur riders to have competed in a previous ride. He said: “The London-Paris is a truly unique cycling experience, it’s the closest you can get to be treated like a pro for three days with fantastic support both on and off the bike. Riding into Paris on closed roads was the big highlight for me – what an amazing buzz that was!”
The Little Princess Trust team of riders will pedal away to ensure the charity can continue to provide real hair wigs to children and fund vital research into childhood cancers. The entrance fee for the ride is £1,300 and each of The Little Princess Trust’s 60 cyclists is being asked to raise an additional £1,000 for the charity to help improve the lives of thousands of children.
Email l2p@littleprincesses.org.uk to book your place or for further information, visit www.thelittleprincesstrust.org/l2p