Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers Association
Sign up to take on the physical challenge of cycling between Paris and London in aid of the Professional Cricketers Trust next October.
The three-day bucket list bike ride will see you cover 331km and scale 3,110m of total elevation as you pass through picturesque villages, historic towns and stunning natural scenery along the way. It will require a good level of physical fitness as well as plenty of determination.
However, motivation will not be in short supply as you are joined by current and former professional cricketers, with Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, Joe Denly and Marcus Trescothick all already signed up, as well as a number of the PCA’s commercial partners.
It will not be the first time the cricket community has donned its collective lycra in support of the Trust – three ‘Big Bike Rides’ in 2013, 2015 and 2017 raised over a combined £400,000 for the charity.
Bresnan, who was a part of Big Bike Ride 3 three years ago, is looking forward to saddling up in aid of the Trust once again: “The last Bike Ride, whilst challenging, was a huge team effort, similar to that of a cricket dressing room. We all pulled together to complete it with a lot of laughs along the way and in turn raised money for a very important cause.”
Photo credit: Instagram photo of @timstagram20
That cause is the Professional Cricketers’ Trust, the sport’s leading charity which provides life-changing – and often life-saving – assistance for PCA members and their immediate families when they need it most.
Support offered by the Trust can range from emotional counselling right through to the provision of specialist medical equipment and more.
In 2020, the players’ charity is facing an estimated fundraising shortfall of £200,000, so our Director Ian Thomas is calling on your support during these particularly challenging times: “With Covid-19 causing increasing uncertainty and hardship amongst PCA members, we have never been more grateful for your fundraising support.
“The Paris to London bike ride promises to be a brilliant weekend, so I look forward to lining up alongside a number of PCA members and commercial partners on the start line in October!”Provisional itinerary:
- Day one – Thursday 14 October 2021: Travel to start line in Paris
- Day two – Friday 15 October 2021: Cycle from Paris to Beauvais (96km)
- Day three – Saturday 16 October 2021: Cycle from Beauvais to Dieppe (114km). Ferry to Newhaven.
- Day four – Sunday 17 October 2021: Cycle from Brighton to London (110km)
Please note: This itinerary is a guide only. It can be subject to change dependent on viability, fitness and weather conditions.
What’s included:
- Professional ride support and guidance from Just Pedal’s expert ride leaders
- Speed groups to suit all rider abilities
- Detailed route info, online maps and GPS data
- Support vehicle(s) and full mechanical support
- Medical support
- All on-ride drinks, snacks and energy products
- Eurostar and bike transfer from London to the start in Paris
- Overnight accommodation (twin share basis)
- Ferry crossing from Dieppe to Newhaven
- Breakfast, dinner and mid-ride lunches
- Daily luggage transfer
- Branded Professional Cricketers’ Trust merchandise
- Rider safety cards
Fundraising:
- The cost of the trip is £600 per person with an additional fundraising target of £1,000 per person
- A deposit of 30% (£180) is required on sign-up, and you can either pay the remaining £420 by July 1 2021 or commit to fundraising the outstanding balance
The Paris to London challenge is open to anyone so please tell your friends and family and spread the word as much as possible!
Please visit our event organiser Just Pedal’s website for further details or email Samantha Relf at sam.relf@thepca.co.uk if you have any questions.
If for any reason the challenge is unable to go ahead, participants will receive a full refund.
Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
