Peterborough cyclists raise over £10,000 with charity ride to Paris

Biblical storms, a multitude of punctures, thrills, spills, and an entire team of cyclists marooned in Paris necessitating an unexpected flight back to England. These were the headline stories from an action packed Free Kicks Foundation ‘Posh 2 Paris’ cycle ride.

Most importantly though, the 16 adventures all completed their journey raising over £10,000 for the children’s charity.

The riders set out from Peterborough United’s Weston Homes Stadium on Wednesday (June 1) on their annual epic cycle ride that has taken them across Europe over the years.

This year’s ride saw them cover the roughly 366 miles to the Eiffel Tower in Paris to raise funds for the charity which gives football-themed experiences to disadvantaged children and young adults at clubs all around the country.

The riders were split into two groups, with the longer route diehards riding in excess of 100 miles per day. The slightly less ambitious long-route team covered a mere 302 miles in total!

The first two days of biking were relatively incident free as the cyclists made their way to Portsmouth in good time and in good weather. Arriving on the Normandy coast on Friday following a smooth overnight crossing, the weather took a turn for the worse with the ride from Caen to Evreux dogged by persistent drizzle.

Saturday dawned hot and Sunny as the cyclists set off on the glory leg to Paris. However the 100 mile crew were just over halfway to their final destination at the Eiffel Tower when the heavens descended upon them.

It was impossible to make any progress for nearly two hours as deafening thunder, constant lightning and flooded roads made further progress impossible. The torrential rain then gave way to giant hailstones which only added to the problems. Meanwhile the 11 cyclists intimately squeezed themselves into a small bus shelter on the outskirts of Rambouillet.

Having set off at 9.30am the group had hoped to reach Paris by 6pm. The riders eventually got underway again as the storm eased, but they spent the final 40 miles grimly cycling through heavy (though no longer torrential) rain and picking up so many punctures that the well kitted out team nearly ran out of spare inner tubes.

The sun had set before the weary but delirious riders reached their iconic Eiffel Tower destination at just after 10pm.

The other group were near Versailles when the storm struck, but they too had to make a long stop albeit in a comfortable, warm cafe. One unlucky cyclist Louise Jinks escaped bruised and battered but thankfully in one piece after a nasty fall as they resumed their ride through the French capital.

The storm hadn’t yet finished with the riders, and damage to the Eurostar overhead wires created absolute chaos. With their scheduled Sunday train cancelled and no seats available on other services until Tuesday, the cyclists hung around Gare Du Nord station pondering how it could be that their journey home from Paris was to be more troublesome than their journey there.

The cyclists eventually arrived home on Monday evening after finding sufficient available seats on a Paris to Newcastle flight. A train journey followed as the weary band of cyclists arrived back in Peterborough over 24 hours late.

Free Kicks Charity founder Steve Thorpe travelled as part of the support team, and was fortunate enough to get home on time in his van via the Eurotunnel, said: “Congratulations to the riders on an amazing effort over the last four days. The teamwork and camaraderie from everybody has been remarkable. I must admit to a lot of guilt during the horrendous weather over the last couple of days for suggesting this trip. There was a huge feeling of relief to hear the team had arrived safely, .

“Free Kicks rides always create great memories and new friendships and this was up there with the best. Thank you all!”

To donate to the riders, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Posh2Paris2022.