About the Halfords Help for Heroes Bike Ride
Our cycle challenge takes us from HMS Victory in Portsmouth, across the channel to Caen travelling through northern France and returning to London.

This demanding route traces some of the region’s most significant WW1 & WW2 battle sites, including the Normandy landing beaches and Thiepval on the Somme.

This will be a great physical challenge ending with a cycle through central London past the Cenotaph and onto Horse Guards.

We would like to thank each and every rider for their support and dedication in collecting a minimum of £2000 for the bike ride. We are very proud to announce that the Bike Ride has raised a staggering £1 million.

Have a look at our Bike Ride Gallery, we have images and Videos from the Launch at Portsmouth and a selection of the riders each day day, just click on a picture !

Halfords Help for Heroes Daily Blog . . .

Monday 26th May
As the rain poured down nearly three hundred riders headed to HMS Victory for a fantastic send off, but as the Red Arrows flew overhead, the Royal Marine Band marched and the Commodore waved the H4H flag, the sun shone through. At dusk we started popping the Stugeron and lined up to board the ferry. We waited... and waited...

Finally at midnight 300 bicylces and 10 vehicles drove onto the ferry. All eager with anticipation, some headed to the bar, some to bed.

Tuesday 27th May
5:30am brought German opera at full volume through the speakers into our cabins to wake us up. The adventure had well and truly begun. The riders left the ferry (first puncture at the port!!) and headed to Pegasus Bridge. There they found tea, coffee, bacon butties and muffins before a wonderfully animated talk from a battlefield historian. At the first moving ceremony, Mme Arlette Gondree (who's house was the first to be liberated by allied troops, when she was four) handed a wreath to Sgt Stu Pearson, one of the Headely Court team who placed it on the memorial. A second smaller ceremony was held outside Mme Gondree's house for the Rifles, Airborne and Army Air Corps. The wreath was laid by Cpl Tony Burbidge from the Rifles and part of the Headley Court team. General Richard Shirreff and Mme Gondree both spoke on the importance of the Allied relationship.

We left Pegasus Bridge and the hills soon started to appear. The team spirit was fantastic - we found cyclists pushing each other up hills, helping each other mend punctures and sharing water bottles. The Headley Court team stayed together sharing banter and unending humour. One cannot underestimate the struggle they faced, frequent stops on and off the bikes and getting up the hills, some using one leg or just their arms.

Lunch was a huge morale boost and as cyclists arrived quiet and tired the good food soon got them all chatting and laughing again. The afternoon revealed more evil hills and a dicey path over the Pont de Normandie and through the city of Le Havre. After sixty odd miles, two accients and a top speed of 66 km/hr reached by Rory on his hand bike, they arrived at the hotels ready for a bath, a stint at the bar and supper. Knowing bets were being placed on the Headley Court teams ability to complete the first day, they all showed amazing determination and got to the hotels on their bicycles. The reality of this challenge was brought home when a chap crashed into a culvert, breaking five ribs and needing stitches and a lady's back wheel was clipped by a truck. Very sadly the chap had to return to the UK but the lady was given the all clear after being checked out by the hospital.

Time to check out and get some rest but we will be back tomorrow with the days events. Look out for the Suns photos on the H4H website.

Wednesday 28th May 2008
The ride started at 8:30am with the riders heading out of Le Havre. They followed the markers from their hotels, through a tunnel littered with glass, needless to say there were numerous punctures before the first water stop. The first memorial site visited was at Fontaine La Malet, then a speedy rush to the chocolate stop where the mechanics were put to work!

The riders were all moving on well, with a few comical falls and some not so comical but laughter being heard in the end. Suddenly a group started forming on a lane, all the riders had been stopped as the route markers had been moved and the riders were about to head off into a forest! It was such fun, an impromptu stop seemed to help morale especially in a beautiful spot.

Lunch did not prove as restful as yesterday as the heavens opened and the wind howled. The riders got wet and cold huddling under the shelter until they decided to move on to the next wreath laying ceremony. Many of the riders made it to St Valerie en Caux to hear the historical account and see the wreath being laid by tandem rider Col. Robin Simpson an Army doctor and linked to the 51st Highland Regiment. The memorial is on high and exposed ground so consequently the wind chill was a concern but again the ceremony was very well done and a moving experience for those able to attend.

Just as some were struggling the roads opened up into beautiful countryside and the sun broke through, gleaming down onto a very relieved pack of cyclists. It is amazing how everyone started smiling and the cheeky banter started again. Through picturesque villages they cycled, some rushing and enjoying the speed whilst others stopped to take photos and went at a more leisurely pace.

We were all bewildered when few turned up at the second water stop only to find a bar a few hundred yards before crowded with H4H cycling shirts! The freewheeling to Dieppe was clearly fun especially for those staying on the sea front, but for others further out they turned around to see a mile long very steep hill climb. A rather nasty end to a 77 mile long day.

This evening the riders were lying on the grass in the sun, cycling shirts hanging outside their rooms, Help for Heroes representatives were certainly out in force!

Tonight another important event was marked with a memorial in Dieppe for the Royal Marines and Canadians, represented by our female, Canadian cyclist and the Royal Marine team as wreath layers.

One star of many who we must mention is Celia Fielder who has had a tough time but was so determined to do the ride that she continued to train after a cycling accident that left her with a broken wrist. In plaster she cycled again in Richmond, had another accident and smashed her thumb. Worried but keen she started and is still going, with use of only one break, she hurtles up and down the hills with the best of them. Her story is an example of many on this ride all humbling in their determination and commitment.

Enough from us until tomorrow.

Tor, Rosie and Vix.

Thursday 29th May
Tip of the day: Women feeling a little saddle sore? Ride with a squashed banana between your legs! You may think that we have had too much sun (chance would be a fine thing) but it seems to be a sensible and popular piece of advice as the banana has soothing properties.

The theme for today was rain and punctures. It started off bright as the riders left Dieppe but the rain soon appeared. The route had more flat areas for speed but some shocking hills, one being up a dual carriageway. Although the heads were down and all one could see was a broken line of helmets, they powered on. The side of the road was littered with people waiting to have tyres fixed and the rescue vans were put to good use. The Royal Marines support team were fantastic zooming up and down the route fixing bikes in the pouring rain, whilst the cyclists hopped in the back for a few minutes shelter. A few had larger problems with their bikes so were put in the minibus for the end stage, so that their bikes could be fixed over night.

The first stop was for a memorial visit and guided tour of Grandcourt. This is small cemetery predominantly for Scottish and Canadian soldiers. The second was Cauillon and Crouy British cemetary. There were however a couple of German and French graves and one female. It struck many how young these soldiers were when they died. As we stopped the sun came out and the beautifully tended graves were striking in white against the lush countryside. The wreath was laid here by 3 members of the RAF, Tim Burgess, Paul Humphrey and Stuart Milton. The RAF were chosen as there were quite a few RAF graves. It was also interesting to hear that the site was a field hospital which had to be evacuated and moved. Therefore all of the graves are named as the soldiers were identified when they were admitted.

People struggled with morale this afternoon especially as two of the hotels were 6 miles on from the end destination, Amiens, which after cycling 78 miles is a painful extra slog. In the bar however we could hear them discussing the miles they still had left and as the longest day was over spirits lifted.

We are off to bed to get well rested for another day in the saddle…I mean car!

Tor, Vix and Rosie

Friday 30th May
With the sun doing its best to burn through the mist, the cyclists left Amiens at 8:30am and made their way to Thiepval. At 11:00am the gates opened specially for us (the memorial is currently closed for refurbishment) and we all made our way up to this most commanding memorial. Designed by Lutyens for the missing, around 70,000 names are inscribed on the arches. The Royal Signals squadron led an especially moving ceremony with four riders officiating. Sir Philip Trousdell, Colonel Commandant of the Royal Irish Regiment introduced the wreath layers, Lord Hamilton representing the Ulster Regiment and Charlotte Peel, Winston Churchill’s granddaughter. Annabel Jones of The Duke of York’s School in Dover read the Remembrance Prayer.

A couple of miles down the road we had the opportunity to stop off at Beaumont Hamel to see the trenches. It was shocking to see how close the British and German trenches were to each other. The War Historians told us that they were able to shout and jeer at each other. The ground was devoid of trees other than a lone tree which was the furthest point our troops had managed to reach.

After this very emotional morning the cyclists streamed through beautiful countryside and into the small village of Ransart, where they stopped at a school for lunch. The local press came out to see the arrival and the villagers were amazed at the spectacle. Thankfully the rain held off and the ride back to the hotels was less daunting than the last couple of days. All arrived safely eventually (one hospital trip to check out a shaken faller) with soaring spirits ready to get some rest. It was beginning to strike the cyclists that the ride was nearly over and that they only had one last long ride to do. We know however that there are many spectacular moments for them ahead.

This day was an especially poignant day for everyone but for some even more so as they made personal tributes to friends or family members .

Saturday 31st May
The riders were given a window of 2 hours to start this morning. They had to ride 55 miles before 1pm from Bethune to Dunkirk. The earliest set off at about 5am but at 8am there were a couple of confident men still eating breakfast. Thankfully they did all make it on time.

At Dunkirk they were given lunch and then boarded landing craft from a ramp on the port. Four of these landing craft took 70 cyclists each and took them out to HMS Bulwark who was waiting in deeper waters. The crafts went into the hull of the ship and the water drained off. The Captain and the crew of the ship, a combination of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines welcomed the cyclists.

The memorial service on the flight deck was conducted by the ships Padre and one of our riders, Richard Burge, read an extract of his Grandfather’s diary who was rescued on D day and Caroline Innes whose Grandfather is buried near to Dunkirk. They threw a wreath overboard and said the Remembrance prayer.

The riders were then given cakes and Help for Heroes Spitfire Ale whilst tours were conducted around the ship. Martin Hewitt and Dave Hepburn gave a talk on Headley Court. The ship then arrived at Dover Harbour and the four craft landed with the cyclists on Dover Beach. The reception was fantastic, amazed locals and supporters watched the cyclists walk off the craft, surrounded by the Royal Marines and waiting press. The Red Devils then gave a spectacular display, parachuting in formation into the sea.

A special celebratory supper followed when the cyclists were showered and changed. We all listened to Richard Benyon thank those involved and Craig Lundberg conduct the most amusing auction. The items sold included Rory’s cycling shirt, a pair of Royal Marines cycling shorts and Peta (The Suns page 3 girl)s shorts and bicycle!

A fun night was had by all!

Sunday 1st June
The riders were taken by coach after breakfast to the Cadet Training centre in Blackheath. They chatted and took group photos before mounting their bikes for the last time as the H4H team. They set off in small groups and wound their way through London for 8 miles before arriving in Whitehall Place to the applause of the crowd. Many tears of joy were shed as the team realized the feat they had accomplished. At the Cenotaph the Headley Court team were part of the ceremony conducted by CSM Andy Newall. Martin Hewitt laid the wreath, given to him by Mr Richard Pym of Halfords. Once the ceremony finished, the rest of the riders all followed the Headley Court team through the crowds and into Horse Guards. The Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt spoke to the riders and spectators on the importance of Headley Court and the bravery of the members of the Armed Forces. Bryn Parry then accepted the Halfords sponsorship from Mr Pym.

What followed the formalities was a wonderful sight of a team saying goodbye. A week ago nearly 300 strangers met at Portsmouth about to undertake a huge challenge. This afternoon they were friends saying goodbye, many having formed strong friendships.

The event was an emotional roller coaster. One moment we were all joking, the next providing support for tough hills or tired limbs and then being part of memorial services. The Battlefield sites added gravity and reality to the ride, a stark reminder of the sacrifices made by so many.

We heard many wonderful things throughout the week but quite a few times we were told that for some it had been life changing, for others a chance to show their support for a cause in which they truly believe.

All we can say is a huge thank you to all involved; the riders, support team and all those who have sponsored the riders. Your sponsorship helped raise over one million pounds.

Thank you. Tor, Vix and Rosie