Veteran of long bike rides back on the road

A veteran of a number of long bike rides, 76-year-old Cicestrian John Swaffield is now preparing for RideLondon-Surrey 100.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Feb 2017, 10:12 BST
Updated 1st Mar 2017, 09:35 BST

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Celebrating the legacy for cycling created by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 100-mile route takes riders through the capital and into Surrey’s stunning countryside.

John has previously pedalled from Land’s End to John O’Groats, Nantes in France to Croatia and East Wittering to Moutiers, as well as London to Brighton four times, but it has been a few years since he last tackled a long ride.

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He said: “To celebrate my 60th, I, with two friends, did Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for the hospice and then did a one-day ride of 160 miles from East Wittering to our twinned village of Moutiers les Mauxfaits to raise money for St Richard’s and the twinning.

“Apart from non-sponsored rides across Europe with a couple of friends, I have not done anything for several years as I had a knee replacement about four years ago and prostate cancer three years ago, which seems to have cleared, so thought I would put something back for the help I have received.”

When he takes to the streets on July 30, finishing in The Mall in central London, he will be raising money for Prostate Cancer UK and has set a target of £1,500.

John added: “After two months of radiotherapy, I would appear to have beaten this illness. I am raising the money to put something back into the research so that it might be eliminated.”

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John, who lives in East Wittering, has played rugby and athletics for the city.

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/John-Swaffield to make a donation.

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Related topics:East WitteringLondon