This morning the Mayor of Richmond, Councillor Rita Palmer, waved off some dedicated JDRF fundraisers who began their epic 229 mile bike journey from London to Paris to raise awareness and funds for JDRF.
The three day expedition began at Twickenham Rugby Stadium at 9am and the team are now well on their way to Portsmouth, aiming to cover 73 miles on their first day.
Day two will see the group covering 85 miles travelling from Caen to Evreux through the beautiful French countryside on mainly traffic-free roads.
The final leg of the journey from Evreux to Paris will then travel through a number of French towns and then cycle past the Arc De Triomphe, finishing the challenge at the Trocadero Gardens with a splendid view of the Eiffel Tower on Sunday.
JDRF employees Jon and David have agreed to take part in the race wearing ‘Morphsuits’ - an all-in-one suit that covers the whole of the body from head to toe - to help JDRF raise valuable funds to support type 1 research.
Well done and good luck to all riders. Jon and David will be staying in touch throughout the ride - follow their adventure on the JDRF UK Facebook page or on the JDRF UK Twitter feed. If you would like to sponsor Jon and David visit their online fundraising page to make a donation. And remember to keep an eye on the JDRF website for more photos and news from the journey!