Still Time to Assist Freight Forwarder with 'Logistics in Lycra'

UK – FRANCE – During the recent Bank Holiday Weekend, a 21 strong team of cyclists from Essex based freight forwarder, the Woodland Group, successfully cycled the 285 mile route from London to Paris, all in aid of their two chosen charities – Panathlon and the Essex Air Ambulance, under the guise of ‘Logistics in Lycra’. At the time of writing Woodland had so far raised over £22,500.

Woodland staff planned, organised and supported the event to ensure that everything ran as smoothly as possible for the riders, many of whom were novices to cycling. Training for most began back in January when the event was announced and, as the months passed, the enormity of the challenge gradually sank in.

The team set off from the site of the historic tea clipper the Cutty Sark in Greenwich, South London on Friday 23rd May for the first leg of their journey to Dover, around 80 miles away. The gruelling first day saw the riders face some formidable hills that culminated in a steep 1.5 mile climb right at the end of the ride.

Day two started with a short stint to the ferry terminal, and subsequent arrival in Calais mid-morning. Trying to remember to cycle on the right hand side of the road, the pack headed for Arras, some 75 miles away. The weather conditions were formidable, with high winds, thunderstorms and hail stones making the task that much more difficult – and more dramatic – along with of course, the compulsory hills.

Sunday 25th started warm and sunny with 70 miles to cover. Flatter sections allowed the pace to be picked up and resulted in some fairly quick sections and quite competitive riding as the group split into two smaller teams for the majority of the day.

The final day left a shorter 54 mile section to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Conditions were again wet but the finish line was now in sight, lifting the cyclist’s spirits. Although not as physically demanding as previous days, once into the outskirts of Paris, both navigation and the risk of injury became the biggest threats with slippery cobblestones, tram lines and some fairly aggressive Parisian drivers led to a few scary moments along the way. The riders eventually arrived at the Arc de Triomphe to a warm reception.

There is still time to donate – Simply click HERE to support these two very worthwhile causes. Panathlon provide Paralympic-style sports competitions for young disabled children giving them the chance to try and enjoy sport within a friendly atmosphere. Essex Air Ambulance provide free life-saving Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for the critically ill and injured of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.