Geoff and Tour de France legend, Stephen Roche, head the line-up for this year’s London-Paris Cycle Tour www.londres-paris.com, which starts on Thursday.

 
Geoff and Stephen Roche

The London-Paris Cycle Tour is the closest the amateur rider can get to the Tour de France experience, with rolling road closures and full logistical support.  The event, known as the “professional event for amateur riders”, covers 520km in three days.

Cycling is a big element of Geoff’s fundraising for the GTF, which is campaigning for life-saving treatment for blood cancer patients.

Geoff’s twice ridden the route of the Tour de France and this will be his second ride on the London-Paris Cycle Tour for which the Foundation is the lead charity partner.

Geoff said: “We are so grateful to the London-Paris team for selecting us as a partner for 2009.    I rode the event last year and it was a fantastic experience.  It’s tough in places but I just get my head down and think about the people who are dying unnecessarily from blood cancer.  The GTF is working to get new treatments to patients and we know that if we can achieve our goal, lives will be saved.”

 Stephen Roche’s eight year old son, Florian, is recovering from leukaemia.  He said:  “You read about other people’s stories and picture the trauma but when you live it from the inside it’s totally different and it gives you a different take on life.”

Team GTF has 19 riders in the event and the ride will have added poignancy for two of the team.  Bedfordshire policeman, Steve Mead, was due to ride but the 24 year old lost his battle with leukaemia last month.   His colleagues, police officers Matt Crouch and Chris Thomas, will ride London-Paris in his memory.

 
Geoff, Steve Mead and Matt Crouch in November 2008

Matt Crouch said: “Steve never once moaned about his illness. He was brave, cheerful and full of fun and I will miss him immensely.   I know he'll be watching over Chris and I as we cycle to Paris.  I know he'll be planning to arrange a few nasty tricks on the way like hail showers or headwinds and will be laughing at us as we struggle on.”

Team GTF also includes cancer survivor and policeman, Clive Sparling, from Leicestershire.    Clive has beaten both skin and bowel cancer and donated bone marrow to his brother who suffered from a rare blood disorder.

Clive Sparling on stage at The FA with Geoff

Clive said: “If I can beat cancer twice and do what I've done then other people can too.  I love being on a bike. When I'm on one I have this total release. I feel infallible and nothing can hurt me. I'm in absolute awe of Lance Armstrong who is my inspiration.  I thought if he could beat cancer then so could I.”
Team GTF also includes Geoff’s former Crystal Palace team mate, John Salako and Foundation trustees Ian Parkinson and Dan Ellmore.
                                          
 John Salako, Ian Parkinson and Dan Ellmore

 The other members of Team GTF are:
Sports journalists Matt Lawton, Neil Ashton, Matt Dickinson and Ian Whittel.  2018 World Cup bid commercial director, Jonathan Gregory, Ian Byrne, Tony Trompetto, Paul Bailey, Mark Wickersham, Neil Greig, Findlay Macpherson, Gio Gonzalez, Stephane Oursel.
Anyone wishing to support Team GTF on the London-Paris Cycle Tour can click on http://www.justgiving.com/GTFL2P

London-Paris Cycle Tour 09 www.londres-paris.com

The event starts at 07.00 on Thursday, June 25th at Imber Court Sports Club,
Ember Lane, Molesey, Surrey KT8 0BT.

GOOD LUCK TO TEAM GTF ON THE ROAD TO PARIS!