{"id":128119,"date":"2025-05-24T13:40:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T13:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/128119\/"},"modified":"2025-05-24T13:40:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T13:40:13","slug":"leeds-cyclists-set-to-cycle-1965-tour-de-france-route-for-sue-ryder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/128119\/","title":{"rendered":"Leeds cyclists set to cycle 1965 Tour de France route for Sue Ryder"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Tim Straughan and Simon Vallance (pictured above) are getting ready for the adventure of a lifetime \u2014 cycling the entire 1965 Tour de France route in just 60 days. <\/p>\n<p>To celebrate turning 60 this year, the pair are aiming to raise \u00a36,000 for Sue Ryder, a charity that has provided vital support to both men in different ways.<\/p>\n<p>Reflecting on his connection to the cause, Simon shared:\u00a0\u201cWhen my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer, it was an incredibly difficult time. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Sue Ryder team were there for us, providing the care and guidance we needed. They supported my dad and our family, making his final weeks as comfortable as possible. Their help was invaluable, and choosing to fundraise for them was an easy decision \u2014 it\u2019s a way to give back to an organisation that truly makes a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Tim, supporting Sue Ryder feels equally meaningful:\u00a0\u201cAs someone who oversees palliative care policy in England and as a trustee of Martin House Children\u2019s Hospice, I\u2019ve seen firsthand the incredible impact hospice care has on families. Organisations like Sue Ryder deliver life-changing support, and I\u2019m honoured to be able to help them continue their amazing work through this challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Simon said:\u00a0\u201cWhen I decided to retire this year, I wanted to mark the occasion with something truly memorable. I\u2019ve always loved cycling in France \u2014 the stunning scenery, the culture, the language. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Taking on the 1965 Tour de France route feels like the perfect way to celebrate my milestone year, while also giving back to a cause close to my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tim was keen to join Simon with the challenge, adding:\u00a0\u201cSimon\u2019s idea was brilliant. Cycling is such an incredible way to experience a country \u2014 it allows you to slow down, connect with people, and really take in the beauty of the landscape.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Plus, cycling all day gives you the perfect excuse to enjoy lots of food and plenty of cake stops!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.inyourarea.co.uk\/news\/join-our-new-whatsapp-group-for-a-daily-dose-of-health-?utm_source=inyourarea.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=widget&amp;utm_keyword=wellness&amp;utm_content=article-widget-to-ww-article\/\" style=\"border:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"app\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wellnesswatch-whatsapppromoapp.png\" alt=\"Obsessed with health? Join our WhatsApp Communit\"\/><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The pair are no strangers to physical challenges. Tim has completed endurance events such as the Cape Wrath Ultra, a gruelling 250-mile run, and the North Coast 500, a self-supported cycling trip. <\/p>\n<p>Simon, an experienced cyclist and founding member of the Valley Striders Cycling Club, has participated in mountain marathons and multi-day cycling adventures. However, both agree that this will be their most demanding challenge yet.<\/p>\n<p>Simon shared his excitement for the journey, saying:\u00a0\u201cCycling through the French countryside, meeting new people, and sharing our story is going to be an incredible experience. Of course, I hope everything goes smoothly with the bikes and our health, but I know that overcoming setbacks is part of the adventure \u2014 and it\u2019s what makes the best stories in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tim admitted some apprehensions but remains optimistic.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u201cThe biggest worry is the potential for illness or injury, but I\u2019m confident that our preparation and determination will see us through. This is more than a challenge \u2014 it\u2019s a celebration of life, friendship, and the impact Sue Ryder has had on us and so many others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Preparations for the ride have been extensive. Simon has carefully planned the route to replicate the original 1965 Tour as closely as possible, breaking each stage into manageable sections. Both Tim and Simon have been training hard, balancing cycling, running, and strength-building to ensure they are ready for the physical demands of the journey.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve also been testing our equipment and planning some practice rides to fine-tune everything before we head out,\u201d\u00a0Simon said.<\/p>\n<p>The challenge is set to begin on June 2, with Tim and Simon eager to share their journey with supporters and raise awareness for Sue Ryder. Donations can be made through Tim\u2019s JustGiving page: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/page\/tdf1965?utm_medium=FR&amp;utm_source=CL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Tim Straughan is fundraising for Sue Ryder<\/strong><\/a> .<\/p>\n<p>Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tim Straughan and Simon Vallance (pictured above) are getting ready for the adventure of a lifetime \u2014 cycling&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":128120,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8814],"tags":[748,393,4884,12893,1860,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-128119","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leeds","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-inyourarea-community","12":"tag-leeds","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114563096423645644","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=128119"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128119\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/128120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=128119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=128119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=128119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}