Life Cycle challengers part with their bikes

The Life Cycle challengers said goodbye to their bicycles yesterday evening as these were packed in an Express Trailers container headed for Versaille together with the whole team's food and bedding.

Life Cycle chairman Anna Miggiani said that 32 bicycles, spare parts, tools, kitchen utensils, bedding and food were leaving for France in the container.

The food included about 60 kilogrammes of pasta and a range of carbohydrates and proteins including canned beans, soya and energy drinks.

She said that six members of the back-up team would be in Versaille on August 29, two days before the challenge is due to start, to unpack the container and prepare for the opening ceremony of the challenge.

The challenge, which has been taken annually since 1999 in aid of the St Luke's Hospital Renal Unit and the Transplant Support Group (Malta), is this year expecting to take the team of 32 cyclists on a gruelling 1,700 kilometre trip from Paris to Madrid. The cyclists have been training for the trip since the beginning of May working up to an average of 30 hours training each week.

During last year's challenge, which took the participating cyclists to the Scottish Highlands, 1,500 bananas were consumed by the team.

Donations to Life Cycle can be made directly through their website or to the Renal Unit at St Luke's Hospital. Otherwise send an SMS on the following numbers: Go Mobile: 5622 for Lm2; 5633 for Lm3 5655 for Lm5; and Vodafone: 5061 7317 for Lm1; 5061 7900 for Lm2 and 5061 8816 for Lm3.

http://www.lifecyclechallenge.com