The 16-week countdown and intensive training programme for LifeCycle 2024 has officially kicked off with the cyclists and back-up team hitting the road as a group for the first time last weekend.

The annual LifeCycle Challenge, which this year is themed Journey of Good Hope, is a 2,000-kilometre cycling feat that will take the cyclists from Botswana to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. The feat will commence on Friday, October 25 and is set to be completed in the ambitious time frame of 10 days, with the aim of raising funds in aid of renal patients and research on kidney disease.

The LifeCycle Challenge 2024 presents a variety of terrains and landscapes, with cyclists facing different challenging conditions. Starting with the vast, flat savannahs and grasslands of Botswana, the participants will be cycling along open landscapes in a hot and dry climate.

This year's route

Skirting the Kalahari Desert with its extreme conditions and limited shade, they will then move to the hilly terrain of South Africa, often characterised by sharp climbs and descents.

The final leg and the approach towards Cape Town will take the cyclists along the famous Garden Route, all the way to the finish at the Cape of Good Hope.

It’s about laying the foundation of trust and teamwork that will carry us through to the finish line

LifeCycle Malta founder and chairman Alan Curry said: “The first group training session is always an important step for us. It isn’t just about starting our physical preparation; it’s about laying the foundation of trust and teamwork that will carry us through to the finish line. It also makes the challenge feel real and close by, bringing a combination of excitement, determination and anxiety. This is a very testing challenge we set for ourselves, but all is worth it in aid of our cause.”

Now in its 24th edition, the challenge, organised by the LifeCycle (Malta) Foundation, has become an annual landmark event in Malta’s sporting calendar. Over the years, the foundation has raised close to €4 million in support of renal patients, contributing to medical research and raising awareness about renal disease.

The 2024 LifeCycle Challenge is supported by the main sponsor Nescafé and other sponsors, among whom are Smart Technologies Ltd, APS Bank, Laferla Insurance and JPA.