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British Para-Cycling Team joins Deloitte Ride Across Britain

Posted: 6th June 2011
Source: British Cycling

Multiple World and Paralympic Champions Sarah Storey, Barney Storey, Darren Kenny, Jody Cundy and David Stone plus London 2012 hopefuls Shaun McKeown, Jon-Allan Butterworth, Tel Byrne and Helen Scott join Deloitte Ride Across Britain.

Britain's best para-cyclists will use Deloitte Ride Across Britain (Deloitte RAB) as part of their endurance training programme for the Para-Cycling Road World Championships in September, a vital qualification event for the London 2012 Paralympic games. The epic 950 mile cycle challenge sets off from John O'Groats on Saturday 11 June 2011 and arrives in Land's End on Sunday 19 June 2011. Collectively, the group of nine para-cyclists taking part in the ride have won an astonishing 36 World and 12 Paralympic gold medals. Some of the athletes will join Deloitte RAB straight after the UCI Para-Cycling Road World Cup in Spain (10-12 June) where further medals are anticipated.

Cycling was Britain's most successful Paralympic sport at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing where the team won a remarkable twenty medals, including seventeen gold. ParalympicsGB is Deloitte RAB's benefitting charity and the aim is to raise £1 million over four years to support all Great Britain's future Paralympians for London 2012 and beyond.

An impressive nine members of the GB Cycling Team will be participating in Deloitte RAB this year. Sarah and Barney Storey are returning for a second year of Deloitte RAB, riding all stages from John O'Groats to Land's End. Joining Sarah and Barney along the way are Darren Kenny, Jody Cundy, David Stone, Shaun McKeown, Jon-Allan Butterworth, Tel Byrne and Helen Scott who will be riding various stages from Glasgow to Bath.

Sarah Storey and Jody Cundy are multiple cycling Paralympic Champions who had successful swimming careers before joining British Cycling. Barney Storey, the most experienced pilot on the team; won two gold medals with Anthonny Kappes in Beijing. Darren Kenny is the most successful rider on the squad with eleven World and six Paralympic Champion titles to his name. Ex-RAF weapons technician Jon-Allan Butterworth and Tel Byrne from the Parachute Regiment joined the team through the ‘Battle Back' programme after sustaining injuries on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Deloitte RAB challenge was originally devised and staged by James Cracknell and his co-founders at Threshold Sports in 2010. Julian Mack, one of the co-founding Directors of Threshold Sports said: "Here at Threshold we are delighted that we can be joined on Deloitte RAB by some of Britain's best para-cyclists. For them to use Deloitte RAB as part of their London 2012 training is an honour and a great chance for the public to ride with the Great Britain para-cycling team."

Chris Furber, GB Para-Cycling Coach, said: "Deloitte RAB offers our riders a great block of endurance training and is a well organised and marshalled event, creating a safe training environment for our athletes. By taking part in Deloitte RAB, we can give something back to ParalympicsGB which is supporting us in our preparations for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. RAB is also a great opportunity for the public to ride alongside truly inspirational athletes who will be making the headlines in 2012."

Jody Cundy, multiple World and Paralympic Champion said: ""The 2010 Deloitte RAB was a fantastic experience, taking in many breathtaking views of the British Isles while doing the sport I love. It had such a profound effect on my training that in 2011 I added an endurance event to my sprint events on the track and it paid off as I won silver in the 4km Pursuit at the recent Track World Championships. I'm looking forward to tackling the four stages from Glasgow to Bath this year and I'll be encouraging other riders to persevere in their challenge and ride on through to Land's End."

For more information on Deloitte Ride Across Britain and to ride with the Great Britain Cycling Team visit www.rideacrossbritain.com/dailystages