Greg & Lucy Rusedski wave 800 cyclists
off into the sunshine
 From
left, Greg Rusedski, Pat Leathem, Dr Anthony Leathem,
Wendy Taylor Hill, Lucy Rusedski.
It was quite a sight on Sunday 11th May watching almost
800 cyclists ride off into the sunshine for the 2008
Classic Oxfordshire Charity Bike Ride in support of
Against Breast Cancer who was celebrating its15th birthday
that day.
Actress Lucy Rusedski and her tennis ace husband Greg
chatted to cyclists as they left – and Lucy, currently
appearing in a production of The Naked Truth, talked
of the distress caused by this increasingly common disease
and of the need to find a vaccine. Dr Anthony Leatham,
head of clinical research for Against Breast Cancer
was able to update the audience with the good news that
a vaccine may be less than 10 years away.
Racing bikes, sit-up-and-beg bikes, bikes with trainer
bikes on the back, tandems and even four uni-cycles
all rode through the starting gantry between 8am and
10am cheered on by Greg, Lucy and the team from Against
Breast Cancer. The fastest cyclists were back in two
hours but most took much longer, enjoying a day out
in the sunshine and arriving any time up until 5pm.
What a difference from last year, when riders braved
the cold, wind and pouring rain! Sunday really was a
sun day – and there was no better way to spend
it than cycling through the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside.
The route wound its way from Chilton through Upton and
Wallingford, along the river to Shillingford and Dorchester,
and back to Chilton via Charney Bassett, Uffington and
Wantage. There was also a shorter route via Didcot.
Local pubs offered water and comfort breaks and had
stocked up on soft drinks. The sunshine helped create
a lovely relaxed atmosphere’ noted Kathrine Swingler,
HR Manager of main event sponsors Four Pillars Hotels
Many of the participants were local – individuals,
families and teams from Wallingford, Wantage, Reading
and Oxford. But they also came from as far a-field as
London, Liverpool, Southend and Southampton
‘We are so appreciative that nearly 800 turned
up’ says Wendy Taylor Hill, Against Breast Cancer’s
Events Manager. ‘Having raised £45,000 last
year we hope to raise £50,000 this year to continue
the research work’.
Anyone wanting to support the riders can still do
so. Send cheques, made payable to Against Breast Cancer
to us at B363, Curie Avenue, Harwell Science & Innovation
Campus, OX11 0RA and tell us that it is in support of
the Classic Oxfordshire Bike Ride.
Watch this space for a date in 2009 and for details
of the final amount raised!
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