Schneider is one of a number of celebrities, including Olympic Gold medallist Daley Thompson, set to take part in the Charity’s Tour Ride in the South West. The actor has opted to take on a gruelling 70km challenge distance in the event, which offers participants the unique opportunity to ride on the same route as the professionals in The Tour of Britain.
In a bid to encourage people to sponsor him in his feat, the actor and writer has created a three minute video, in which he offers tips, including how to effectively pad Lycra cycling shorts in all the right places, as well as to become more aerodynamic by wearing a cropped jersey.
The writer and actor, who also appeared in BBC2 sitcom Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and films including A Knight’s Tale roped in leading professional cyclist Dean Downing for the shoot, and attempted to convince him of his expertise on two wheels by challenging him to a cat and mouse chase around London’s Herne Hill velodrome.
David said of the film, which is set to become a You Tube hit: “I'm really looking forward to doing this cycle ride for The Prostate Cancer Charity - if ‘really looking forward’ also means ‘slightly bloomin' dreading it’. I ride a lot in London but have never really cycled in the countryside, where apparently there are green fields and also things called hills and nice views. I've always meant to do something like this and now The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Rides are giving me the chance to take on a stretch of the Tour of Britain and raise awareness of prostate cancer.
“I also thought I would make an awareness-raising comedy video as my slender skills base includes making comedy. The hope is that it will also get people to watch the funny and donate some money.
“I am going to be training in earnest over the next few days and I am looking forward to the big day itself. If I - an urban middle aged man who thinks physical exercise is stroking a cat - can take on a challenge like this, anyone can, so I would urge people whatever their ability to put their name down for The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Rides today.”
Dean Downing, a member of the Rapha Condor Sharp team, said: “I am not quite sure that I will be taking on all of David’s tips, but I had a lot of fun making the video. David is clearly a new cycling talent to look out for! The beauty of the Tour Rides is that there is a distance to suit everyone, between 1 and 175km. I hope as many people as possible will join us.”
David will be joined at The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Ride, which cuts a scenic but tough route across Devon and Somerset, on Sunday 5 September, by athlete Daley Thompson. The pair recently put in a training session for the big day, at London’s Richmond Park. Once again, the comedian, who has a huge following on social networking site Twitter, attempted to show his cycling prowess as the pair hit a tandem.
Daley said: "I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in The Prostate Cancer Charity’s London Ride last year. It was a really great day cycling past some of the capital’s most iconic sights. I wanted to step it up this year and do a longer ride and therefore decided to take on the full distance in the South West. I am looking forward to taking on something fresh. Being a decathlete, I am used to turning my hand to a number of sports and am devising my own training plan which I am confident will get me up those hills.”
The Charity is staging three events across the UK, this September, as part of its ‘Unite ByCycling’ initiative, which aims to raise awareness of prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men in the UK, as well as to raise funds to fight the disease. As well as the South West, people will be able to take to two wheels for an official stage of The Tour of Britain route, in Stoke-on-Trent and London.
People can go the full distance and take on the full route, of around 160km a shorter challenge distance, around 70km or a family ride, of between 1km and 25km.
The Prostate Cancer Charity's Head of Community Fundraising, Claire Walsh, said: "We are delighted that David, Daley and Mark will be joining us in the South West for the Charity's Tour Ride and we are very excited about David's video - it is really very funny and is already proving a big hit on the internet. The Tour Ride is coming up very soon and we are hoping to fill our last few places in the lead up to the event. There are three routes available, for cyclists of all abilities. Anyone who wants to pit themselves against the professional cyclists or who is looking for a fun day out with their family is encouraged to sign up soon."
Places are filling up fast, so people are encouraged to join David and sign up as soon as possible, at www.tourride.co.uk.
No comments:
Post a Comment