Former rugby player bikes to New York for Doddie

Mike Teague and the group cycled more than 3,000 miles

A veteran rugby player has completed a 3,250-mile bike ride to help raise funds towards finding a cure for motor neurone disease (MND).

Mike Teague, who played for Gloucester, England and the British & Iron Lions, was part of a group which set off to cycle from San Francisco to New York in May.

The tour was organized by My Name’5 Doddie Foundation which is dedicated to creating a world “free of MND”.

Mr Teague said: “Looking back, it’s been an incredible and epic adventure.”

The group has raised more than £2,200

They raised money for the charity set up in memory of former Scotland international Doddie Weir who died aged 52, six years after a MND diagnosis.

The team made it to New York on 22 June.

The bikers, who included former England rugby union player Peter Winterbottom, took up the challenge to help fund research to find a cure for MND.

Describing the journey, Mr Teague said: “I have lived in what can only be described as a box with curtains for six weeks."

Mr Teague emphasized the immense impact MND has had on the rugby community.

“This terrible disease has affected many in the Rugby community, including Gloucester’s Ed Slater, who was diagnosed at 33 in July 2022 and last year losing my friend and first roommate ‘The Judge’ Paul Rendall to it," he said.

The fundraiser has reached about £2,230 of the group's £5,000 target.

The group spent about six weeks making the trip

Despite several hiccups along the way, Mr Teague and his fellow bikers were able to complete their journey with “no broken bones”.

Mr Teague said: “We had a couple of incidents. I had an accident with Ed [a fellow biker] and he fell off his bike.

“I can recommend he was a good soft landing. So, no broken bones.”

NHS defines MND as an uncommon disease that affects the brain and nerves, causing weakness which gets worse over time.

Through their campaign, Mr Teague hopes to raise awareness about MND.

“I hope we can just keep pushing this to the forefront and make awareness of what a horrendous disease it is," he said.