Charity cyclists find battlefield route quite tough

John Bray

BBC News, Reims, France

25 September 2024

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BBC News is following the progress of a charity cycling team who are cycling 1,000km (600 miles) along the Western Front Way. They are pedalling with blind fundraiser Dave Heeley, from West Bromwich. Halfway through the trip, which is raising funds for the Albion Foundation, we asked the riders to reflect on the first four days in the saddle.
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"I think we started off as individuals, but we found a team really quickly. I was maybe a bit naive, I didn’t realise how bad it would be on some of the trails and they are very awkward. I don’t really think about the distance we have left to go. I just think about the next pedal stroke," said tandem pilot Steve Dugmore.
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"It’s far tougher than our Escape from Colditz challenge in 2022, probably because of the road surfaces. There’s great camaraderie in the team and it’s just a case of pressing on. I work for the Albion Foundation so I get to see where the money that we are raising goes and it changes the lives of people in Sandwell and beyond," said rider Steve Meeson.
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"Yes, it’s painful and every day is a hard task, but it’s nothing compared to the pain the guys went through in the First World War. This is about everyone who fought, the British, the Americans, the French and the Germans. And I feel very proud to be part of the Blind Dave cycling challenge," said rider Alan Carmichael.
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"When you see the graves, lines and lines of them, it’s very, very sad. It’s a true cycling challenge and we were blessed with great weather for the first three days and great colleagues. The road surfaces are very challenging. It feels like we are building up to something very big with our visit to the Menin Gate on Friday," said rider Mark Green.
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"As a foundation, we have a mantra of ‘a proud Albion family’. I have known Dave for a very long time and Dave does what the foundation stands for. If Dave can do it, anyone can do it. It’s empowering and he leads by example. Undoubtedly what we are doing is going to change people’s lives and I just thank Dave for being the leader and I appreciate everyone on the team," said rider Jonathan Ward.
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"It’s been absolutely brilliant. Tough but just amazing. I have enjoyed every minute of it. It has surprised me how tough the terrain is for cycling. I’m genuinely grateful to all my fellow riders who are looking after me and the support team is superb," said rider Con Cunningham.
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"It’s been very challenging and of course lots of miles in the legs, but the overwhelming feeling is of togetherness. It’s very tough and I know it’s going to get tougher. We’re doing it for a great cause, the Albion Foundation, and a little bit of pain is minimal to what these chaps did in the war," said rider Paul Mardon.

Cyclists travelling through France are facing an emotional test of endurance, as they pay their respects to thousands of men killed in World War One.

Team Blind Dave, led by West Bromwich fundraiser Dave Heeley, have completed four days of their seven-day challenge to cycle 1,000km (600 miles) along the Western Front Way through France and Belgium.

Their ambition is to raise £80,000 for the Albion Foundation, but also to honour the many victims of the 1914-1918 conflict.

The war claimed the lives of 17m people and the Western Front Way is punctuated with dozens of war cemeteries, where crosses sometimes stretch as far as the eye can see.

A man with a sunglasses and cycle helmet with camera on top

"Blind Dave" Heeley relies on a "running commentary" from his fellow riders as they pedal through the French countryside

The team has presented wooden crosses at two cemeteries so far.

And the group will be paying tribute to former West Bromwich Albion footballer Harold Bache at the Menin Gate at Ypres in Belgium on Friday.

The first visit was to Cernay where more than 8,500 German soldiers are buried.

Cyclist Alan Carmichael, a retired major in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, led the tributes at the cemetery.

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Charity cyclists pay respects to German war dead

Three men looking at a metal cross in a cemetery

The cemetery was built in 1920 to bring together the remains of German soldiers from across southern Alsace

"The riders have been brilliant, as individuals and as a team," said Mr Heeley.

"I am so proud of them for coming on board for a challenge that none of us knew what was ahead of us.

"And I’m so proud of our support staff, including my daughters Grace, Georgie and Dannie."

He added: "It’s physically tough and its emotional seeing all these graves where men lost their lives more than a century ago."

Seven men beside a grave in a French military cemetery

On Tuesday, the team visited Fleury-devant-Douaumont National Cemetery which holds the remains of soldiers who died during the battles to defend Verdun between 1914 and 1918

Grave crosses and roses at a French military cemetery

The cemetery has 16,000 graves and a Muslim sector with a further 592 graves

Montsec Monument is large circular colonnade

On Monday, the team visited Montsec Monument, which commemorates the capture of St Mihiel Salient by the US First Army in 1918.

Woman taking photograph of a trench hospital in woodland

Remnants of war litter the countryside and the team visited this German trench hospital, deep in woodland near Saint-Mihiel

After three glorious days weather-wise, the team was confronted with driving rain on Tuesday as very poor cycling conditions hampered their progress to Reims

Two men on a tandem bicycle with another cyclist following behind

The dismal weather contributed to some members of Team Blind Dave spending more than 12 hours riding on Tuesday

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