Three stage bike ride to Lisbon

Three countries, 41 punctures and over 1,200 miles later, Louis Metcalfe, Archie Gilmour, Harry Pearson Gregory and Tom Prebensen reached Lisbon, bringing their remarkable cycling adventure to a close.

The four friends, who were waved off from Trafalgar Square by London Mayor, Boris Johnson and Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research’s Chairman of Fundraising Alastair Campbell on Tuesday 5 July, slipped out of the saddle to share their experiences with the journalists who’d gathered to greet them.

After enduring mile-after-mile of soaring temperatures, steep climbs and torrential downpours there was relief, but also a little sadness that their three-stage tour had ended. As Tom told Portuguese broadcaster SICN, the exhausting journey had been "life-changing”.

From London the boys rode to Paris in time to take part in the Bastile Day celebrations, sample snails and enjoy a fabulous reception hosted by the International Herald Tribune before speeding through the spectacular countryside to Juan-les-Pins for a special fundraising beach party sponsored by Vilbrequin. Briefly reunited with friends and family, the weary cyclists rested as Alastair Campbell auctioned a host of exclusive lots – including dinner for eight with cricketing legend Sir Ian Botham - to give their fundraising total a £54,000 boost ahead of their flight to Portugal for the final punishing leg of the challenge.

Louis, Archie, Harry and Tom, inked up with Portuguese charity APCL (Associação Portuguesa Contra a Leucemia) to support this good cause as they pedaled their way to finish and celebrate their achievement at the Four Season Hotel Ritz with the British Ambassador to Portugal, Jill Gallard. 

The determined group of friends all aged between 16 and 17, were inspired to take on this challenge after Louis lost his mother, Lily, in July 2005 following a three year battle with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Louis says: "I hate that it took her. Sadly this is a disease that still affects so many people and the suffering is horrible. Therefore, we all agreed to raise money for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research and see what we could do to help put an end to the disease."

Also in May 2010 Tom lost his grandmother to leukaemia. Together Louis, Archie, Harry and Tom hope to raise at least £200,000 towards vital research in to all blood cancers to save the lives of loved ones, like Louis' mum Lily and Tom's grandmother, Frankie.

Louis says: "The experience has been absolutely incredible. We had a great time doing it, so I’m not happy that it’s over, but I’m relieved that we’ve finished it. There have been some really tough moments, but we’ve made it. And knowing that we’ve been able to make a difference for such an important cause is an amazing feeling.

We are truly thankful to everyone who has supported us and helped to raise as much money and awareness as possible. This charity which does such great things in this world, please support us if you can."

So far we have been pledged over £60,000 of money and services/goods-in-kind from our Corporate sponsors. We are very grateful to them.