A GROUP of former rugby players from Aberystwyth are to cycle from Cardiff to Edinburgh next month to raise money for Doddie Aid.
The team of former Aberystwyth RFC players will leave Cardiff on Thursday 9 February.
All proceeds will go towards the Doddie Aid appeal which is helping fight Motor Neurone Disease.
Doddie Weir was a former Scottish Rugby International who sadly lost his long battle with MND in November 2022.
The 555 mile ride is to be completed in around 50 hours.
Starting at the Principality Stadium Cardiff at 8am on Thursday teams of up to 8 riders will ride in relay to cover the distance almost non- stop day and night, aiming to reach Murrayfield around lunchtime on Saturday, prior to the Scotland v Wales International at 4.45pm.
The group of over 25 teams are led by Former Scotland International and Doddie Foundation Ambassador Rob Wainwright, who will be delivering the match ball from Cardiff to Edinburgh.
Among the teams are Olympic champion cyclist Chris Hoy and a 1997 Lions team including Martin Johnson, Paul Wallace, Fran Cotton, Tim Stimpson, Jeremy Davidson and others.
The Aberystwyth RFC team includes farmers- Cefin Evans, Gareth Jones and James Raw, along with Dafydd Evans, Iestyn Tudur-Jones, Gwion James, Glyn Williams, Darren Hathaway, Aled Lewis, Dylan Llewelyn, Brian Isaac and Emlyn Jones.
Speaking ahead of the event, Gwion James, a senior account executive at FUW Insurance Services, said: “We’ve been training since November and are looking forward to the challenge. It’s great to be together as a group of former players once again, and make a contribution to this worthy cause.
"Doddie Weir was admired as a rugby player and also later as a committed campaigner for MND awareness.
"It will be an honour to ride this challenge in his memory.”
Dafydd Evans, who also works for FUW Insurance Services, added: “The weather is going to be one of the main challenges and we’re expecting rain, wind, snow, ice - anything really in that part of the world.
"It is personally a huge challenge for me and no doubt going to hurt a lot!!
"The motivation will be knowing that we are helping raise funds and awareness to find a cure for this horrible disease, and my pain on the bike will be nothing compared to what MND sufferers are going through.”
As part of preparations for the event there is a fundraising event at Aberystwyth Rugby Club on Saturday 21 January at 12 noon.
The event guest speakers are the World’s most famous mountain biking family- Rachel, Gee and Dan Atherton of Machynlleth.
There is also an auction to follow. For tickets contact Gwion James on 07980608337 or Dafydd Evans on 07814513176
You can follow their progress on Facebook:
And donate here: