The Cycle4Caroline cyclists arrived at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire this afternoon (Wednesday 27 November) and two of the Your Horse team — myself included — were in Upper Heyford to cheer them on!
The riders started at Burghley House in Cambridgeshire at 7.30am this morning and cycled through my local village just after 3pm. When I saw them they were nearing the end of today’s gruelling journey — which was around 150km long — and only had a few miles left to go.
Watch the moment we cheered the cyclists on:
As you can see in the video, Tom March, Alastair Wilson and Ian Stark led the group — giving us a wave, thumbs up and a “thank you” as they passed.
Then came Piggy March, closely followed by her sister Nini French, with the rest of the crew — including event rider Holly Woodhead — right behind. All waved and smiled, as we whooped and cheered!
It was lovely to get out and support them, and all of us at Your Horse wish them them the very best for the remainder of the challenge.
How to donate
Piggy told Your Horse earlier this week that she has named her bike ‘MaryAnna’. She also confessed that she finds cycling “very, very uncomfortable”, while Ian Stark described a previous day — in which the riders had to contend with snow, as “hell on Earth”.
Holly Woodhead christened her bike Barney, although an update from the Cycle4Caroline Instagram account today said she has swapped bikes — and this one’s name is currently unknown!
Today was day eight of the 11-day challenge that will see them cover over 1,100km (683.5 miles). Their fundraising total currently stands at just over £140,000 and their target is half a million, which will be split between the British Eventing Support Trust and Spinal Research.
Donate to Cycle4 Caroline online
The ride is in memory of Piggy’s late sister-in-law Caroline March, who died by assisted suicide in March 2024 after being paralysed in an eventing fall in 2022.
From Blenheim Palace they then cycled on to nearby Cornbury House — another venue in the eventing calendar, including the venue for the Cotswold Cup Championships — where they are sleeping tonight.
Tomorrow they will continue to Badminton in Gloucestershire, before heading to Windsor on Friday. Then on Saturday, their epic cycling marathon will conclude at The Savoy in London, after the final leg in which other people are invited to join them.
How to join in
The final 60km leg from Windsor to Central London will start at Ditton Park. Participants will cycle past Windsor Castle and follow the River Thames past Hampton Court Palace, as well as iconic London landmarks like Battersea Power Station, the Palace of Westminster and the London Eye.
They will then arrive at The Savoy in time for afternoon tea, with the challenge culminating that evening with the BE Support Trust Winter Ball, hosted by The Savoy.
Find out more about how to join in with Cycle4Caroline
