THEY’VE got sore bums but have won plenty of admiration.
And the Huddersfield Town pedallers are on their way to raising £250,000.
And some of them, including chairman Dean Hoyle, are looking forward to a hat-trick of bike rides.
The 170 Pedal for Pounds 2 cyclists fought through the pain barrier as they cycled from Huddersfield to Brighton.
Among the cyclists were Town chairman Dean Hoyle, club legend Andy Booth and Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney.
The money raised will be split between the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Huddersfield Town’s academy.
Click here to go to our Pedal for Pounds 2 section.Christopher Scrivener, 20, rode on tandem with Stephen Harrison, 56. What makes the duo’s journey all that more remarkable is that Christopher is blind and Stephen spent 15 years in rehabilitation after a sports injury – and they competed the ride on a 50-year-old bike.
Christopher said: “It was a challenge but well worth while, being on tandem wasn’t a problem because we’d practiced before so the communication was great.
“But whoever says it’s downhill once you hit Sheffield is wrong.”
The Brighouse man says that his group – black group – had eight punctures in just one day.
He added: “I’m feeling it now but it was a great experience and I’d definitely do it all over again.” They’ve raised around £1,000 for the charity appeal.
Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney also joined the ride. He said: “It was hard but worth it and what a fantastic game for us at the end of it all.
“I’m on my way to raising almost £1,600 and I’m so thankful to everyone who has sponsored me.
“There was one lad who was 14, others in their 60s, there was some on a tandem and a group of girls in their pink shirts, it really was a great community effort.
“It wasn’t until I was on the coach on the way back travelling at 70mph that the distance we’d travelled really hit me. I’d be happy to do it next season – I just hope it’s ahead of the Burnley or Barnsley game,” he joked.
The MP added: “Football often gets such a bad press with Wayne Rooney’s wages, but for the fans to rally together round a club which really had the community in mind, it’s a great thing for Huddersfield.”
After Saturday’s game Town manager Lee Clark and several of the players cheered the fans in acknowledgement of their efforts.
Chairman Dean Hoyle said: “It was gruelling, much harder than last time at Southend.
“I thought Huddersfield was hilly but I’ve seen more hills in central England on this journey than I want to see in the rest of my life.
“There was some real heroes on the ride and I’ve made some fantastic friends and it was really enjoyable.
“It’s great to see so many people feeling so much a part of Huddersfield Town.”
Asked if he’d be making the bike ride hat trick in the Championship next season, Dean replied: “Hopefully it’s at Hull.”
