Red Carnation MD Jonathan Raggett begins Tour de France ride in aid of leukaemia research
Red Carnation managing director Jonathan Raggett has begun his bid to help raise £1m for Cure Leukaemia by cycling the full Tour de France route.
At the time of writing he is three days into the 21 stages that will cover a gruelling 3,500km, accompanied by 24 other amateur cyclists taking on the challenge one week ahead of the professional race.
Speaking from Denmark, which will host the first stages of this year's tour, Raggett said: "Day three complete. We move from Denmark to France now for tougher days in the mountains. Feeling strong, motivated and ready for the last 18 stages!"
All money raised by his efforts will be invested into the national Trials Acceleration Programme, which runs clinical trials for pioneering treatments for leukaemia and will significantly increase the number of people given access to potentially life-saving treatments.
When training for the effort Raggett told The Caterer that he had been inspired to take on the challenge by leukaemia survivor and former footballer Geoff Thomas, who will form part of the Cure Leukaemia team, as well as his own experience with blood cancer.
He said: "It's over 21 days and we will do exactly the same route as the pros. It's a huge challenge. I've done the Etape du Tour, which is one of the more difficult mountain stages, but it's one day.
"After doing that, I could hardly walk. Now I need to do that 21 times."
Raggett is being accompanied by chef Hayden Groves, who wrote Back in the Saddle inspired by taking on the 3 Tours Challenge, riding the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España to help raise cash for Cure Leukaemia.
