Dani King Launching Cycle Challenge

Olympic gold medallist Dani King will be 'firing the starting pistol' in Portsmouth, to mark the beginning of this year's Beaune cycling challenge on Wednesday September 26.

Fresh from competing at the London 2012 Olympics, the track cyclist will be waving off hundreds of cyclists from Portsmouth ferry port between 7-8pm, as they embark on the endurance challenge across France.

The Beaune Challenge is an initiative of Challenge Adventure Charities (CAC) and will see teams of four cycling a relay of over 500 miles from Caen to Beaune, with the aim of raising £250,000 for good causes.

Stuart Mason Elliott is a trustee at CAC. He said,

"We are absolutely thrilled that Dani will be coming to Portsmouth to send off our cyclists. Dani has been a supporter of the charity for many years and took part in the 2007 Velo Vosgue Challenge and is a patron of CAC.

"This is a fantastic physical challenge which raises money good causes and what better inspiration for our cyclists than a gold medal winning Olympian to set them off of their way."

The CAC raises money through a variety of annual cycling challenges for a number of worthy causes.

The charity itself is solely run by volunteers and participants pay their own entry fees - meaning all of what is raised goes to good causes.

Stuart continued,

"It is fantastic to have a World Record Holder and Olympic Gold Medallist coming down to the ferry port to cheer on our cyclists and with Dani's encouragement, I know our cyclist get off to a flying start."

For more information on the Beaune challenge or on Challenge Adventure Charities please visit www.challengeadventurecharities.org.uk/