A team of 28 amateur cyclists were cheered on by more than 150 supporters as they got their 600km charity challenge underway.

The cyclists set off from Cardiff Castle on Tuesday, April 12, as part of the C2Cycling challenge and are heading for Edinburgh Castle.

The cyclists had aimed to raise £50,000 for Cardiff-based Velindre Cancer Centre and LATCH Welsh children’s cancer charity – a target which has already been reached.

The starting klaxon was fired by ten-year old Hywel Evans whose father, Matt, led the first group out of Cardiff Castle.  

In June 2020, Hywel’s younger brother Rhys, who played for Caerphilly Rugby Club, passed away aged just seven.

Four weeks before his passing, Rhys had been diagnosed with aplastic anaemia – a rare blood disorder that prevents the body producing enough new blood cells.

Matt said: “LATCH was there for us throughout the most traumatic period in our family life and they continue to support us even today.  It is one thing to see this happen to others, but it is not until it affects you directly that you realise what an incredible job these people do. 

“Riding from Cardiff to Edinburgh is going to be a tough challenge both physically and mentally. Having Hywel fire the starting klaxon is really moving and means a lot. 

“I’m sure there will be plenty of tears along the way but it will all be worth it if we can reach our target for these fantastic charities.”

Ride organiser Nick Robbins, who is from Caerphilly, described the start of the challenge as the “culmination of two years of planning and training”.

He continued: “Every rider here has been out training in all weathers over the last few months and to have so much support here cheering us on as we leave the castle is just incredible.

“Just ten months ago we launched our fundraising campaign to raise £50,000 for two of South Wales’s leading cancer charities.  This week we reached that target which is just tremendous news. 

“Our challenge now is to keep fundraising so we’ll be pedalling hard to get to Edinburgh and raise as much money as we possibly can.”

En route to Edinburgh Castle, the cyclists will be stopping at Ludlow, Warrington, Kendal and Lockerbie, before the final 109km stretch into the Scottish capital.

Since 2015, the C2Cycling group has come together every two years to cycle from Cardiff to Paris.

Last year’s challenge was changed to Edinburgh due to Covid travel restrictions, before being postponed until this year due to the pandemic.

A fundraising pack to support the cyclists can be downloaded online at c2cycling.co.uk, while direct donations can be made at SponsorMe.co.uk