NINE members of Langport Cycle Club recently took part in a gruelling 205 mile trip from Kent to Weston-super-Mare which pushed them to their physical and mental limits.

The intrepid cyclists were taking part in this years Chase the Sun – South, an annual event that saw over 800 participants start the journey from coast to coast, across some glorious southern English countryside.

A spokesperson for the group club said: “The nine-strong team were kept going all the way by an amazing support crew of five, who provided food and drink stops all along the route.

“Nearly all of the support crew had either ridden or supported riders for Chase the Sun in previous events, and their knowledge and encouragement was invaluable.”

The weather conditions were good as the riders lined up at 4:30am on the beachfront in Kent, all feeling excited and nervous in equal measures.

At 4.40am, the event organisers provided a last safety briefing before sending groups of riders off in waves.

The LCC riders set out across the flats of Kent, over the Kingsferry Bridge and headed to the Cathedral city of Rochester.

A light drizzle greeted the riders as they entered south-east London, and the day’s first puncture was dealt with swiftly somewhere near Bromley.

At the 50-mile mark in Crystal Palace, the true enormity of the ride really started to hit home. By then, the riders had been going for four hours and had only covered 25% of the ride.

Undetermined, the riders soon reached Kingston upon Thames, and even a crow flying out of a roadside hedge into the face of one LCC rider didn’t put the group off their stride.

The urban sprawl of greater London soon gave way to the more open roads of Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire as the riders wound their way around tree-lined country lanes mainly free of heavy traffic.

A spokesperson said: “A much needed stop just over halfway meant the riders would refuel and fill up their water bottles, as well as apply sun cream as the sun made a welcome appearance.

“Spirits were still high, as all nine riders had managed to stay together and the amazing support crew were doing an excellent job at keeping LCC on the road.

“However, it was clear that legs were getting tired, and over eight hours in the saddle was definitely taking its toll on the riders’ rear ends!

“By 135 miles, all but one of the nine riders had now cycled further than they had ever cycled before, and were therefore very much in unknown territory both physically and mentally.

“Geographically however, the gently rolling roads of Wiltshire and the Vale of Pewsey were a highlight of the ride, although by this stage the headwind had gathered pace and provided the riders with an additional challenge.”

At around 165 miles, the riders were looking up to the Mendips, as they began the 800ft ascent that would take them across the highest point of the day near Priddy, before mercifully dropping them down a beautifully sun-lit Cheddar Gorge.

It was during this ascent that the team suffered their second (and final) puncture of the day, but it took a couple of the riders around 20 mins to fix.

By the time the last two riders were back on the road, the rest of the group had travelled on.

As the back-markers rode as hard as they could to chase down the other riders, their eyes began playing tricks on them as they desperately scoured the riders in the distance for the familiar purple and orange of the LCC club jerseys.

A spokesperson said: “The descent down Cheddar Gorge felt euphoric, and gave a real sense of ‘nearly home’ to the riders, who know this area of Somerset well.

“There was lots of support and cheers from bystanders and locals, as well as from riders that had been forced to drop out but showed their continued support for the riders.

“Finally with only a mile or two to spare, the group were mostly reunited and as they crossed the finish line on The Grand Pier, they were greeted by a few familiar faces as other members of Langport Cycle Club had travelled to the finish to cheer the riders home, and hand them a much deserved glass of fizz to celebrate their enormous achievement.

“In the end, all nine LCC riders reached the end before sunset before downing a beer or two whilst trying to take in the events of the last 17 hours!

“The Langport Cycle Club is dedicated to all forms of cycling, but our main focus is on social club rides.

“New members are always welcome, and we operate a ‘try before you buy’ policy, so you can join us for a ride or two before you commit to the club. eBikes, tandems, recumbents etc. are all welcome!”

Visit www.langportcycleclub.com for more details.