Nine hundred cyclists descended on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent at dawn on Saturday June 22 for the start of the annual 205-mile Chase The Sun coast-to-coast cycle ride. They were aiming to reach Western-Super-Mare by sunset. John Nurden reports…
well hello I I’ve been up like a mad thing at dawn this morning to witness a a most spectacular event it’s uh the start of a 270 M bike ride uh across Britain to Mark the longest day of the year which started uh here on the sunkiss is of sheppy and we’ll go right the way through to Western super mayor uh later on this evening it’s literally following the sun chase the sun it’s called and started at dawn finishes at dusk and uh I was here with my trusty camera trying to get a few pictures and some video um and yeah um mind you well will will I get up at dawn again but I I think not I think I might be heading for bed where do you know it’s uh 6:00 a.m. in in the morning uh I’m not normally up at at this time but um two 2 hours ago this whole place the Abby motel in Minster on the is sheppi was seething with 900 cyclists mad uh I think you all agree but an incredible incredible site and now 2 hours later it’s just empty just one van left uh in the car park but uh let me show you what it was like earlier on SC [Music] exuse me [Music] [Applause] [Music] out part [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] right Kelly we’re at the start of uh chase the Sun how many uh cyclists did you have today we have about 900 riders that have set off from here and they’re going all the way over to the West Coast Western supermare yeah but 900 just over 900 Riders and what time did you you have to get up I haven’t been to bed yet so yesterday the team we did registration and then that finished quite late maybe half1 and then we were basically setting up for this morning so where do you go now so now I’m in the lead team so we will Leap Frog the front Riders and we’ll get to breakfast first and pop up some signs and then um we just keep in front checking the route making sure everything’s fine and then we’ve have four three other vehicles who are then looking after different parts of the route right so how did it compare with previous years I think this is one of the most busiest years that we’ve um had and since sort of covid and cost of living crisis people wanted to come out more and they certainly want to challenge themselves and have the adventure got w