Phil Howard cycles Tour de France with hopes of raising £1m

Chef Phil Howard has embarked on the 3,500km Tour de France route with the aim of raising £1m for charity Cure Leukaemia.

Over the weekend, he posted on Instagram: “Six months of training lead to this point. Day one of the challenge of a lifetime. Stage 1 of the Tour de France. 220km of exactly what we signed up for. Unbelievably hard, absolutely epic and most importantly totally purposeful riding.”

The co-founder of Notto Pasta has joined 15 other amateur riders who are also supporting the Trials Acceleration Programme across the UK.

Howard, who is also chef patron of Elystan Street in London’s Chelsea, has already raised nearly £44,000 from over 130 donors.

He added: “I am riding with the thought of my wonderful father in law, Bob Collier, who in years to come might have survived his illness given the brilliance of Cure Leukaemia’s work. Please support. Big love. 20 stages to go!”

Howard is due to complete the Tour, which started in Tuscany, by 14 July, a week before the professionals take on the same route.

Here is the link to donate.

Image: Shutterstock