Alistair Cope from Seaton and members of the Axe Valley Pedallers cycling club recently met up with Simon Richardson MBE, Paralympic Champion cyclist. Simon won two Paralympic Games gold medals and also picked up a silver medal in Beijing, he was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours. Simon lives in South Wales and was supporting the Dragon Ride that Alistair is riding in June for The Prostate Cancer Charity.

“Simon is such an inspiration to cyclists” said Alistair, “to go through so much pain after a crash in 2001 and motivate himself to win not one but two gold medals is extraordinary. It was great to spend a day with Simon cycling some of this year’s route and I look forward to meeting up with him again in June”.

Members of the Axe Valley Pedallers and some of their friends enjoyed a very relaxed day as they demonstrated the delights of cycling in comfortable and traditional clothing as opposed to lycra! The cyclists gathered by Seaton Tramway station and, after a couple of turns around the roundabout at Fisherman’s Gap, they made their way via the cycle path to Colyton and Liddons Dairy Tea Room which they had very kindly opened up early to entertain the Pedallers.

There was a fine collection of modern and traditional bikes on display and the cyclists all enjoyed trying out the many and varied machines, in particular a modern version of a penny farthing.