My story

FOR the second time in three years, Geoff Thomas and his Unity Team undertook one of the most testing challenges in all of professional sport during the summer of 2007 - The Tour de France.

Riding two days behind the actual race, Geoff and his intrepid team mates, including special guest riders such as football legend Ian Wright, attempted to cover the 3,550-kilometre course.

Geoff had successfully completed the route in 2005, raising over £170,000 for Leukaemia Research in the process.

Those efforts were sufficient to win the prestigious BBC Helen Rollason Sports Personality Award and the ringing personal praise of the greatest cyclist to ever live – seven-times Tour winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong.

Geoff explained: “I think it’s a well-known story now that when I was being treated for leukaemia, Lance’s book was a huge inspiration for me and led to me riding the Tour in 2005.

“This time, though, there was a slightly different motive. Four of the Unity team are, like me, cancer survivors and I thought it was important to spread the news and show examples of how many brave and inspirational people there are in the cancer community.

“Lance was an inspiration to me and people were kind enough to say I helped inspire them in 2005. Well, these guys should be an inspiration to everyone for what they accomplished and how they did it.”

The 2007 Tour de France started in London, giving the ride a personal feel to Geoff who spent the most successful period of his football career in the capital withCrystalPalace.

The route covered 3,550 kilometres, made up of 11 flat stages, 6 mountain stages, 1 medium mountain stage and 2 individual time-trial stages.  There were 3 mountain finishes, 2 rest days, 117 kilometres of individual time-trials and 21 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes.

It also featured some emotional highs and heartbreaking lows for Geoff, the riders and their hard-working support staff.

And you can follow the Unity Team every step of the way by visiting the Taking on Le Tour 2007 pages at www.geoffthomasfoundation.com

Please dig deep and sponsor the Unity Team

My gallery 1

My Teams

My company

My charity

Geoff Thomas Foundation

Geoff Thomas Foundation

Charity Registration No. 216032

Ex-England Footballer and cancer survivor, Geoff Thomas is working in partnership with Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research - the only UK charity solely dedicated to research into blood cancers, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Your contribution really will make a difference to the lives of the 30,000 people diagnosed every year with a blood cancer. beatingbloodcancers.org.uk

Donations 354

Geoff Still my Hero - good luck

Donation by DarrenCPFC on 28/07/07

£30.00

+ £8.46 Gift Aid

Outstanding Effort, Outstanding Cause, Outstanding Person.

Donation by Mark Spittle on 28/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Keep up the good work skipper !

Donation by bellboy on 28/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

There is a better side to the Tour de France - well done - come on you Eagles

Donation by Bob Smith on 27/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Brilliant effort Geoff and friends. Best wishes all the way to Paris.

Donation by Damian Kelly on 27/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Keep on Geoff. Hope it's going well, all best, Ian

Donation by Ian Preece on 27/07/07

£40.00

+ £11.28 Gift Aid

Totally inspiring

Donation by Jonathan Hinks on 27/07/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Good Luck Geoff from Richard and all at BI!

Donation by Richard on 27/07/07

£250.00

+ £70.51 Gift Aid

Donation by anonymous on 26/07/07

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

Well done

Donation by FrenchDuck on 26/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Truly inspirational

Donation by Gareth Davies on 26/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done Andrew Robson

Donation by Ben Linstead on 26/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Fantastic at Palace, now fantastic in France - Go Geoff!

Donation by Alan Brett on 26/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Thank goodness there is now a british version of Livestrong!

Donation by Lee Dow on 25/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Amazing effort by you all. Well done.

Donation by Matt Hall on 25/07/07

£5.00

+ £1.41 Gift Aid

GEOFF SUPER HUMAN EFFORT AGAIN THANKS AGAIN FOR LIVERPOOL

Donation by GRAHAM DUNNING on 25/07/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation by Richard Cottrell on 25/07/07

£5.00

+ £1.41 Gift Aid

Well done so far. Good luck for the remainder of the Tour.

Donation by JeanieB on 25/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

All the very best on this great challenge

Donation by Warren Tomlinson on 25/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Best of luck - such a great cause

Donation by David Tucker on 25/07/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Good Luck to you all.

Donation by Charles Trafford on 25/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Good luck with the Tour

Donation by barry moulder on 25/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

I saw you all in Toulouse - didn't say anything but wanted to wish you all good luck

Donation by charlie hey on 24/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

more power to your pedals

Donation by mart / wend on 24/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

A fantastic achievement Richie (Andrew Robson) - to you and all the riders

Donation by John Bell on 24/07/07

£50.00

Donation summary

  • * Online donations£15,209.25
  • Offline donations£133,395.84
  • Text donations£0.00
  • Total raised£148,605.09
  • Gift Aid£3,496.03

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