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

Even doing the London to Brighton was hard enough!

Donation by GREG SOUTHWELL on 19/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

awesome, just started the book yday GOOD LUCK

Donation by JASON MANN on 19/07/07

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

Good luck on the climbs. I cannot even comprehend how hard they must be.

Donation by Neil Briggs on 19/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Well played Richie - and for an admirable cause too

Donation by Marcus Ward on 18/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

eddy merckx was Belgian and appeared in 'Asterix in Belgium'

Donation by jonno on 18/07/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Bon Courage!

Donation by Alf on 18/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Good Luck Dad (Dave) Thinking of You x

Donation by joanne granger on 18/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Great to meet you all on the 12th - sorry I can't join you for more of it! Well done.

Donation by Gordon Barnes on 17/07/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Go- Geoff !!

Donation by Roy Richards on 17/07/07

£20.00

Donation by Tony Bosel on 17/07/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Good luck Geoff; you're a shining example

Donation by Tony (RednBlue) on 17/07/07

£25.00

+ £7.05 Gift Aid

Still an inspiration to all

Donation by Bob Bridges on 17/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Keep going Geoff, it sounds really tough - we are thinnking of you. Love from the Hernons

Donation by Sarah Nick Charlotte and James on 17/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Good Luck and I hope you reach your target for this extremely worthwhile cause.

Donation by Alan Drake on 17/07/07

£25.00

+ £7.05 Gift Aid

Amazing feat. Top man!

Donation by Sunny on 17/07/07

£30.00

+ £8.46 Gift Aid

Well done to all of you and I hope that the going is smooth for you all

Donation by Jennifer, Palace fan on 17/07/07

£15.00

+ £4.23 Gift Aid

You inspired me and supported me to complete the Ironman. Thank you. Goodluck with Le Tour!!

Donation by Andy Berry on 16/07/07

£200.00

Chapeau - Top effort Geoff and the boys!

Donation by Paul Reader on 16/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Allez-allez. Courage!

Donation by Alistair Mills on 16/07/07

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

I've got a bad knee !!

Donation by Neil on 16/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck Geoff

Donation by pauline on 16/07/07

£5.00

+ £1.41 Gift Aid

Donation by Paul Carruthers on 16/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by TIM STEVENS on 16/07/07

£100.00

Donation by Alan M on 16/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck Geoff

Donation by JOHN on 16/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

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

* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.