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

Good luck Geoff you are doing fantastic work

Donation by pixx on 11/07/07

£5.00

+ £1.41 Gift Aid

Great work

Donation by bruce on 11/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Exceptional work, stay strong

Donation by Andy Greening on 11/07/07

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

Just heard Ian Wright on TalkSport. Keep going - you're doing brilliantly!

Donation by GeorgyGirl on 11/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by gareth snook on 11/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

inspirational

Donation by Dan Jewell on 11/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by Crazy on 11/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Geoff - Thanks for lots of happy memories watching you at Selhurst. Good luck with the ride.

Donation by Dom Hughes on 11/07/07

£20.00

Good luck!

Donation by Carly Stephenson on 11/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Well done Dave-Phyll and I are proud to know you

Donation by Hugh on 10/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Best of luck with Le Tour to the whole team, fantastic effort

Donation by Justin Cairns on 10/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Go for it!

Donation by Len on 10/07/07

£10.00

Dan and the guys.......Chapeau !

Donation by Gavin Sykes on 09/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

good luck Geoff, you're doing an amazing job

Donation by mistergoldie on 09/07/07

£30.00

So much for having 'nothing planned' for this year Pete! Hope the company have sorted all your fuel

Donation by Chris Wild on 09/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by Kevin Satterthwaite on 09/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Top effort fella

Donation by Ross on 09/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Best of luck Ritchie! (Andrew Robson) and to everyone else involved

Donation by Adam Burchell on 09/07/07

£15.00

+ £4.23 Gift Aid

Good luck to you and everyone else riding for your charity

Donation by Georgina Browning on 09/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by MIKE LEESE on 09/07/07

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

Donation by susan lago on 09/07/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

truly inspiring - good luck

Donation by patrick on 09/07/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation by ann granger on 09/07/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Dave - good luck. We think what you are doing is amazing. Girls say hi and send a huge hug!!

Donation by Meinir on 09/07/07

£30.00

+ £8.46 Gift Aid

good luck

Donation by christopher gilbart on 09/07/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 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

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