In September 2026, we will cycle from Avignon to Annecy across six days, crossing some of the most iconic and demanding climbs in European cycling: Mont Ventoux, the Col d”Izoard, the Col de Sarenne, the Glandon and the Madeleine, all of which have formed part of the infamous and iconic Tour de France cycle race.

Across the week we will cover more than 600 kilometres and around 14,000 metres of climbing. These are long mountain days with sustained climbs, heat, altitude and cumulative fatigue – which would challenge even the most experienced professional cyclist, never mind a peleton of amateurs. By the end of the week, simply getting to the start each morning will feel difficult. Getting to the end might be impossible.

And yet, however hard this challenge becomes, it remains entirely voluntary.

That is worth remembering.

The patients we treat do not choose their challenge. They face chemotherapy, radiotherapy and major surgery because there is no alternative. Recovery after oesophagectomy is prolonged and demanding, often requiring months of physical and psychological adjustment. Many patients must rebuild weight, strength, confidence and normality from scratch. Patients often have to live with challenging new health conditions which are a direct result of the cancer and require constant monitoring.

We are riding to support research into oesophageal cancer of University Hospital Southampton and the University of Southampton who are leading the way in investigating new and innovative ways of treating this disease.

Oesophageal cancer remains of the hardest cancers to treat successfully. Even after major treatment involving chemotherapy, radiotherapy and complex surgery, around 70% of our patients will see their cancer return. Of those who survive, only 10% will survive for ten years post treatment. Our research team is working to understand why this happens, identifying rare residual cancer cells that can survive treatment and later drive recurrence.

The ride is deeply personal for all of us involved.

I am Tim Underwood, Professor of Gastrointestinal Surgery and AUGIS Director of Research and will be undertaking the challenge alongside my colleague, Jamie Kelly, consultant Upper GI surgeon and fellow member of the Southampton team. Following us throughout the ride in the support van will be Donna Sharland, one of our Upper GI Clinical Nurse Sister Specialists, whose role caring for patients extends far beyond the hospital walls. Also supporting us is Nicola Packer, a patient who has been successfully treated by the team at UHS.

Last year, Nicola and her husband Jeremy organised a 300 mile fundraising cycling challenge in support of our research programme and I rode alongside Jeremy (Nicola did her bit on a static bike due to health restrictions). Prior to that I jumped out of a plane at 14,000 ft with Jeremy and their son Freddie to, again, raise valuable funds for us.

This year the story turns full circle.

Now Nicola will be supporting us on the road as we take on this Alpine route together.

That matters enormously to us. It reflects something important about cancer care and research here at Southampton: this is not just about operations , chemotherapy or laboratory science. It is about long-term relationships between patients, families, nurses, scientists and clinicians, all working together to improve outcomes for the people who come next.

Every donation will support on-going research focused on improving survival in oesophageal cancer, which remains at an all too low rate, and accelerating development of better treatments.

Thank you for supporting us.