57 miles

Arriving early at Ouistreham some 300 cyclists left the ferry and within ten metres the first puncture occurred. There were to be many more! A short ride bought us up at Pegasus Bridge, the D Day objective of the airborne forces led by Major John Howard. Following our first taste of the wonderful roadside catering that was laid on for us every twenty five kilometres or so we were given an illuminating and animated talk on the operation to capture the bridge by one of six Guild of Battlefield Guides who accompanied us. There was then a short ceremony where Mme Arlette Gondree, whose house, now the Pegasus Bridge Café, was the first to be liberated by allied troops, when she was four, handed a wreath to Sgt Stu Pearson, one of the Headley Court team who placed it on the memorial. One of the riders, General Richard Shirreff and Mme Gondree both spoke on the importance of the allied relationship.

We left Pegasus Bridge and knew we were in France when we soon found ourselves cycling along one of those quintessential long, straight poplar-lined roads. The team spirit was fantastic and lasted the entire ride. People were pushing each other up hills, helping each other mend punctures and sharing food and water bottles. It was also always interesting to talk to riders as we pedalled along, finding out what had motivated them to join the ride, what training they had or had not done, what stories they had.

At the lunch stop we had a surprise visit from the TV journalist Jeremy Bowen, who happened to be on a family holiday in the village we were in. Soon after lunch we found ourselves on a long downhill stretch. A puncture on the front tyre bought me to a halt near the top of this hill. Unable to get my gas cylinder to operate to blow up the new inner tube, I was delighted to find my old mate had walked back up the hill to help me out. After a session of stop/start cycling, we hit a windy path over the huge and impressive Pont de Normandie and then on through the city of Le Havre, avoiding some stiking French fishermen. We arrived at our hotel ready for a cup of tea and a bath. The reality of this challenge was brought home when a chap crashed into a culvert, breaking five ribs and needing stitches. Sadly he had to return to the UK. The evening meal was chicken.