Quartet in training for 100-mile ride to remember their ‘front runner’ Daren

A four-man cycling team are to follow the lead of Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish and Laura Trott in a top bike race.

Paul Kierman of Long Sutton, Luke Mayne of Lutton, John Sewell of Sutton Bridge and Charles Bingley of Wisbech are in training for Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100, a 100-mile cycling event between London and Surrey on Sunday, July 31.

The quarter are taking on the challenge in memory of friend and fellow cycling enthusiast Daren Buttress who tragically died in March after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, aged just 46.

Paul said: “Daren used to ride with us and he was going to do the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 before he was taken ill.

“So Luke, Charles, John and myself thought we should just get on with it because you never know what next year may bring.

“We’re trying to get as much sponsorship as we can, with the aim of raising £2,600 for The Brain Tumour Charity, because a lot of people knew Daren who continued to battle and never gave in.”

Daren’s motto was ‘Never Surrender’ and even after surgery at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, he was still riding whenever he could

Daren, who was married with two children, was at the heart of a 20-mile walk from Sutton Bridge to Spalding by staff at town-based Butters Group, including group engineering manager Geoff Hunt who was a relative of Daren’s.

But the 100-mile bike ride will be an altogether more busier event as more than 26,000 amateur cyclists are expected to join Luke, John, Charles and Paul on the ride which starts from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and ends on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.

Paul said: “Up until February last year, Daren was a seemingly fit man until he collapsed and was rushed into hospital.

“At first, it was thought that Daren had suffered a bleed on the brain until it later turned out that he had a brain tumour which was an aggressive tumour at that.

“After surgery at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, Daren was still riding whenever he could and took interest in our rides.

“Daren’s motto was ‘Never Surrender’ and we’re doing 40 to 50-mile rides ahead of Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100.”

To sponsor the team, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/middle-aged-men-in-lycra

Butters staff raising cash to fight cancer in memory of Sue