Two lads on two wheels take in 12 stadiums across five countries to raise money for charity
Two intrepid football fans are taking in a dozen stadiums on an epic cycle trek from Amsterdam to Barcelona to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
Recent university graduates Joe Stubley and Fergus Thomson set out on their adventure in August with a visit to the Johan Cruyff ArenA and aim to reach the Nou Camp by September 22, having ridden the 1,500km between these two major football capitals.
But there’s more to their undertaking than following the floodlights. “We’ve both had family members affected by cancer in recent years so that was central to our thinking when we planned out this trip,” says Joe.
“Every penny donated goes directly to Cancer Research UK, helping us find new ways to beat the disease. So far we’ve raised £1,500 and haven’t yet reached Spain!”
“The idea was inspired by Russ Cook (aka Hardest Geezer) who ran the length of Africa. In 2022, I was fortunate enough to do the UK’s 3 Peaks Challenge with Russ, and watching his Africa mission unfold felt that extra bit personal. So, after finishing college, i wanted to embark on my own mission.”
While Joe is quick to point out that cycle-friendly Amsterdam cannot be compared to the sandstorms of the Sahara, Cook himself went on his own stadium odyssey this summer, running from Wembley to every ground where England played during Euro 2024, including the final in Berlin.
A month later, Joe and Fergus were making their way to the Netherlands, perhaps slightly less prepared for what was in store: “We’ve been taking this mission day by day, I did zero training – in fact, the first time I’d ridden a bike in over five years was when I got off the bus from the UK to Amsterdam!”
Undeterred, the boys have so far called in at Ajax, Utrecht, Den Bosch, Eindhoven, Luxembourg, Metz, Nancy, Lyon and Montpellier, with Girona, Espanyol and the Nou Camp to come.
“The first two weeks were inland, following rivers and canals, though we were treated to 3,600ft climbs in the Ardennes on Day 3. We were particularly looking forward to hitting the south coast of France but the last two days have been filled with headland winds. Now with five days to go, the only real obstacle is the Pyrenees, then we can coast it down to Barcelona!”
What’s next for Joe isn’t certain – “Right now, I can’t imagine right wanting to hop back on a bike any time soon!” – but football-inspired wanderlust is in the DNA of this die-hard Leicester fan: “I would love another adventure like this again. The idea of hitchhiking from A to Z is something I could see myself attempting, relying on the kindness of strangers, with no real plan. Setting out into the unknown is not unfamiliar territory!”
Help Joe and Fergus reach their target of raising £2,000 for Cancer Research UK via this link.
