Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas on track to get 5000 kids on their bikes

Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas says he is on track to help get 5000 children on their bikes by 2028.

He has revealed that The Geraint Thomas Cycling Trust, which was launched after the Welsh cyclist won the Tour de France in 2018, has stepped in with grant aid support for five projects over the last 12 months which are in London, Caerphilly, Cardiff and Swansea.

The five projects deliver cycling programmes to disabled children and young carers as well as those who live in deprived areas.

Speaking at the Charitable Trust’s latest fundraising lunch at Eversheds in London, the Ineos Grenadiers rider and double Olympic gold medallist, said: “This is exactly why we set up the Trust in the first place. I was always so lucky that I had a bike and also that I had a track just around the corner from my house. But not everyone is that fortunate. That’s why I’m really pleased that we’re able to give a helping hand to these brilliant projects which get children and young people on bikes,” said Geraint.

“We have deliberately targeted projects for children and young people who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to enjoy cycling,” he added.

Amongst other groups, the trust has supported Swansea-based Gower Riders – which was handed £2696 to deliver cycling sessions for young carers in Swansea

With demanding caring roles, Gower Riders was keen to offer some respite and worked with a number of children young and people, some as young as eight.

Egija Cinovska is the Young Carers Project Coordinator. She says: “YMCA Swansea Young Carers have greatly benefited from taking part in the cycling sessions provided by Gower Riders. It has provided them with an opportunity to have a break from their caring roles while taking part in a fun and educational activity. Activities such as cycling are essential to promote positive mental and physical wellbeing for young carers.”

As well as learning how to race, the young carers were also taught bike handling skills such as braking, gearing and cornering as well as how to carry out safety checks.

The group, who are set to become members of Gower Riders, now regularly attend club rides. And Gareth Govier, Head Coach, says: “Our junior members have been able to interact with the young carers. This has given them an insight into the caring responsibilities that young carers face on a daily basis. Their involvement in sessions has given the club a huge boost, generating a fantastic feelgood factor.”

Geraint Thomas said: “The YMCA Young Carers are really incredible people – to take on such demanding responsibilities at a young age must be really challenging. I’d like to say well done to Gower Riders for providing some respite, the opportunity to develop cycling skills and the chance to make new friends and have some fun. We’ve been really proud to support this project through the Charitable Trust.”

The Trust was set up to support children across Wales and England, setting itself a target of helping 5000 children enjoy the spirit of cycling over the next 10 years.

Adrian Coles, who chairs the Trust, said: “We know that there are huge benefits for those who cycle but we also know there are still barriers. Not everyone can afford a bike or has the skills to repair one. Not everyone has somewhere to store a bike or know how to ride safely. And there are those who require adaptive bikes which tend to be more expensive. We are thrilled to be supporting these projects which tackle inequalities.”