MORE than 800 cyclists stayed in Okehampton as part of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain at the beginning of the month.

Now in its sixth year, the event is widely recognised as the UK’s premier long distance cycling event and it takes cyclists of all levels of fitness and ability through some of the country’s most breathtaking landscapes from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The riders stayed overnight in Okehampton on September 6 having travelled across Dartmoor. Each night riders stayed overnight in base camps where they were given a delicious supper and hearty breakfast and everyone had his/her own tent and mattress. There was medical and mechanical support as well as massage therapists and physiotherapists.

This year, the event is playing host to Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists in the run-up to Rio 2016. Olympic gold medallist Nicole Cooke rode alongside Tim Reddish OBE, chairman of the British Paralympic Association, paralympic cyclist Jody Cundy and David Clarke, the paralympic visually impaired footballer.

Nick Tuppen, managing director of Threshold Sports, which organises the event, said: ‘Last year 93 percent of participants in the Deloitte Ride Across Britain rated it as one of the best experiences of their lives.

‘It really is one of the greatest sportives this country has to offer with a stunning route, unrivalled logistical support and enormous camaraderie.