QPR legend took part in 145-mile ride to Dutch capital from London

Queens Park Rangers director of football Les Ferdinand took to two wheels over the weekend to take part in the Football to Amsterdam ride for Prostate Cancer UK.

Ferdinand was taking part in the event for the first time, with the cause close to his heart having lost his grandfather to prostate cancer.

Riding the southern leg, which started Lee Valley VeloPark, Ferdinand completed the 145-mile journey to the Dutch capital.

Having started out as a charity challenge with 35 riders in 2013, this year’s event saw 380 take part.

This year’s event looks on course to the £500,000 mark in terms of money fundraised as the event backed by the English Football League contines to go from strength to strength.

And Ferdinand was delighted to have the chance to be able to raise funds for such a good cause.

“Football to Amsterdam has been an amazing success over the past four years and I’ve really enjoyed being part of the charity’s fifth ride. The whole experience has been brilliant.

“It was my first time saddling up to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, a charity close to my heart, and I’m glad I did it.

“I met some incredible people along the way, many of whom had been affected by the disease themselves and the sense of camaraderie amongst all the riders was second to none.

“Prostate cancer affects 330,000 people in the UK, a staggering statistic. Think of a packed out Loftus Road and then imagine that almost 18 times over; those are the figures we are dealing with.

“One in eight men in the UK will be affected by this disease in their lifetime. But as a black man, my risk is even greater. One in four will be affected, and if there is a history of the disease in the family – like mine – those odds are even shorter.

“I’ll admit, prostate cancer wasn’t on my radar a decade ago; I knew nothing about it at all. Now I do. I lost my grandfather to prostate cancer and it’s also affected other members of my family too. I turned 50 in December, and need to set an example to my family and my peers, so I go and see my doctor every year without fail.”

For more information about taking part in the 2018 Football to Amsterdam ride, visit prostatecanceruk.org/Amsterdam.