Wiggle rides for 24 hour Children in Need fundraiser

Teams of riders will cycle as many miles as possible over 24 hours in aid of Children in Need today.

Riding at Calshot Velodrome in Fawley, near Southampton, the charity relay event will see charity mascot Pudsey Bear passed non-stop from one team to the next on one-hour stints.

Eight teams are taking part, each doing three shifts starting at 5pm tonight. First up will be the Calshot team – decked out in Wiggle jerseys as well as sports nutrition, chamois cream and warm up cream from the firm. Two Team Wiggle riders – Jon Cannings and Richard Pearman, both also Wiggle staff, will be taking part.

"We’ve been training for the past few weeks for what is undoubtedly going to be a fierce challenge,” enthused Calshot rider Malcolm Holmes. “We’re hoping the spectators will really get behind us and spur us all on to great things. It’s definitely going to hurt, but it’s all for a great cause.

“All money raised will go to the BBC Children in Need Appeal so we’d really appreciate any donations – please donate via our Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/Calshot-Crusaders. Please make the riders’ suffering more worthwhile by donating more Pudsey Pounds.

"It’s bound to be a very competitive event with all the teams sizing each other up and having a lot of fun. After our first shift at 5pm, we are then scheduled to ride from 1am until 2am and again from 7am until 8am on Saturday."

Wiggle’s director of marketing Martin Talbot added: "The 24-hour trackathon sounds like a painful but very worthy fundraiser. Everyone at Wiggle wishes all the riders the best of luck. We’re proud to support the Calshot team and hope the event raises lots of money for such a great cause."

Other teams also taking part include the British Triathlon Federation, Chippenham Wheelers, New Forest CC, Bournemouth Arrow, Poole Wheelers, Birmingham CC and Team Midland Racing.