Day 1 - Arras to Epernay - 191 miles

Photo 4: It's dark and wet outside as we unload the bikes at 05:45 for the first ride of the Challenge.

Photo 5: Colin getting ready to start his first ride of the Challenge.

Photo 6: Ben during his first ride of the Challenge.

The alarm goes off at 05:00 - a quick look at the watch shows 04:00 in the UK. Breakfast is at 05:30 and the room is full of cyclists. There is a lot of excited chatter as people fill up with energy and make their way to the start.

We drive to the start line in the town square at Arras and at 06:00 we're off. Dave takes the first ride. It's cold, dark and starting to rain - perfect weather for a days cycling!

We jump into the support van and follow the route out of town. Eight miles out of town we've passed lots of cyclists, but still no sign of Dave. We stop in a layby and try his mobile a few times then realise he's got his iPod on so he can't hear us ringing him. We sit and wait and eventually Dave appears, apparently a few of them got lost in the town at the start so they had to backtrack to find the route.

The route turns out to be very well marked with arrows at every junction put up by the marshalls that morning. Those plus the continuous stream of bikes and support vehicles means there is always something to reassure you that you've got the right route.

With one hour gone we change riders and Marc takes the next ride. The conditions for Marc are much the same - cold, wet and dark! The terrain begins to get a bit hilly - not too steep but enough to slow things down and make it hard going for the cyclists in the weather.

Another hour gone and its my turn. I hop on the bike and set off. As you're cycling the stream of vans all shout encouragement which helps keep your wheels turning. It's light outside at last so we can now see the surrounding landscape, but its still cold and the rain and wind sap the energy quickly. We cycle past lots of cemeteries and war memorials as we head through the Somme valley. I push hard for the hour and finally towards the end the rain stops.

We change riders again and our last team member Ben heads off. The rain has stopped for the time being and Ben cycles hard for his stint. Its 10:00 now and with 60 miles gone the pattern of riders is now set - one that will be repeated a few more times today as we pedal the remaining 131 miles to Epernay.