An Angus pupil is aiming to complete his own Tour de France this summer by taking on a 1,000-mile bike ride from Brittany to the French Riviera.
Reuben Waddell, a pupil at Johnshaven-based Lathallan School, will cycle from Saint-Malo in the north of France to the popular Cote D’Azur seaside resort of Nice.
The former pupil of Stracathro Primary will be accompanied by his father, Shaun.
The pair from Inchbare will average 60 miles a day on cycle days, over the course of their three-week epic journey, as they raise funds for North East safety awareness charity Absafe.
They will travel unsupported – apart from a small bike trailer – that will carry their essential bike kit while staying in various Airbnbs across France.
The epic challenge is based on a book called France En Velo, written by cyclists to chart the coast-to-coast route from the English channel to the Mediterranean.
Shaun, 45, said: “Reuben has been interested in cycling since he was small and we’ve done a couple of longer distance bike rides before.
“When he was younger we biked 500 to Mull but we had support from others. This time we are going alone with just the trailer as back-up.
“I got the idea from a book I got a few Christmases ago called France En Velo.
“It’s written by cyclists for cyclists and gives a clear itinerary through the country with a break-down of key stop-off points.
“Reuben has been using this to devise a spreadsheet and plan our rest days and where we can stay when we stop over.
“It’s been a fantastic learning experience for him and I’m sure it will be great dad and son bonding time.
“The first leg of the trip should be okay as it’s flat. It’s only when it gets towards the end there are a few steady climbs but we’ll deal with that when it comes.
“I’ve been learning some basic French to get by and I hope – above all else – we can raise some money for charity.”
Shaun has created a Facebook donation page called Lad and Dad’s Big Bike Tour and has already raised more than £1,500.
Reuben, 12, added: “When my dad first suggested the idea I wasn’t shocked, it was normal for me.
“We have done bike rides before and I really enjoyed them. This time will be even better as we are having rest days. I’m really looking forward to it.”
The duo will begin their epic journey at the end of this month.
