From cycling stormtroopers to MPs in bunny costumes - riders saddle up for 2.6 Challenge

Yesterday should have been the 40th anniversary edition of the London Marathon, the biggest one-day charity fundraising event in the world - but with the coronavirus pandemic forcing its postponement, organisers called on people to devise their own 2.6 Challenge activities to raise monet for charities, and the response was phenomenal. Here are a few cycling-related ones that caught our eye.

Star Wars stormtrooper laps local park

Stormtrooper AL-4444 successfully completed his challenge of riding 26 laps of his local park, avoiding “rebel droids, bike-chasing Ewoks and hungry Wookies” along the way. His efforts have raised almost £1,000 for teenage mental health charity Stem4.

I've successfully completed my @LondonMarathon #TwoPointSixChallenge for mental health charity @stem4org 💪🚴💜https://t.co/dKS0CLYwom#maytheforcebewithyou #stormtrooper pic.twitter.com/moIfkQro9v

— Stormtrooper AL-4444 (@StormtrooperAl) April 25, 2020

MP goes for bike ride in bunny outfit

He wasn’t the only cyclist who donned a costume for the challenge – here’s the MP for Central Ayrshire, Dr Philippa Whitford, off for a ride in her Easter Bunny costume.

A former breast cancer surgeon, the SNP politician’s ride yesterday has so far raised £1,745 for the Ayrshire Hospice.

Glorious day for my #TwoPointSixChallenge Troon Bunny Cycle for ⁦@AyrshireHospice⁩ - please donate if you can at https://t.co/RxRE3oMpMd pic.twitter.com/DiLsnRdscc

— Dr Philippa Whitford (@Dr_PhilippaW) April 26, 2020

Porn Pedallers in marathon session

Members of the Porn Pedallers Cycling Club, comprising people who work in or around the adult entertainment industry, have raised almost £1,000 for Terrence Higgins Trust by collectively riding 2,600 kilometres yesterday.

The many faces of #lockdowncycling. PPCC 2.6 Challenge. Please support our fundraising efforts for @THTorguk https://t.co/cpsJkkEMGj #TwoPointSixChallenge #PPCC26 pic.twitter.com/fANorKoExn

— Porn Pedallers (@pornpedallers) April 27, 2020

Raleigh Chopper vs Col de la Madeleine

Raleigh Chopper World Hour Record Holder Matt Richardson was getting back on the iconic 1970s bike yesterday – this time to take on the ride 26 kilometres up the Col de la Madeleine, virtually, on rollers.

26 fraught seconds of video from the Mk1 cockpit in preparation for tomorrow's "2.6 Challenge": 26km on rollers right up the Col de la Madeleine (virtually, hence the laptop).
Covid-19… https://t.co/mSJxOOpc0M

— Matt Richardson (@voxl2ba) April 25, 2020

Marathon legend's sons in the saddle

Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge would have been one the big favourites for the men’s race in London yesterday – he’s won it four times, including last year, and in October became the first person to run a marathon distance in under two hours, in a challenge supported by Ineos.

He is in Kenya at the moment, where his sons undertook a 2.6 Challenge of their own.

I am really proud to see my boys participating in the #TwoPointSixChallenge from @LondonMarathon! pic.twitter.com/a1Q6sCXIve

— Eliud Kipchoge - EGH🇰🇪 (@EliudKipchoge) April 26, 2020

Going round in circles

And finally … this one’s making us feel a little dizzy … well done to this young chap!

#TwoPointSixChallenge just a little dizzy after this challenge 🤣 pic.twitter.com/aneNPX1mB4

— Amy Fitzgerald (@AmyRuFitz) April 26, 2020