Geoff Thomas Foundation

Geoff's former Crystal Palace team mate Ian Wright rode with Team Thomas for
the opening four stages of the 2007 Tour de France.

Here, he gives his thoughts on the efforts of Geoff and his team.

IT'S been great to be back with Geoff these last few days. He was my captain
at Palace back in the days when we nearly won the FA Cup. We had some great
times together and went through a lot together.

A couple of times over these four or five days, we were riding together and
it was nice to chat about the old days.

When we were playing I think we had great respect for each other but we
weren't really that close. The friendship has come since we stopped playing and
have got older.

We found out that there is life after football and Geoff is finding out now,
like a lot of these other guys here, that there is life after cancer. Riding
through England, France and Belgium it was nice to look over and know we're
doing something good together.

I've got to know these lads and their stories and, god forbid, but if I was
ever diagnosed with cancer I would hope I would tackle it the same way with the
same bravery.

Unfortunately, a lot of people don't have the strength or the positive role
models - like a Geoff Thomas or a Lance Armstrong -to get through cancer and
that's why I wanted to help.

The only thing I was worried about was letting Geoff and the lads down by
stopping. I told Geoff I might need to take 10 or 15 miles off during the day
because it was so hard and that is just how it turned out on the last couple of
stages.

It was demoralising at times. I seemed to be turning over the pedals without
moving any further up the road!

There is so much more involved to cycling than I thought -the nutrition,
tactics like taking someone's wheel to shield yourself from the wind. But trying
to stay with these guys, at a pace they found really comfortable, well I was
struggling.

Big "Griz" said that I must have thought I was dealing with guys who, because
they have beaten cancer, would not be up to the task and that I would be able to
come over without any training.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I told Geoff before I came that I
hadn't been doing much training because I wanted people to see this hurt me and
appreciate how hard it is. I didn't want to come over here and for it to be
comfortable and, believe me, it hasn't been!

I have been riding since last October when I took delivery of my Trek bike
but, for all sorts of reasons, I had hardly turned a pedal for the last three
months or so. I got through these stages on a lot of adrenalin and a lot of
praying!

I found I could do the first 50 miles with the best of the lads but that's
not even halfway on most stages. After that, it was about how much I could put
in. On the last two days, in France and Belgium, I took a little break halfway
through and found something extra in the last 40 or 50 miles.

But even then, I was being dropped. Rather than hold everybody up, I would
rather do it at my own pace than hold people back. And, on my last day riding
into Compiegne in France, I was miles behind with only the film crew for
company.

One of the good things about this trip was the chance to talk to some of the
lads and I found it quite inspiring. Speaking to Bully, Griz, Davie Grainger and
the boys, it really is quite inspirational.

There were times when I was on the road and someone like Dave would come and
keep me company. It would be a constantly long, hard, onerous road and Dave
would give me his wheel and help me through. There are many hard roads but you
just have to slog on.

Bully rode with me for a while and was telling me how he discovered a lump on
his neck when he was shaving one day and how now, whenever he shaves, he gets a
flash back. People told him he had six months to live but, after two years, he's
a living success story even though he has the stress and worry every day. Griz
was saying how every time you get a cough or an ailment you worry if it's a
death penalty.

Living with the Grim Reaper hanging over you, you have to find ways to remain
positive and that's what these boys are doing out here.

I've been touched by cancer, like most people have. My football friend David
Rocastle died of lymphoma. My mate Clyde Prescott, who was best man at my
wedding, had leukaemia and I had a call today saying he now needs a heart
transplant -at 40 years of age -because of all the damage his treatment caused.
Like Griz told me, often in curing cancer, it's using a sledgehammer to crack a
walnut. Clyde's problems are a big worry for all of us.

That's why I find it disappointing the media don't give more attention to
stories like what Geoff and his mates are doing. NOBODY in this country is more
than two or three people removed from losing somebody to cancer. I include
myself in that but people don't really take notice of the fact that leukaemia,
and other cancers, are killing people out there every day.

The lads were telling me 250 people every day are diagnosed with cancer.
While I was riding my bike today, 250 people will have been told they have
cancer. That's quite a shattering thought.

Also, cancer can take anybody, it doesn't discriminate. David Rocastle was
still playing when he was diagnosed. Geoff had only just finished playing.
Thousands of children have it although, I'm glad to say, the lads tell me a
large percentage of children are being cured while the drop off in adults is
tragic.

There is a lot more research to be done and money to be raised for these
people.

That's why what Geoff is doing is magnificent. We roomed together and I told
him last night, he's doing a great thing and I'm pleased to do whatever I can to
help. It just needs more people to realise just how great a thing Geoff and his
team are doing.

Geoff is a very, very inspirational character. He was always my skipper at
Palace. Now, he's doing this, not for his own plaudits but to raise awareness,
I'm even more amazed by him. I've done stuff with Bob Wilson's charity at
Arsenal but that is more about after care. I'm now interested in finding out how
we can cure people and prevent people from getting it.

I was saying on my radio show on Talk Sport the other day that while it's
great that London has the Olympics and other big events, I'd like to see more
tax payers' money being spent on cancer cures and treatments. As I said,
everybody is touched by it and the first question anyone ever asks is "Is there
a cure?" And the answer is no.

That's why I'm with Geoff in this for the long-term and, if he's doing the
Tour again, I'll be with him the whole way! Although I wouldn't come out here
this badly prepared next time.

When we heard Geoff had done the Tour a couple of years ago, we couldn't
believe it. But, even then, I didn't appreciate what is involved. To me, cycling
is like golf. I never appreciated how hard a sport like golf is until I started
playing. I knew nothing about cycling but now I can't believe how hard it is and
how strong these guys over here are.

I've done two or three days and, without anyone trying to blast the pace, I
could never have imagined how hard it would be.

Experienced cyclists like Pete Slater and Steve Timmins were telling me even
they have bad days on the bike and it made me feel a little better that they
felt that way because I've done some hard things in my life but when you're
riding, there are so many different things to worry about, so many different
things hurt!

I got pins and needles in my arms, then my back and shoulders hurt, then my
leg, then my shoe was hurting my foot, then my knee swelled up! I wondered what
could possibly hurt next.

Geoff had said to me before we started, Just come on out, you'll be fine. To
be honest with you, he lied!

These bike rides are a long, hard road. Sometimes, you blast down them
quickly and you think it's brilliant. Sometimes, there is a big hill in your way
which you have to climb and your body starts hurting. Then the wind starts
blowing from both directions and makes it even harder.

In other words, it's just like life.

Then, for some of these lads, an obstacle like cancer gets in their way and
they have had to remain strong and do what they are doing. For the likes of Griz
and Bully, Dave Granger, Steve Timmins and Geoff, cancer is a hill which they
are climbing today and every day of their lives.