Roll on the Doddie Cup 555 Cycle

02 February 2023

INTERNATIONAL RUGBY STARS TO CYCLE 555 MILES IN 48 HOURS FOR DODDIE WEIR 

• Doddie Cup 555 Ride returns for its fourth year 
• Star-studded teams will cycle 555 miles ahead of Scotland vs Wales Six Nations match (also known as the Doddie Weir Cup) 
• HRH The Princess Royal will hand over the match ball at Gloucester Rugby before going to Principality Stadium, Cardiff, ending at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 

A TEAM of rugby legends including former Scotland captain Rob Wainwright and World Cup winning England skipper Martin Johnson will cycle 555 miles in just 48 hours to deliver the match ball ahead of Scotland’s Six Nations match vs Wales in support of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. 

HRH The Princess Royal will hand over the match ball at Gloucester Rugby the day before the ride (Wednesday 8th February), before its epic journey via Principality Stadium in Cardiff (Thursday 9th February) to BT Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh for the Doddie Weir Cup (Saturday 11th February). 

Rob Wainwright, Doddie Aid founder and Weir’s former Scotland and British & Irish Lions teammate, will lead a 200-strong peloton of cyclists, including famous faces.

Riders will take in a gruelling route via rugby clubs across Wales, England, and Scotland in time for the Scotland vs Wales Six Nations Championship match on Saturday 11th February, where The Princess Royal will receive the match ball. 

Names include international rugby players and endurance cyclists, such as world record breaker Mark Beaumont, former England back row Dean Ryan, and former Scotland international Carl Hogg – one of Weir’s closest friends. 

There is also a team made up of Weir’s teammates from the victorious 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa including Paul Wallace, Jeremy Davidson, and Tim Stimpson.  

The ride takes place during the last week of Doddie Aid 2023, a national fundraising event where over 38,000 fundraisers across the UK have already rallied to raise as much money as possible for MND research. 

Rob Wainwright commented: "This year marks the fourth anniversary of the Doddie Weir Cup, and it’s particularly poignant as it’s the first since Doddie’s passing in November, but this only drives us forward to continue making progress and raising awareness of MND.

“We have to believe that a breakthrough in MND treatment is just round the corner and push ourselves and others to raise funds to realise that dream.

"We want you to be part of this too. While we ride from Cardiff, we will be encouraging the rugby family to ride locally and donate £1 per mile. You can even join Chris Hoy on Zwift rides. Doddie Aid has raised £1.5 million this year, let's get it to £2 million!"

Martin Johnson said: “Doddie was an inspiration to all of us, and the life and soul of one of the most important periods in our lives in South Africa in 1997. That spirit will be our motivation on this adventure. Jim Telfer famously described that tour as our Everest, but for those 48 hours, it will be the 555 miles to Edinburgh. 

“Thank you to everyone who has shown their support – please keep backing us to continue Doddie’s legacy and help raise as much as we can for MND research.”

This is the fourth year that the ride has taken place, having raised £300,000 in 2022. Riders last year averaged six hours of sleep across 48 hours during the gruelling challenge, which saw them maintain speeds of 15 mph to deliver the match ball on time.

The teams are aiming to raise over £500,000 which includes generous sponsorship from Glenkinchie, Milwood Capital, John Clark Motor Group, Atkins, Rapid Relief Team (RRT), INEOS, GAWS, Thrifty, Wood Foundation, Univar Solutions, Bailie Gifford, Baker Hughes, Spaceships Rentals, JT3, CEF, Isle of Coll Distillery, Halliburton, and Babble.

​All donations make an important difference and can be made on the Doddie Cup 555 Ride page here.

You can track the riders progress here