The Country Range Group’s Chief Executive Martin Ward has successfully completed the Bikes Against Bombs charity bike ride from Chiang Rai, Thailand, to Luang Prabang, Laos, to help raise money for MAG (Mines Advisory Group).
What is Bikes Against Bombs?
Bikes against Bombs is a series of charity bike rides created by Convenience and Wholesale Retail industry professionals, for the industry, co-founded in 2015 by Neil Turton, Tom Fender and Raj Krishan.
In previous years the cycling challenge covered countries around the globe including Vietnam and Cambodia (2015), Sri Lanka (2016), Vietnam (2019), UK cities (2021) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (2022). Ahead of this years 400km challenge Bikes against bombs had raised an extraordinary £830,000 in support of MAG with the aim to take that total above the £1million mark with its 2023 riders.
The 2023 Challenge from Thailand to Laos
The first day’s cycle took the team on a 108km route from Chiang Ria to Chiang Khong, with some huge elevations over the final 25km and all in 40 degrees heat.
Day two started well with the cycle along the Mekong river travelling dirt tracks from Chiang Khong to Pak Beng. Unfortunately, the afternoon’s cycle was cancelled after four cyclists crashed down a steep, sandy gravel decline. Everyone was ok and able to continue the ride the following day, with the added challenge to make up the day’s lost kilometres, having only managed to 40km on this day!
The third day saw the team travel through numerous villages from Pak Beng to Oudomxay along the Mekong Rover. Leaving the dirt tracks behind them the team mostly travelled on main roads and were able to make up the lost distance from the previous day, completing 100km.
Day four’s route from Oudomxay to Pak Mong was the most challenging day with an 18km assent with an elevation gain of over 700m. Following lunch was a 20km decent, where the heat and humidity gave way to what must have been one of the heaviest rainfalls experienced in Laos this year.
The final day of the challenge took the team from Pak Mong to Luang Pakbang, travelling 68km through beautiful villages and countryside.
Raising Over £200,000 for the Mines Advisory Group
The 2023 group has collectively raised over £200,000 on this ride and in turn hit the £1 million mark raised to date by Bikes Against Bombs since 2015.
