Pedal cycles are generally allowed to cross the Channel Tunnel, which connects the United Kingdom and France, via the Eurotunnel cycle service. This service uses a minibus and a bicycle trailer capable of carrying six bicycles.
On a few occasions since 1993, cyclists have crossed directly through the Channel Tunnel's bidirectional service tunnel, located between the two rail tunnel bores. The service tunnel has airlocks at both ends and a concrete road surface.
During the construction of the Channel Tunnel, over 200 bicycles were used by workers. The French side contributed 80 bicycles from Peugeot, while the UK side used 125 Saracen bicycles. [1] The Saracen mountain bikes were initially ordered in small batches by plant manager Kevin Otto before the full fleet was delivered. [2] Over 850 workers on the UK side were trained and issued passes for using the service tunnel. [2]
In October 1993, contractors Wally Michalski and Mike Turner cycled the 100-kilometre (62 mi) round trip from Folkestone to Coquelles using Saracen bicycles. Wearing full overalls and carrying respirators, the journey took approximately five hours. [3] [4]
In November 1993, journalists Nick Dutton-Taylor and Damon Brown rode Saracen bicycles into the tunnel for an article in Mountain Biking UK . [2] [5] [6] [7] [8] They were trained and accompanied by a cycling trainer but were not permitted to travel the full length of the tunnel. [2]
Since the tunnel's opening, there have been several organized bicycle crossings:
Cyclists can also cross to France via ferries, Eurostar, [20] or by car, which may require disassembly or advance arrangements. [21]
Of course we wanted to be the first to ride right through, but security put the mocker on that. … Clive is a loco driver, who, having trained other loco drivers, had been drafted in to train cyclists, 850 of them to date. … Plant manager Kevin Otto, himself a cyclist, set about looking for a supply and, after a commercial assessment of manufacturers, asked Saracen to supply the bikes. Initially they bought 25 Sahara Elites
Who do you think we are? MBUK abseiling into quarries with bikes on our backs, and riding through the channel tunnel.
Lets not forget MBUK of oldish days … It also did features on riding through the Channel Tunnel before it opened to trains
An MBUK journalist rode through the tunnel … Damon Brown That was me and my friend Nick but we didn't ride all the way through. Well remembered!
Didn't MBUK ride through the Channel Tunnel shortly after it opened? Or possibly during construction? There was definitely a feature along those lines.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Dans la nuit du 2 au 3 décembre dernier, un groupe vingt journalistes et de sportifs a participé au Téléthon 94 en traversant le tunnel de service à vélo. Après «Le Walk», ce raid cycliste a constitué une première qui, de l'avis de tous les participants, fut aussi insolite que passionnante, ainsi que le confirme le rédacteur en chef de France 3, Henri Sannier: «grâce à cous, ce Téléthon a été une fois de plus un succès. (…) Qui pouvait imaginer qu'un jour vingt fous traverseraient la Manche à vélo ?»
Henri Sannier sera le fer de lance des trente heures de cyclisme dont le départ a été donné au pied de la tour de Londres avant de rejoindre Paris via le tunnel sous la Manche…
Même si Froome dit qu'il est le premier c'est faux, cela avait déjà était fait pour le Téléthon.
Dans les années 90, il sera le complice d'Henri Sannier sur les grands raids du téléthon. Il fera Bordeaux-Paris, Berlin—Paris, Londres—Paris aux côtés d'Antoine de Caunes, Marc Toesca, Patrick Chêne ou encore Jean Mamère, entouré par des pros de l'équipe Castorama comme Thierry Marie.
Aujourd'hui, retour sur la semaine du 27 novembre au 4 décembre 1994 … Ils ont pédalé sous la Manche … Toujours du côté du Tunnel, mais à l'intérieur cette fois, un peloton traverse la Manche pour la bonne cause. Le Téléthon 94 conduit par quelques célébrités (Paul Belmondo, Bernard Darniche, Thierry Marie, Patrick Chêne…) rallie l'Angleterre en passant sous la mer.
parmi lesquelles les fameux «fils rouges» : l'épreuve cycliste Londres‒Paris, avec Henri Sannier, Patrick Chêne, Patrice Cordebar (Founder of www.BelSeva), Jean Mamère, Marc Toesca, etc.
…où chaque année, j'étais partie prenante pour le Téléthon. Nous avions ainsi parcouru chaque année, Bordeaux-Paris, Berlin Paris, Albertville-Paris, Londres-Paris avec le premier franchissement du Tunnel sous la Manche à vélo soit 50 kms (sic)!