'I hope I’m not just going to be a dead weight for you' – Geraint Thomas joins BBC Radio 1 DJ on 1,000km tandem challenge

Tour de France winner, three-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist Geraint Thomas joined Radio 1 DJ-turned celebrity endurance cyclist Greg James for a leg of his Big Ride on Tuesday.

James iswasexactly halfway through his 8-day long, 1,000-kilometre (630-mile) tandem-riding challenge, from Weymouth in England to Edinburgh in Scotland, raising money for Comic Relief, which supports a wide range of charities around the UK.

Thomas, 39, who spent most of his professional cycling career with Team Sky and Ineos Grenadiers, joined 40-year-old James on day five of his odyssey, pedalling away from Worksop towards the historic city of York. That's an imposing distance of 132km with plenty of lumps along the way, no small feat for an amateur cyclist – let alone one on a cumbersome two-person machine – but with the assistance of generous supporters, he scored a serious engine upgrade.

Earlier that morning, James' fellow Radio 1 DJs Matt and Molly had announced during an interview with Geraint Thomas that, providing an ambitious fund-raising target of £700,000 was reached, the Welsh rider would join James on the tandem steed he is using during the Big Ride.

At the time the announcement was made, £60,000 was still required, so £1,000 per minute needed to come in. In the end, over £100,000 was raised by the cut off, so Thomas duly saddled up on the back of the bike.

Previous co-pedallers on the bike during the challenge have included comedian Joe Lycett, but the Welsh cycling legend, who retired at the end the 2025 Tour of Britain, is also well-known for his wry sense of humour.

"The only problem is, I haven't been on a bike for about six months, I hope I’m not just going to be a dead weight for you…" quipped Thomas just before they set off.

At times during the shared ride, James was left looking a bit breathless. "That was so fast," he gasped when they stopped in Doncaster. "Did you enjoy it?" Thomas, who appeared fit despite his earlier protestations (we hear he's up for doing an Ironman), said he'd had a blast. “I was a bit nervous at first," he laughed. "I wasn’t sure how good you would be… but fair play.”

The lightweight steel-framed two-man steed the unlikely pair were pedalling has been custom made for James' 1.93m frame by British heritage brand Mercian Cycles. The British bike manufacturer, which has an 80-year history, has also supplied four standard road bikes to be ridden by his support crew.

James decided to continue with his challenge despite recently receiving some devastating news about the health of his father, who suffered a stroke during an operation. He is aiming to complete the challenge and reach the walled city Edinburgh on 20 March, which is Red Nose Day. You can follow his progress and donate here.

James is no stranger to endurance challenges. In 2018 he completed the 'Pedal To The Peaks' mission, cycling between - and then climbing - the highest mountains in England, Wales and Scotland: Scafell Pike, Snowdon, and Ben Nevis. And previously, in 2016, he completed five triathlons in five days.