This weekend, 13 heroic cyclists took on the wind and rain to complete the Prudential Ride London to raise vital funds for homeless and vulnerable people. 

After weeks of sun and boiling hot weather, the rain came pouring down on race day, which meant the cyclists faced six hours of lashing rain and strong headwinds - making for very difficult conditions. 

Despite the weather, Londoners lined the streets to cheer on the participants - Team SHP were out in full force at mile 98 to cheer on all the riders. A total of 26,720 riders completed the event.

Oliver Smith, who works for SHP's corporate partner Tideway and rode with a team of eight colleagues, said: "The ride saw pretty challenging conditions, but it was good fun. We were mostly split up as a team due to different wave starting times but all finished well despite punctures, rain and wind. The support out on the road was great, both from the SHP cheer team at mile 98 and other members of the public out in the towns and villages we went through. It was a real festival feeling. The day was a great event in all, and we’re very happy to have raised over £3200."

Maurice O'Brien, who rode as part of a team from Paddy Power Betfair, said: “We were very proud to represent SHP in such a fantastic event. The weather conditions made it a lot more challenging than in previous years, but it was great to see the SHP cheer team at Pimlico, which gave us a final push over the line! We were also really pleased with our fundraising efforts, having raised a substantial amount for such a great charity.”

So far, SHP riders have raised more than £6,500 for the charity. Agata Elliott, SHP's Fundraising Manager, said: "We are so thankful to all the cyclists who took on the amazing challenge of the Prudential Ride London to raise vital funds, especially in such difficult conditions. All the money raised will help transform lives of homeless and vulnerable people across London."

The Prudential RideLondon is one of the most prestigious events in the cycling calendar. Following the 2012 Olympic route, the 100-mile course is packed with leg-testing climbs, stunning Surrey scenery and iconic London sights.

Find our more about taking on a challenge event for SHP, or sign up to the Ride London 2019.