Launceston Velo was formed in February of 2016 and was steadily growing in terms of membership until Covid hit in 2021. As with many clubs, official rides dwindled and people cycled with each other on an ad hoc unofficial basis for almost 12 months. So after Covid the club needed something to boost its profile and membership to the wider community and also something to help put Launceston on the cycling map.

The idea was to produce a ride that reflected the town’s position ‘Twixt the Moors’, routes over Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor were investigated and in May 2022 we contacted some local cyclists, 34 in total, and rode the route and asked for feedback, which was excellent, we were given some thoughts on where we needed feed stations and a host of other ideas.

Launceston Cycle
(Launceston Cycle )

With the help of Dr Oliver Robinson, a club member, who cycled several route options during 2022 and 2023, we agreed on the route for the first M2M Challenge, a 200km(124mile) ride and also produced a single Bodmin moor route, a 100km(62mile) ride and the event took place in May 2023. The event starts and finishes in Castle Green, a stunning backdrop, and riders register for the ride in Launceston Town Hall, both being a great adverts for the town.

The feed stations are catered for by South Hill Women’s Institute, and the food is second to none on any sportive in the UK, so the ride also supports a local WI.

The sportive has grown in rider numbers year on year and this year we are hoping to reach 150 riders.

launceston cycle
(Launceston Cycle )

The decision on what to do with any money we made was simple, it’s Sarcoma, the soft tissue and Bone Cancer Charity. Gareth Lancaster, one of our founder members and ex club secretary, has been suffering from soft tissue cancer for almost 10 years and Sarcoma have been supporting him and his family for most of that time. So far the sportive has generated almost £6000 in donations.

Initially we had 4 main sponsors, Launceston Cycles, Firebrand, Westgate Street Deli and Maunders, without their generosity and support this would never have got off the ground. Since then we also have Coffee Cup, Penhale Motor Engineers, Abs-olute Health and Fitness and Philip Warrens supporting the event.

In 2024 we had to come to terms with the death of Dr Oliver Robinson on the ride, words can’t outline the impact this tragic event had on the organising committee and wider club membership but we all agreed that in Oliver’s memory we’d rename the event.

So on May 11 2025, Dr Oliver’s Moor2Moor Challenge took place. Thanks go to Harriet, Oliver’s sister, for sanctioning this and participating in the ride.

This year’s event will take place on May 17 2026, see you all then!