Today, Saturday, Alex Goulding, 34, of Westhoughton will set off from Le Mans Crescent in the town centre on an ambitious cycling journey to…. Le Mans in France, raising money for Doctors Without Borders along the way.

Alex will be making the 584 mile trip to raise money for the charity, an international organisation dedicated to providing medical care.

Alex Goulding on a previous trip (Image: Alex Goulding)

Alex said: “I’m really excited for it – I’ve got two weeks off work, so it’s my holiday, this!”

Alex had the idea of supporting Doctors Without Borders after hearing a representative of theirs on the Adam Buxton podcast.

You can support Alex by visiting his JustGiving page via this link: https://www.justgiving.com/page/goldthingmsf?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

“I just thought with everything going on in the world at the moment it would be a good charity to support,” he said.

“When I did my coast to coast ride I raised money for Kidney Care because my dad had a kidney issue when I was a kid.”

Alex at the starting line on Le Mans Crescent (Image: Alex Goulding)

He will be meeting friends and family at Le Mans Crescent at 10:30am on Saturday for ‘a coffee and a pasty’, before setting off at around 11am.

Alex has been training for quite a while, having completed two lengthy cycling trips over the last few years – one UK coast to coast trip, and one 200 mile trip through Wales.

The distance between Le Mans Crescent and Le Mans, France is just under 600 miles, though Alex isn’t going to be cycling through all of this distance.

Alex on a previous trip (Image: Alex Goulding)

“I’m not going to be cycling on the ferry,” he said.

Once in France, Alex will be taking the La Vélo Francette cycling route for his 150 miles journey from Cannes to Le Mans.

Le Mans France is twinned with Bolton, hence ‘Le Mans Crescent’.

This also explains the presence of a Rue de Bolton in Le Mans, France.

Le Bolton Food Cafe on the Rue De Bolton (Image: Google Maps)

He initially intended to finish his trip at ‘Le Bolton Food Café’ on Le Mans’ Rue de Bolton, but unfortunately the café has since closed down.

In total, Alex will be covering around 400 miles across the ten-day trip.

After completing his gruelling journey Alex will have some well earned rest in Le Mans, with his parents making the trip over to visit him there.