Slater finishes gruelling 350-mile bike ride

GLOUCESTER star Ed Slater and his teammates completed a 350-mile bike ride this week in front of crowds at an emotional Kingsholm.

Slater, 34, announced his retirement immediately after revealing that he had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) last month.

The aim was to raise money for the 4Ed campaign, set up to cover his treatment costs and to support his family.

His gruelling cycling challenge has already raised more than £167k to help him and his family.

At the finish line, he said: “I’m going to go through a range of emotions, I’ll get emotional now talking about it.

“There will be a lot of sadness because of the disease, what it means for me and my family.

“But also just so proud that people have turned out in the numbers they have, and to feel that kind of love is important when you have got the disease that I do, to know that people are behind you.”

He told the crowds: “I don’t know where to start, it’s been a tough three days but I couldn’t pick a better group of guys to travel with me.

“It’s really emotional to feel all your support, I’m just a normal bloke from Milton Keynes who’s okay at rugby – and the way you have supported me after this diagnosis is huge. I never would have expected it, so I just have to thank you from me and my family.”

On day one of the ride, Slater cycled from Kingsholm to Welford Road, alongside Gloucester captain Lewis Ludlow, Fraser Balmain and Billy Twelvetrees, as well as former team-mates including Charlie Sharples, Alex Brown and Jim Hamilton.

The group travelled south to Milton Keynes – Slater’s hometown – and visited his first club Milton Keynes RFC on day two, before making the 106-mile return trip to Gloucester.

Slater added: "I’ve been so proud to play for Gloucester. To think I won’t be able to play on the pitch again is difficult."

Slater joined Gloucester in 2017 from Leicester and played 78 times for the club, the last of which came in January.