SPONSORSHIP UPDATE:  In order to get matched funds from ABN AMRO, can you please divert your sponsorship to my friend Tariq's page at www.justgiving.com/tariqnkhan. ABN AMRO intend to match sponsorship up to £1000 for every permanent employee involved in the ride so if you sponsor him the charity should get more money.

RIDE UPDATE: Well we did it! For the first day in The Netherlands we were blessed with almost entirely flat riding and beautiful sunshine so the unexpected extra 10 miles weren't a bind (60mls). Harwich to London was great once we'd woken up - but I would not choose to ride a bike amongst the London traffic for fun. (77mls). All riders arrived safely and in great spirits ready for the party in Victoria Park.

The Motor Neurone Disease is a debilitating neurological condition that affect the nerves in the brain and spinal stem that control voluntary muscles. As the nerves die out, the muscles waste and atrophy, spreading from the hands and feet to the arms and legs. Speaking and swallowing can also be impaired. Once the diaphragm is affected, breathing is restricted. Motor Neurone Disease is fatal and has a prognosis of two to five years. There is no cure. There is no treatment.

Last year, my friend Duncan Bayly was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

However, there is some hope. Research has been progressing rapidly and the identification of Riluzole as a medication to extend lifespan by three to six months has thrown up many clues and avenues for research into how this disease is acquired and how pharmaceuticals can be used to treat, slow and finally halt the progression of symptoms.

On the weekend of 3 and 4 May 2008, I am going to cycle from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to London in the United Kingdom and I'm hoping to be sponsored with all funds being donated to Motor Neurone Disease research. I have bought my bike, joined a cycling club, started my training, and very soon I expect to be able to manage to indicate a left turn the way I could when I was 6!

Donating through this site is simple, fast and secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: the Motor Neurone Disease Association will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. What's more, my employer (ABN AMRO Bank) intends to match the sponsorship I receive up to £1000.

So please sponsor me now!