The ultra-endurance cycling challenge "London-Athens on 2 wheels - Bring them back" in its second year, began at 5 am on Saturday 05 August, outside the British Museum gates. 

Cycling heroes: Vasiliki Voutzali (Greece), Steffen Streich (Germany & Greece), Christopher Ross Bennett (New Zealand), Paul Alderson (UK), and Dionisis Kartsambas (Greece), set off to cycle 3,500 kms to reach the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

Catch up on their daily challenges, the highs and lows by visiting their facebook page .

Before leaving, the BCRPM's Christopher Stockdale, Marlen and Tony Godwin, met with the cyclists in Room 18. Christopher presented a copy of his book 'Simming with Hero' to Vasiliki. 

In Room 18 meeting Christopher Stockdale, the first person to cycle from the British Museum to the Acropolis Museum in 2005. 

Fans in each corner of Room 18, trying to circulate the warm air. 

A flag that has been used in Room 18 sine the opening of the Acropolis Museum in 2005, shows the tip floor Parthenon Gallery of the Acropolis Museum , where the surviving halves of the sculptures not removed by Lord Elgin are displayed the right way round and with views to the Parthenon.

Vasiliki with a little help adds a few stickers outside the BM.

August, 05 at 5 am outside the British Museum gates, five cyclists begin a journey , an endurance journey in the hope that their efforts will add more pressure to the British Museum to reunite the Parthenon Marbles. The cyclists: Vasilki Voutzali (Greece), Steffen Streich (Germany & Greece), Christopher Ross Bennett (New Zealand), Paul Alderson (UK), and Dionisis Kartsambas (Greece) are making history too.

Christopher Stockdale, a retired GP from Solihull, and member of BCRPM swam for the marbles (2000 from Delos to Paros) and cycled in 2005. He admits cyclist was out of his comfort zone but the campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles is very much in Christopher's heart, although he was devastated not to be able to join the cyclists on this day.

This year the cyclists selected a number of segments along the route, stopping in Lille, France on their first night as the UK weather was a heady mixture of strong winds and heavy rains. Their first stop on day 2 was their intended first segment stop, Mons in Belgium.

Steffen and Vasiliki in Mons and.... at the Melina Mercouri St.

As Paul heads back to UK, Christopher carries on with Vasiliki, Steffen and Dionisis to Germany

Fom Belgium to Munich in Germany, and to Budapest in Hungary, segments 2 & 3

Bici Bavarese | Vintage & Moderne Rennräder in München

A warm welcome in Budapest!

From Hungary to Serbia and North Macedonia, arriving in Kastoria and Trikala.

Athens, today 17 August,  just 12 days from that cold, wet and windy 5th of August outside the British Museum. Christopher's time was 12 days, 3 hours and 18  minutes. We await the arrival of Dionisis tomorrow with a welcome from the Melina Mercouri Foundation, and a visit to the Acropolis Museum. 

, is Italian and has been living and working in the UK for over 15 years. He teaches at the University of Southampton and with Prof. David Boyd-Carrigan co-founded 'Greece Needs Love'. The aim has been to raise money for art students in Greece and organise an exhibition for Greek artists in London - a Greek Art Biennale. An equally important aim was to join  the campaign to return the sculptures from the Parthenon currently housed in the British Museum, back to Greece and the Acropolis Museum.

On 01 July this year, Luca began his cycle run from Bloomsbury, London outside the entrance of the British Museum.

He was suffering with a summer cold and could barely speak but set off and 35 days and 8 hours later, he arrived in sunny Greece. He travelled through France and Italy crossing by ferry from Italy to Patras and cycling from the west Peloponnese to Athens. Difficult moments were plentiful but what will be a lasting memory for Luca, is the help and support he received from people along the way. All those that asked him what he was doing, were quick to say they too supported the reunification of these sculptures.

Generosity, fairness and respect are values that shape Luca's life, and he firmly believes that the best place to view the sculptures is in the Acropolis Museum. "The return of the marbles to Athens is a historic and moral obligation of us all" concludes Luca.

Deputy Culture and Sports Minister Angela Gerekou, congratulated Luca and presented him with a figurine replica of a dove from the Hellenistic period.

Luca had also decided, prior to starting his journey, that he would donate his bicycle to the Acropolis Museum. In Athens he met  Professor Pandermalis, President the Acropolis Museum.

There is no doubt as we followed Luca's progress with his Facebook and twitter posts that his infectious smile was catching all the way into Athens!

The campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles love affair with cycling began nearly a decade ago with Dr Christopher Stockdale MBE, a General Practitioner from the Midlands and member of the British Committee. After he retired in 2003, Chris cycled in spring 2005 from London to Athens to campaign for the reunification of the marbles - five years before the Acropolis Museum was opened.