Legion corporal cycles from Ronda to Santiago in four days and raises 4,000 euros for leukaemia research

Corporal Manuel M. Becerra, of the 4th Legion Regiment “Alejandro Farnesio”, successfully completed on 4 June the challenge he had set himself: Cycling the 1,088-kilometre route from Ronda (Málaga), where the regiment is stationed, to Santiago de Compostela in four days, to raise money for research into childhood acute leukaemia. And he has been able to raise 4,000 euros.

The adventure “Ronda-Santiago: 1,088 kilometres, 1.5 metres of life” started on 1 June. The first stage, covering 280 km, took Corporal Becerra to Zafra (Badajoz). The following two days he stopped for the night at Béjar (Salamanca) and Astorga (León). The fourth day he arrived at his destination.

Corporal Becerra was never alone. For instance, the first day he was first joined by members of the Sports Club “La Legión 101”, who cycled with him from Ronda to Seville; there they were relieved by cyclists from the city, who rode their bikes alongside the soldier all the way to Zafra. And on the last day he was accompanied by international cycling star Óscar Pereira, winner of the 2006 Tour de France. As a result, he felt supported along the route.

The aim of the challenge was two-fold: First, to publicise and raise money for the Lydia Project, launched by the cancer charity CRIS Foundation in memory of a girl who died from leukaemia. Second, to raise awareness about road safety amongst drivers and cyclists – hence the “1.5 metres of life” in the slogan, which is the minimum distance when overtaking cyclists.

The Legion corporal initially aimed at raising 1,088 euros, one for each kilometre of the route. However, thanks to the successful promotion of the challenge he was able to raise almost four times that amount, reaching 4,000 euros. And the fundraising campaign is not over yet; donations are still being collected through the website www.betternow.org

Corporal Becerra also counted with the support of his colleagues and superiors. During the challenge he was assisted by a vehicle and a soldier from his regiment, so he did not have to carry all the equipment. In addition, after completing his feat he was congratulated by the chief of his unit, Colonel Julio Salom, currently deployed in Iraq, and by the chief of the Legion Battalion “King Alfonso XII”, General Martín Cabrero.

Corporal Becerra during the second stage of the route (Photo: Ronda Santiago 1088)