Summerfield rose to prominence in 2006, when he became the second person in history to circumnavigate the globe on a penny farthing, following fellow Brit Thomas Stevens who set off on his own incredible journey in 1884.
The bike-mad athlete spent two and a half years travelling through 23 countries on four different continents riding a penny farthing that he built himself – but even that does not prepare him for the bone-shaking cobbles, steep hills and daring sprints that lie ahead.
For his latest challenge, Summerfield and his high-wheel bicycle will attempt to ride the punishing short stage Sportives at some of the most famous one-day cycling road races in the world, including the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Leige-Bastogne-Leige – all in celebration of the Tour de France Stage 3, which will see the world’s cycling elite take to the streets of London this July.
Joff says: “The famous cobbled roads and the steep hill climbs of these European Spring Classics are going to test me and my penny farthing to the limit. I’m really looking forward to taking on these very challenging routes and meeting some of the pro riders along the way.”
Cycling fans are invited to enter a competition to win a trip to London to watch Stage 3 of the Tour de France by tweeting a picture of Joff on his penny farthing, themselves with the Tour de France picture board or on their own bicycle to @visitlondon using #letourinlondon
