THE bereaved family and friends of a cyclist who died during a 100-mile challenge will tackle this year’s event in his honour.

Robin Chard, from Bicester, died about 25 miles into the Prudential RideLondon charity cycle on July 31 last year and money donated on his fundraising page for Cancer Research UK soared to £66,712 in his memory.

Now the 48-year-old’s loved ones hope to continue his fundraising efforts and will be taking on the ride as well as travelling to the point where Mr Chard suffered a cardiac arrest to pay tribute.

Friend Jason Kilcoyne, who was Mr Chard’s best man at his wedding, will be taking on a 46-mile route during the event.

He said: “I am a first time cyclist really, in that I have never done an event before and I did look at the 100-mile route but didn’t know what that would need for training.

“So I chose to do the 46-mile route as more of a personal challenge for me really, in memory of Robin.

“I also knew Robin’s nephew Danny Day was taking on the 100-mile route in his memory which is amazing.”

Mr Kilcoyne, who was close friends with Mr Chard for about 17 years after meeting through their work at Elsevier information analytics company in Kidlington, said he was doing the ride in honour of a ‘much missed, friend, father, son and brother’.

He added: “Robin was a funny old character, a bit like Marmite. He had a wicked sense of humour and people either really took to it or not.

“We hit it off instantly and straight away were really good friends from that first week at work.

“Part of Robin’s story was that he suffered Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent pioneering treatment as a child and beat it.

“It meant he would have to go to London for monitoring every year and would speak with children suffering from cancer about his experiences.

“That’s why I am raising money for Children With Cancer UK – to take it right back to the beginning and continue that support.”

Mr Kilcoyne, from Standlake, hopes to raise £460 on July 30, when Mr Chard’s nephew will take on the 100-mile route simultaneously.

Mr Day has written on his Macmillan Cancer Support fundraising page about the tragedy of losing a childhood friend in June before Mr Chard’s death in July.

He hopes to raise money in both their memories and has smashed his target already by raising £830.

Family members, including Mr Chard’s mother Monika, will join him at mile 25 to pay tribute.

Mr Kilcoyne added: “I don’t know how they will pay tribute yet but most likely raise a glass of Guinness to Rob as his favourite tipple”.

To donate to both causes visit bit.ly/2sGAW8s and bit.ly/2tIVJIn respectively.