Ian Kendall, from Plymouth, propping his bike up in the secure compound at the Gymnase des Droits de l'Homme at St Quentin-en-Yvelines just outside Paris. This was taken at about 9am on the Sunday morning after we had both been through the bike check. Our "Sam Browne" belts were marked to ensure that we didn't lend them to anyone else. Spare bulb, passports and mudguard security were all checked quite thoroughly!

This is the big hall that you sign in at. As you can see the French have a table all to themselves as they outnumbered the other nations, with the USA having the 2nd largest contingent and the Brits picking up the 3rd largest. The next three countries didn't add up to as many as we had!

The Prologue race on the Monday morning. This was supposed to be a 30 km ride around the area to let the general "Hoi Polloi" see the nutters that would be sitting on bikes for a few days and nights. It turned out to be a race around the suburbs at 29kph and I chickened out of the sprint, but this put me first in the queue for the free 'T' shirt, drink and Faberge Brut body spray. They obviously knew that we were going to stink for the next few days!

Ian "Noddy" Kendall carefully guarding a bit of grass! We started a craze for leaning bikes together which was later seen all over France. The group in the back ground were Brits but we didn't get to chat to them due to nervous anticipation. We're sat at the roundabout outside the gymnasium where the 80 hour fast boys are about to start! The winner got back in 44 hours and 8 mins!

Somewher in that lot is the winner and a lot of losers. I don't think that anybody who completes the PBP can be called a loser! Nutter, yes, but not loser,

From L to R: Duncan "Smiler" Archard, Ian "Noddy" Kendall, and Keith "The Brigand" Smallwood. The insane grins would ensure a hasty white coat arrival if only somebody had told the authorities!

This is the official photo of me taken on the first day somewhere near Tintineac. I was feeling good then but a little bit hot. There were two photographers, one on either side of the road both taking your photo as you staggered past. this is the better profile (vain git).

This is my mate, Brian Callow, o the righr, herding the French into an orderly queue. We all know that the French don't queue so we thought we would relieve the boredom of a long ride by teaching them!

OK so I was knackered. It's been a long hard ride and my right knee gave up the ghost at Brest. Painkillers and a refusal to quit kept me going. The finishing of the PBP was imperative for me as it meant that I qualified for the Brevet 5000.

Ian Weatherill and Mike Hunting looking lost and folorn after finishing the sprint to Brest and back. Noddy's legs can be seen in the background.

Richard Harding cocked up the start 'cos he entered the 84 hour ride which meant he started 7 hours after the rest of us. The other riders that started then just upped and went leaving him to battle the headwind all alone to Brest. He was completely worn out at the finish. Still, next time he'll read the entry form properly!!

Ian Hennesey heading off home from the Hotel "Pavilion Bleu". The hotel was situated on the busy N12 main road at a set of extremely complicated traffic lights. The road is used by motorcyclists for drag racing and I think an artic or two actually parked in my bedroom!