More than 150 wounded veterans and service personnel led the 1,300-strong field - making it the biggest cycling show of support for the wounded the country has ever seen - from Britain, the United States and Canada.

After setting off from Blackheath in the morning, the cyclists paused to pay respects at the Monument to the Women of WW2 before riding along The Mall towards Admiralty Arch to cross the finish line at Horse Guards Parade in front of thousands of members of the public and celebrity patrons who had lined The Mall to show their support.

The 2013 Hero Ride then culminated at with a military celebration including performances from The Games Maker Choir and The State Trumpeters.

Hundreds of organised bike rides also took place in the lead up to today's finale, including the Big Battlefield Bike Ride, which saw 300 cyclists waved off by the Duchess of Cornwall at Les Invalides before riding 350 miles from Paris to London.

The 2013 Hero Ride also saw a ride from Edinburgh to London, which included a triple amputee who cycled the 420-mile journey on a handbike.


"I definitely know about how much training has to go in to a cycling event like Hero Ride - you have to be dedicated and all of the cyclists taking part today have a great cause in Help for Heroes that they're fighting for," Cavendish (pictured top, right) said.

"Every person involved in Hero Ride deserves a huge congratulations and well done for such a great achievement for a brilliant cause.

"I've seen how Help for Heroes use donations to provide outstanding support for our troops and everyone's effort here today will only add to this support."

Meanwhile, Paralympic silver medallist and Help for Heroes patron Jon Allan-Butterworth, who was severely injured in a mortar attack while serving in Iraq in 2007 and has been supported by the charity since, explained the charity is a cause close to his heart.

"Help for Heroes is a charity that has supported me so I understand exactly how the public's support and fundraising is used to help wounded troops - in my case it has literally changed my life and I am immensely grateful," he said.

"Today has made me very proud to be British and I want to say a huge thank you and congratulations to everyone that has taken part in Hero Ride, no matter how big or small their participation, every single person has made a difference.

"All of the effort and the fundraising by every cyclist today will be translated into support for our troops."

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