A dozen Tartan Army fans are set to cycle to Germany to watch Scotland take on Switzerland at the Euros.
Alex Schweitzer-Thompson and 11 of his pals are gearing up to take on the mammoth cycle in memory of his dad Alan, 71, who died last year of an aggressive brain tumour.
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Alex, 40, grew up watching Scotland play with his dad and the pair had big plans to head to Germany for the Euros this year.
However the pair’s dreams were dashed when 71-year-old Alan passed away from cancer at the end of 2023 just three months after being diagnosed.
A dozen Tartan Army fans are preparing to cycle from Edinburgh to Germany to watch Scotland take on Switzerland.
Alex said: “My Dad was a massive football fan and some of our best footballing memories emanated from watching the Scotland teams of recent years.
“But, having watched every home match of Euro 2024 qualifying together, he passed away soon afterwards.
“Having planned to go to Germany with him, I thought the best way to preserve his memory would be to travel there with others who held him dear and to take on a challenge that will help raise funds towards research into a horrible disease that affects so many families.”
Alex and his friends will set off from the Royal Mile on the morning of June 14, reaching the English border at Coldstream after 68 miles in time to watch the Euro 2024 opener between Germany and Scotland.
After a night’s rest they will peddle on another 76 miles through to North Shields, just north of Newcastle and board a ferry to Ijmuiden, near Amsterdam.
The group will cycle for a further three days before reaching Cologne just in time for Scotland’s clash with Switzerland on June 19.
Alex said the ride will be a huge challenge for everyone.
He said: “Most of the group have never dreamed about taking on a challenge like this before, and we’re certainly not in prime shape to do so.
“However, with plenty of backing from donors to our cause already, we’ll be focusing our minds in the coming weeks and putting in some gruelling training in order to complete the challenge and generate as much money as possible for a brilliant charity.”