Top cyclists race from Paris to London

Olympic cyclist Nicole Cooke will join more than 300 riders from Britain and France as they race from Paris to London this weekend.

The two-day, 300km ride will bring together 150 experienced cyclists from each country as part of this year's centenary celebrations of the Entente Cordiale.

Other names from the world of cycling will include Yvonne McGregor, who won a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and Colin Lewis, former Tour de France rider and twice British road race champion.

The cyclists will set off from the Eiffel Tower on Saturday morning and pedal to Amiens.

After an overnight stop and transfer via ferry from Calais to Dover they will race on Sunday to Rochester, where the winner will don a white jersey, before the riders cycle on via Blackheath and Tower Bridge to the Tower of London.

Cooke, 21, won the women's Tour of Italy this year. Last year she became the youngest winner of the women's World Cup and the first Briton to achieve the honour.

Ken Livingstone, who has tried to get more people on their bikes, said: "This race is a great way to celebrate cycling in our city."

Organisers hope that if the event goes smoothly it will boost London's hopes of hosting the opening leg of the 2007 Tour de France.

Proceeds from the weekend ride will go to cancer charities on both sides of the Channel.