Cracknell makes cycle safety plea

Olympic gold-medallist James Cracknell has stressed the importance of wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle, as a growing number of rowers cycle to and from training in the summer weather.

The rower, who has completed a number of endurance challenges in recent years – including rowing, cycling, and running from the UK to Africa in 2008 and racing to the South Pole in 2009 – suffered bruising to the brain when he was struck from behind by a truck in the USA last year.

Cracknell has since attributed his survival to wearing a helmet, and the 39-year-old has produced the following video to encourage others to cycle safely: