PIONEERING rugby star Gareth Thomas will cycle through Carlisle as part of this 500-mile bike ride to deliver the Sports Personality of the Year trophy in time to be presented to this year’s winner.

Gareth, who set off from Cardiff on Monday, will cycle from Kendal to Gretna Green today as part of the journey. He’ll be helped along the way by friends who’ll cycle alongside him in a four-seater quattrocycle.

The journey aims to raise money for Sports Relief and fight against the stigma surrounding some of the biggest issues in the world today.

All the excitement will be captured and live-streamed on BBC Sport and documented across BBC Radio 5 Live.

Over the course of the week Gareth will cycle 12 hours-a-day as part of his mission to deliver the BBC Sports Personality of the Year trophy from 2018 winner Geraint Thomas’s hometown to the 2019 winner at the live BBC One awards ceremony airing from 7pm on Sunday.

Gareth will switch between a solo bike and a quattrocycle, with the additional seats filled with friends and familiar faces from the world of sport and entertainment, as well as people who have been supported by money raised by Sport Relief.

England’s Cumbrian all-rounder Ben Stokes was announced as the first contender for the 2019 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Stokes, who grew up in Cockermouth, was an obvious nomination after starring in England’s Cricket World Cup triumph.

In the final against New Zealand, the 28-year-old hit 84 not out -

including two sixes in the final over - to tie the game, and then batted

in the super over with Jos Buttler

to help England to a dramatic victory.

Stokes was equally heroic in the Ashes, hitting an unbeaten 135 to help England win the third Test at Headingley by one wicket, giving them the opportunity to draw the series, although Australia did retain the Ashes in the end.

Ed Sheeran announced Stokes’s nomination.