OLYMPIC star Daley Thompson is urging everyone to get together with their mates, get on their bikes and enjoy the countryside as a charity cycling event comes to Teignmouth tomorrow.

The two-times Olympic gold medallist and world athletics champion spoke to the Herald Express a head of the South West Tour Ride, the charity ride which ends in Teignmouth tomorrow.

He said: "Cycling is a great way to stay fit, socialise with your mates and see the Devon countryside for free. What's not to like about it?"

The Tour Ride is a precursor to the Tour of Britain in which professional cyclists will race from Minehead to Teignmouth on Tuesday, September 14.

It will be the first time a major cycling event has visited South Devon since the Milk Race came to Paignton 25 years ago.

Daley will join comedian David Schneider, DJ Mark Goodier and hundreds of others in a jaunt across Devon to highlight the benefits of cycling and the profile of the Prostate Cancer Charity.

There is a choice of three routes in the Tour Ride, providing an opportunity for people of all ages to do all, or some, of the route the professionals will complete little more than a week later.

Keen cyclists will do the full 109-mile Minehead to Teignmouth stage or a challenging 44-mile route from Honiton to Teignmouth.

The more genteel can complete a tranquil family-friendly 1.2-mile closed road loop around The Den.

Daley, David and Mark are doing the 70km ride.

Daley said: "You don't have to be in any rush to get anywhere and you have all day to go at your own pace.

"I don't intend to go any faster than I need to. I'll have a few mates around me and we will just have a laugh and enjoy ourselves — and I think anyone else who is interested in coming along should do the same.

"For me, staying fit is just something I do."

Although he is treating the event as a fun way of exercising there is also a serious message behind it about the work of the Prostate Cancer Charity, which is staging two more Tour Ride events elsewhere in the UK.