It was Paris or bust for HSB EIL's Lycra Warriors, and the team did meet their goal of biking from London to Paris and raising £7,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Michelle Burgess, Marketing Manager, HSB Engineering Insurance Limited, sends this report.

Turning up to the office in a spandex one-piece can be a career-limiting move in the UK insurance market, but for five managers from specialist engineering and construction insurer HSB Engineering Insurance Limited, it marked the beginning of an epic bike ride in aid of charity.

The five HSB managers, including CEO Stephanie Watkins, donned their Lycra suits on June 1 to begin the grueling four-day cycle ride from London to Paris for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Christened Lycra Warriors, the HSB team started from London's Crystal Palace park on a Wednesday and cycled 300 miles to finish at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Saturday, June 4.

Stephanie Watkins said: "We covered around 80 miles a day so it was pretty challenging - especially on day one when we had to traverse the North Downs. What really drove us on was the knowledge that we and our friends, family, and colleagues who've sponsored us are making a big contribution to an organization that helps so many people who suffer with terminal illness."

So the question is - did the team turn around and bike back? Stephanie's reply: "Are you kidding? 300 miles was enough - Eurostar!"