Coronavirus will not stop Danny MCGuire’s charity bike challenge

HULL KR’S Danny McGuire has vowed to get on his bike and complete the epic UK Red Empire State 500 fund-raising challenge – whenever it finally happens.

He revealed last month that he would be joining 22 other riders on the Rugby League Cares 500-miles cycling adventure from Niagara Falls to Central Park, Manhattan, in May.

Rovers recruitment manager McGuire hopes to raise more than £5,000 for his former KR team-mate Mose Masoe, who is still being treated in Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, after suffering a serious spinal injury suffered during a friendly in January.

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However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, the charity’s challenge has been called off.

Danny McGuire: Will pedal for pounds.Danny McGuire: Will pedal for pounds.
Danny McGuire: Will pedal for pounds.

Nevertheless, former Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain half-back McGuire insisted: “That will get done. The biggest thing is it’s just been postponed. It’s not been cancelled.

“It will get put back to later in the year hopefully or the early part of next year. I’ve committed to it now and I definitely want to see it through.

“I’ve got over £1,500 of sponsorship money so I need to make sure I crack that. We have a meeting in a couple of weeks when, hopefully, we can pick it up and sort out when we will do it.

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“It’s always been the way I do things; once I agree to do things I follow it through. It just gives me a bit more time to get on the bike and get some more practice in.”

On Sunday, McGuire was inspired once more by his long-time Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield, who ran a solo marathon in aid of Rhinos legend Rob Burrow, clocking a personal best time of three hours 18 minutes.

“It’s just quality,” he said. “I fired a message across to him on Sunday morning. To run on your own as well it’s an even a bigger achievement.

“Normally, when there’s people around you, that kind of spurs you on, like at the London Marathon when all the fans are there.

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“I suppose it’s like playing sport; when you get the supporters cheering you on, you run that much quicker.

“But Kev’s so disciplined, so determined that I actually think he’d probably run better on his own – he’d be able to focus a bit more – and for our big mate as well and the MND Association, it’s a great achievement.

“To run it that quick as well it’s an amazing effort.”

McGuire, who won eight Grand Finals with Leeds before rounding off his glittering career with the Robins last year, has also turned his hand to television work in his retirement.

The 37-year-old has appeared offering his views and expertise on Sky Sports’ live Super League broadcasts this season before the campaign was shut down last week due to the global pandemic.

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He says: “I am really enjoying that. I’ve done it a fair few times now and, like anything, the more you do it, the more confident you become.

“I think they’re happy with how I’ve done and I am hoping to get on a bit more over the year.”

“It’s always good to see different faces on there; we get Brian (Carney), Tez (O’Connor), Baz (McDermott) and Wellsy (Jon Wells) who are really good at their job and just recently they’ve had some current players on and players who have just finished playing, too.

“Paul Sculthorpe was on and he was really good. It just mixes things up and keeps it fresh.”