Seventeen amateur cyclists took to the streets of Monaco on Saturday for a charity ride organized by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, riding the same course laid out for the Vuelta a Espana's opening stage. Prince Albert II attended the event, which served as a warm up to one of the principality's biggest sporting weekends of the year.
Several former champions joined the amateur riders, including Fabian Cancellara, a two time Olympic time trial champion, Thor Hushovd, a former road world champion, and Alexandr Vinokourov, an Olympic champion. Bjorn Maaseide, an international beach volleyball figure and Foundation ambassador, rounded out the group.
Each cyclist made a financial contribution to take part, with all proceeds going to the Foundation. The money supports its swim education programs for children, which the Foundation runs around the world.
Maaseide said the Foundation's swimming instruction mission was a natural reflection of Princess Charlene's own background as an Olympic swimmer. The charity ride opened a weekend built around the Vuelta a Espana's Grand Depart, one of Monaco's biggest sporting fixtures of the year.