9 8 9 , ▁when ▁there ▁were ▁ 2 9 ▁star ters ▁and ▁ 2 6 ▁finish ers , ▁all ▁British . ▁For ▁that ▁inaug ural ▁ride , ▁the ▁distance ▁was ▁, ▁and ▁the ▁route ▁included ▁a ▁stretch ▁of ▁the ▁A 6 8 ▁road . ▁Fin ish ers ▁of ▁that ▁original ▁event ▁are ▁sometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁A 6 8 ▁Club . ▁The ▁inaug ural ▁ride ▁did ▁not ▁start ▁in ▁London , ▁but ▁in ▁Don c aster , ▁the ▁home ▁town ▁of ▁the ▁organ iser . ▁R iders ▁head ed ▁first ▁north ▁to ▁Edinburgh ▁and ▁back , ▁then ▁south ▁to ▁London ▁and ▁back . ▁▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁For ▁the ▁fifth ▁edition ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁there ▁were ▁ 3 0 6 ▁star ters ▁and ▁ 2 4 6 ▁finish ers , ▁from ▁the ▁UK , ▁main land ▁Europe , ▁and ▁other ▁countries ▁including ▁Japan , ▁Russia , ▁Australia , ▁the ▁USA , ▁and ▁Canada . ▁R iders ▁set ▁out ▁from ▁Ch esh unt , ▁on ▁the ▁northern ▁out sk ir ts ▁of ▁London , ▁or ▁from ▁Thor ne , ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁original ▁Don c aster ▁start . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁route ▁was ▁just ▁over ▁ 1 3 6 0 km ▁long ▁and ▁arrived ▁in ▁Edinburgh ▁via ▁The ▁Gran ites . ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁ 3 1 ▁nations ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁ride , ▁which ▁started ▁and ▁ended ▁at ▁Ch esh unt . ▁▁ 2 0