Danish soccer legend Thomas Sorensen to ride 3500km to raise money for Starlight Children’s Foundation

GREAT DANE Thomas Sorensen will put his body through hell as he embarks on a 31-day 3500km cycle across south-eastern Australia to raise funds for the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Danish and English premier league goalkeeping legend Thomas Sorensen is farewelled by brothers Hayden and Anthony Stringer (9) and Captain Starlight in the Starlight Express Room at the Women's and Children's Hospital on Tuesday. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

HE is a Danish Viking with a sense of adventure, yearning to put his body through hell for children threatened with having their precious lives cut short through illness.

Thomas Sorensen, a legend of Denmark’s national team who also achieved a long list of accolades during 363 English premier league matches with Sunderland, Aston Villa and Stoke City will on Wednesday embark on a 31-day 3500km cycle across south-eastern Australia raising funds for Starlight Children’s Foundation which is an organisation hoping to “to brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families”.

Thomas Sorensen at full stretch for Melbourne City. Picture: George Salpigtidis

The 41-year-old who retired last year after a stint with the A-League’s Melbourne City says the ride is the toughest thing he’ll do after a lifetime of being under pressure to perform as a goalkeeper.

Sorensen says his passion for helping sick children started during his time in England.

“The community work the clubs do there is a very important part of the club culture,’’ Sorensen said before he was farewelled at the Starlight Room at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital at North Adelaide on Tuesday.

“I came in contact with a lot of disadvantaged families and children, I went to hospitals and I experienced some inspirational and sad stories.

“A while back I got the privilege to show also dying boy around our training ground.

“That was his biggest wish to come and see his favourite team train and meet the players.

“To see his excitement at an incredible difficult time it change my perspective. Hearing from his family after his death they had gotten their happy boy back for the last few weeks, that made me cry.

Thomas Sorensen, middle, in the thick of it for Denmark against Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Dane Jesper Gronkjr, and Petter Hansson in 2008.

“It’s very tough but it also proves it’s important for these kids to get a smile on their face and get some help.

“They’re not all dying but so many of them and their families need breathing space and a bit of a lift and this is what I’d be focusing on. It is definitely something I can relate to from my sport.

“I know how much mental wellbeing means in football and in life.”

Sorensen’s first leg of the journey starts in the Barossa Valley and ends in Hahndorf 77km later.

He is hoping to raise more than $150,000 during his 30 days on the road which ends in Sydney on Easter Sunday and already has about a $50,000 start from generous folk.

The big Dane, who measures in at 196cm, is also conducting soccer clinics along the way with one of them pencilled in for Mount Gambier after he arrives from Kingston on March 3.

Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen tries in vain to stop a strike from England’s Michael Owen during the 2002 World Cup finals.

With Australia’s only Tour de France winner Cadel Evans’ BMC Racing team sponsoring Sorensen by handing him one of its top-of-the-range carbon road bikes, the Dane has been training for the tough event since last July.

Sorensen started his love affair with riding about five years ago when preseason running became too difficult for his body.

“I’ve got a Danish cycling coach that has an online training program,’’ Sorensen said.

“I have a wattbike in my house, it’s been a combination of training.

“I’m very meticulous so I have spent a lot of time trying to get an understanding of wattage, cadence and heart rate. He has been very supportive.

“The training is quite different from football. In cycling you measure everything. There is no place to hide and I like that challenge of accountability.”

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Originally published as Danish soccer legend Thomas Sorensen to ride 3500km to raise money for Starlight Children’s Foundation