A 61-year-old Town fan from Norway is taking on a "crazy" challenge to cycle over 1,000km to watch his team take on Liverpool on the opening day of the season.

Richie Wiik, also known as Richie the Cat, is pedalling and couch surfing across Europe to ensure he reaches Portman Road in time for their return to the Premier League.

His nickname is in reference to his goalkeeping past and being compared to former England and Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Bonetti, who was nicknamed The Cat.

The 61-year-old started supporting Town after the FA Cup final in 1978, with Mr Wiik having a soft spot for the underdog.

He said: "I love cycling.

Richie Wiik is on his way to IpswichRichie Wiik is on his way to Ipswich (Image: Richie Wiik)

"I have different cycling blogs.

"I've been an avid fan of Ipswich since I was in my early teens, and so I was waiting for the fixtures to be released.

"I saw Liverpool at home for the season opener, and this was my trigger to do something crazy to cycle all the way from Oslo to Ipswich."

His route has seen him go from Norway to Denmark, then through Germany, Netherlands and finally from Harwich to Ipswich.

Richie Wiik is on his way to IpswichRichie Wiik is on his way to Ipswich (Image: Richie Wiik)

So far, he has suffered tyre punctures, but he said he was fortunate with the weather he has experienced.

He started with a Liverpool fan cycling buddy who turned back to Norway when the pair reached Germany.

He said: "The most challenging part has been the logistics.

"I have so far stayed in everything from a tent in someone's garden to hotels, but my biggest revelation was finding a website called warmshowers.org.

Richie Wiik is on his way to IpswichRichie Wiik is on his way to Ipswich (Image: Richie Wiik)

"It's couch surfing for the cycling community and I am amazed by how many hosts there are in Europe."

He left Oslo on July 28, and is due to reach Ipswich on August 15.

He is set to arrive one day early as things stand, provided there are no issues.

Richie has a Facebook page where people can follow along with his journey en route, which can be found here.