This is a huge year for myself and my cycling buddies, workcolleagues and family.

The story is centred around my wife's Grandmother, whounfortunately
suffered over a very long long time with this horrible a debilitating disease.She was a tenacious woman with a strong will and mind, making it all the sadderto see her disappear so drastically over an extended and agonising period.

My company Telent have elected to champion the Alzheimer'sSociety over the next few years and therefore with my wife's family in mind, sowill I.

It's going to be a massive year with multiple events taking up alarge portion of my efforts and related training.

The challenge started in Mallorca on April 27th with my longestever ride of 230km, during the Mallorca 312 Sportive. In just under 9.5 hourswe managed to ride across Mallorca's highest peaks from one side of the islandto the other, then back again. During a 3 day break we also
rode to the famous Cap Formentor lighthouse and to the formidable Sa Calobraclimb which takes 65km and 1300m of ascent  just to reach its entrance!The only other way to the famous harbour is by boat. But it's worth it for theincredible views and the beautiful snaking road up to the top.

In all we managed to over 400km and nearly 7000m of climbing inour 3 rides.

The next part of the challenge is based in Britain.

I will be riding with my telentwork colleagues  in the Velo Birmingham and Midlands onMay 12th. A closed road sportive which crosses through the famous cities ofBirmingham and Coventry then on through Solihull, Warwickshire, Dudley andSandwell where we will encounter stunning countryside, panoramic views,picturesque villages and iconic climbs!! In all, a distance of 160kms and1500m+ of climbing.

Then its back to my home county of Oxfordshire on May 19th,where we will ride the shorter but no less difficult Bike Oxford. This a rideof 130kms, which heads into Buckinghamshire to tackle the unforgiving slopes ofthe Chiltern escarpment. With 15% a common gradient, the legs will be severelytested for the 1300m of sharp ascents.

The next ride is huge one.

We travel to Wales on Sunday 9th June for the brutal Dragon Gran Fondo,sponsored by the Tour de France, this is Britain’s toughest sportive. At 230kmwith nearly 4000m of ascent over famous climbs like Bwlch, Rhigos Pass and TheDevils Elbow, it’s a challenge the equal of any of the epic Alpine and Pyraneanrides. The day is punctuated
by the leg sapping climb of Black Mountain at 160kms (100 miles) into the rideand then the punchy climb out of Neath the final hammer blow if you thought itwas going to be an easy ride to the end! I have done many rides around Europeand this, for me is the hardest!

In July we return to France to ride the Marmotte desAlpes.

The Marmotte des Alpes is another extreme challenge. Centredaround the small town of Le Bourg-D'Oisans in the French Alps. The ride is174km with over 5000m of ascent. We will scale the famous colsof The Glandon, The Telegraph and then on to the mighty Col duGalibier, at 2,645m high it is one of the highest paved roads in the Alps.We then descend back down to Le Bourg-D'Oisans for our finalascent to the Village of Alpe d'Huez, a 1000m ascent made famous by theTour de France with 21 hairpin bends and severe gradients, it’s the lastand most demanding part of the day’s riding.

The climb to Alpe d’Huez is usually taken in Southern Frenchtemperatures of over 30 degrees with each of the first 6 ramps boarded
by an imposing pale limestone cliff which blasts the heat of the sun back atyou with as you ascend. If you get your nutrition wrong here your day ends veryquickly.

In mid October my year ends as it started,on a legendary Spanish Island made famous by the cyclists and cycling teams whotravel there to train. This time it will be Tenerife, where my wife an I willascend the centre piece of the island, Mount Teide. You can't quite ride to thetop (3750m) but with the road topping out at a whopping 2600m above sea levelits a climb that is nearly 3 times the vertical ascent of a standard alpineclimb. It'll take all day and I'll have a rucksack full of food!

Please help me to raise £1,000 for this great cause, It'sreally easy, just follow instructions on this page.

Alzheimer’s Society is transforming thelandscape of dementia forever. Until the day we find a cure, we will create asociety where those affected by dementia are supported and accepted, able tolive in their community without fear or prejudice.