Story
Justa One Cornetto...!!!
What an action-packed 2012!!!! Dan, Graham, Jaysen and Mike are back for more. Having survived the challenge of cycling an Alpine Stage of 2010's Tour de France and another of Spain's 2011 La Vuelta, the team now turn their crazy heads towards the third of the Grand Tours....the Giro D'Italia 2012!
26th May will take the boys through Stage 15 of the Giro, a 172km long ride with 4 categorised climbs to get us sweating a little and once again we have a great team of friends to support us: Louise, Katherine and Vishal. Unfortunately Verity and Aidan can't join us this time around due to weddings and babies!
This year, given the number of events the team is taking part in, we've set up just one combined JustGiving page for all of the Events in 2012... and what a summer it's going to be:
18th March - Mike got things underway with 72 miles and 1,653m of climbing in the Burgess Hill Springtime Classic Cyclosportive. Riding against the clock, can Mike hit the Gold Standard time that he narrowly missed last time round? How did it go? See commentary below!
1st April - Dan and Jaysen will be running the Reading Half Marathon.
5 May - Jaysen will undertake the 3 Peak Challenge, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24 hours. Let's hope this is a little less challenging than his Everest challenge (new videos posted) last year!
12 May - the team travel to Scotland to take part in the Etape Caledonia. 81 miles of traffic-free roads in the stunning Highland Perthshire.
26th May - Giro D'Italia!!!
10th June - Graham's taking part in the 200km Wicklow 200 ride
17th June - Spinky's annual London to Brighton cycle, now a breeze for him but an honourable challenge nevertheless! As per tradition for this challenge, Mike will be raising money for the British Heart Foundation. If you are a regular supporter of Mike's annual BHF event and would like to donate to the BHF specifically, please go to Mike's page for this particular event. http://www.justgiving.com/Mike-Spink0
24th June - Jaysen will be taking part in the IronMan-France in Nice... 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42km marathon, all in one day.
14th July - the team has pencilled in a London to Paris challenge. But this isn't any ordinary London to Paris challenge! Us nutters want to complete the whole distance in under 24 hours!!!!
....and many training miles on the bike in between.
Our chosen charity for our fundraising this year is Breast Cancer Care UK who do great work for people affected by breast cancer. Jaysen has been involved in a lot of breast cancer work since his cousin was diagnosed at the age of 23 (www.jaysenarumugum.com)
Your donations will be much appreciated! This year we will be making a little extra effort by sporting the bright pink jerseys (along with tight lycra) for the occasion!
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
Big thanks!
Dan, Jaysen, Graham and Mike.
POST EVENT COMMENTARY:
18th March - Mike's Burgess Hill Springtime Classic Cyclosportive:
"Pleased to report that I completed each of the 6 climbs, one of which apparently includes 20% plus gradients. Was hoping to get home in under 4hrs 40m to secure a Gold Standard time – but fell a bit short. After allowing for time lost looking after a guy who took a heavy fall just in front of me, I logged a ‘real’ time of 4hrs 53m – so Silver again for Spinky! Placed 127th out of 234 riders, so pretty chuffed with that! Great prep. for the two big rides in May." Well done Mike from the Giro 2012 Team. We're all proud of you!
1st April - Jaysen and Dan's Reading half Marathon:
Pleased to report that we both completed the Reading half marathon in respectable times of 2:08 and 1:47 respectively. Dan's back on the bike, however, Jaysen is currently suffering from a possible stress fracture, having cycled 70km to the event, running the half marathon, and then cycling 70km back home... on a painful and injured ankle. Stupid. His physio was not happy and has condemned him to at least two weeks of rest. Jaysen has swapped his training sessions to booking in with the docs, visits to his physio and wearing ice packs.
5th May - Jaysen's 3 Peaks challenge:
Jaysen's 24 hour three peak challenge had all the signs of being a tougher challenge than it was meant to have been right from the start. From the plane delay and having to wait at the airport for four hours, to losing his rainjacket on the way to work, to one of his team members losing their wallet that night, to the taxi driver dropping him and others. At the wrong house the night before the event!
The group started their challenge at 3pm at the foot of Ben Nevis. The weather started off okay, however, towards the top of the mountain, the clouds started rolling in, the wind started blowing and it started to snow.
Unfortunately some of the group struggle up and subsequently struggled down, the last of the group taking a full 8 hours to complete the first mountain climb.
It was clear at that point that they were not going be able to complete all 3 peaks in time for those with transport arranged the next afternoon. They therefore made the 9 hour drive to North Wales to the foot of Snowdon, skipping Scarfell Pike in the lake district.
Disappointing, but Jaysen will not let failure get to him ! He has already made plans to complete the three peaks next year with a select group and has set a tougher challenge - to complete the same three peaks but in 20 hours!!
26th May - Il Giro D'Italia - Stage 15!
09.15 on a bright Saturday morning 50 km outside Milan and Jaysen, Graham, Dan and Mike are rolling. Ahead, 172 Km of what is the Team’s most challenging cycle event this year: four Categorised climbs all falling within the back 100 Km and total climbing of 3,760 metres. With great support from Katherine, Vishal and Louise, the first 75 Km fly by as we attempt to make the foot of the Cat 1 Valcava within 3 hours.
On the Valcava and it’s not long before we’re questioning why we’re here: the average gradient over the 12 Km may only be 8%, but this hides a spine-bending 18% section over 2 Km followed by a lengthy 12% section. The bikes are barely moving, the lungs are about to burst.
Photos taken at the 1340 metre summit plaque / more fuel downed and we’re away and bombing down the first of the ride’s many descents – this one c 9 Km and the grimaces have given way to big smiley faces! Jaysen will later smash his target of exceeding 80 Kph.
We get a hint of how hard the rest of the ride will be when we arrive at the top of one particular climb only to find that this isn’t one of the three big climbs remaining. Realising that we’re in danger of being beaten by the fading light we push on trying to minimise fuel stops. Try as we might, at 21.00 we reluctantly call it a day, a frustrating 11 Km from the finish line. But we can’t really complain: no rain, ideal temperature, no punctures / mechanicals and no accidents / injuries!
The fun then kicks in as the seven of us sit down to dinner by Lake Como in a restaurant where English isn’t widely used - leading to some interesting surprises when the food arrives! Sunday is as good as expected as we get up close and personal with the ‘proper’ riders with the Giro’s final Stage finishing in Milan’s beautiful Piazza el Duomo.