I’m off again on another mad adventure but this time there is no muddy water to swim through or assault courses to climb over.  This year I am heading to France with 99 other riders from Sky to take on one of the toughest stages of this year’s Tour de France. 100 years ago, the Tour de France took cyclists to the mountains for the first time. It was during a long stage (325 km) between Bayonne and Luchon Octave Lapize became the first cyclist to climb the Tourmalet, he did this on a 12 kg single speed bike, a massive difference to the bike we use today.     

On the 18th of July 2010, 9500 riders (100 from Sky) will start from the city of Pau to climb 3 monuments of the Pyrénées : Col de Marie-Blanque, Col du Soulor and the giant Tourmalet. 

The distance total will be 174km with imposing landscapes: Plateau de Bénou, Gorges de l’Ouzom and Gorges de Luz, summit of Soulor…

This is one of the toughest stages of this years or any previous Tour de France and is challenging enough for the pro-riders let alone us amateurs. My training has already started 5 to 6 days a week up until the event and I am hoping that by the end of it I will be the fittest I have ever been and capable of completing this event.

As always I pick a different charity each year and this year I have chosen Help for Heroes. I am aiming to surpass all my previous efforts and raise £2500 and with the generous contributions so far I am well on the way to achieving this. 

As always

I’m very grateful for all your ongoing support and generosity and I thank you all for your donations.

Phil Smith