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The Men & a Grown Up are riding together again for the sixth consecutive year, heading from the North of France to Mount Ventoux.
This year we will be raising funds, as usual, for Cancer Research UK & the British Heart Foundation and also for RFU Injured Players Foundation (https://www.rfuipf.org.uk/about) who provide support and information to rugby players in England who sustain a catastrophic spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury playing the game, and help prevent future injuries through research and education.
This years challenge is summarised as follows:
Our 2019 Challenge is for teams of 4 to ride in relay over 4 days from Ouistreham to the top of Mont Ventoux, totalling 620 miles!
Teams will meet at Portsmouth on the evening of Tuesday 1st October 2019 to take the 22h45 ferry, arriving in Ouistreham at 07h30 the following morning. Challenge Adventure Charities will organise the ferry for teams, including cabin accommodation.
Wednesday 2 October: Ouistrehm - Orleans (190 miles) The Mont Ventoux Challenge will start from the Port, riding mainly on quiet country roads through the Normandy countryside to arrive for our first nights stop just South of Orleans where hotel accommodation, evening meal and breakfast has been organised. |
Thursday 3 October: Orleans - Macon (210 miles) With a long day ahead it will need an early start to head South along the Loire valley before heading over the Charolais hills to Macon and the Rhone valley. Here we will stay again at the Novotel Macon Nord, with wine tasting and the opportunity to buy some local wines before dinner together. |
Friday 4 October: Macon - Vaison- la-Romaine (200 miles) Another long day in the saddle as we skirt around Lyon heading due South along the Rhone valley to Vaison-la-Romaine, in the shadow of Mont Ventoux. There we will stay for 2 nights in a holiday village with dinner, bed and breakfast together. |
Saturday 5 October: the ascent of Mont Ventoux! After a leisurely breakfast all riders can leave their support vehicle at the holiday village and ride together through Malaucene to the top of Mont Ventoux – just 18 miles but average gradient of 7.15% and max gradient of 10.9%. From there you can head back to the village for r&r or ride the other 2 routes to the summit and join the ‘Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux’! Details of all routes can be seen at: |
http://www.veloventoux.com/?c=montVentoux When we return to the Holiday Village we have booked for all to stay a second night to celebrate our achievements together before taking the long road home early on Sunday 6th October. Teams need to organise their own Channel crossing back by ferry or tunnel. |