Background

My Grandad is a great inspiration to me, so when he died of Leukaemia in 2002, when I was just 11, I felt a great deal of loss. At the time, I took part in the Blue Peter Bikeathon at Redcar seafront; in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research (LLR) [Now called Blood Cancer UK]. In 2014, I decided to get on my bike again to take on the Prudential Surrey 100 for LLR; the course was reduced to 82 miles due to the remnants of Hurricane Bertha, making the conditions unsafe to take on Box Hill and Leith Hill. So in 2016, I took on a series of cycling challenges, including Land’s End to John O’Groats (1000 miles), L’Ardechoise Velo Marathon, RideLondon Surrey 100 (another shortened route, finally did 100 in 2017!), LeMans 24hr Cycling Endurance Race (Solo Rider), RiseAbove Mark Cavendish Sportive, Mont Ventoux and Alpe D’Huez; raising £2,129; these new challenges starting in 2022 will be Part 2 of this ongoing fundraiser to help beat blood cancers.

Bouncing Back. More Challenges. Same Great Cause.

In 2020, it would have been my Grandad’s 100th Birthday and before the pandemic struck I was due to be taking on one of the toughest rides in cycling; the gruelling 255km Liege-Bastogne-Liege sportive. This should have been the start of a year of cycling challenges to commemorate my Grandad’s 100th year and help raise much needed funds for people battling blood cancers.

Fast forward to April 2022, and it was time to bounce back for Grandad and Blood Cancer UK. The aim of Part 2 of my cycling challenge is to continue to help raise funds and awareness for Blood Cancer UK’s fight to beat blood cancers and help put an end to this cruel disease that affects so many people. I will be adding more challenges over the next few years, as I hope to raise further awareness of the work of Blood Cancer UK, whilst pushing myself in the varying challenges to make my Grandad proud.

Challenge 1: RideLondon Essex 100 - Sunday 29th May 2022 - COMPLETED: 6h 42m 13s (Overall Elasped Time: 7h 20m 15s)

Challenge 1 will take me back to where it all began, but this time instead of the Surrey Hills being the obstacle, it will be a brand new route for 2022. The new route will take me through the closed-roads of the capital, Epping Forest and the Essex countryside before finishing at London’s iconic Tower Bridge. This 100 mile challenge will be a big test again and a challenge I’m really looking forward to taking part in.

Challenge 2: Scarborough to Workington - 175.06 miles / 10,785ft Elev. Gain - One Day Challenge - Saturday 9th July 2022 - COMPLETED: 14h 43m 07s (Overall Elasped Time: 19h 15m 27s)

Challenge 2 will be my take on the 'Coast-to-Coast' challenge starting in my hometown of Scarborough and finishing in the Cumbrian coastal town of Workington. This roughly 170 mile route will take me through the Yorkshire Dales, past Aysgarth Falls, The Lake District and Whinlatter Pass (at around 150 miles!) to name a few. All this I aim to complete in one day, If I complete this ride it will be the longest ride I've ever done on the roads in one day.

Challenge 3: L'Etape Portugal // Viana do Castelo - 147 km / 2791m Elev. Gain - Sunday 1st October 2023 - COMPLETED: 6h 36m 35s

Challenge 3 will be a test of speed and endurance against the clock as I take on L'Etape Portugal, which is one of the many sister events of the infamous Tour de France's L'Etape du Tour series. I have around 6h 45m to complete the 147km mountainous course which starts and finishes in Viana do Castelo in Northern Portugal, taking in the mountains and hills of the region before finishing outside the stunning Santa Luzia Sanctuary at the top of the paved cobbled ascent of Monte Santa Luzia.

Challenge 4: Gran Fondo Isle of Man and Individual Time Trial - ITT: 10.5km / 400m Elev. Gain // Gran Fondo: 137km / 2300m Elev. Gain - Saturday 27th - Sunday 28th July 2024 - COMPLETED: 31m 55.12s // 5h 55m 12s

So between Challenge 3 and Challenge 4, I took on the Legacy Ride in Leeds which followed closely the route of the 2014 Grand Depart and took in roughly 145 miles and over 11,000ft of climbing, including Buttertubs and Kidstone Pass as well as Grinton Moor and Pot Bank a solid 12h 12m effort around punishing terrain, but all that was in preparation for Challenge 4 and the Gran Fondo Isle of Man weekend.

The weekend will see me tackle the Individual Time Trial hill climb of Snaefell from Ramsey to the Bungalow, part of the famous TT course, on the Saturday morning. Then on the Sunday I'll be racing against some of the best amateur athletes in the country and potentially further afield in my first Gran Fondo race which will take in pretty much the whole island including sections of 'white roads' dirt tracks. There is also the possibility of qualifying for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Aalborg in Denmark, in the extremely rare chance I finish in the top 25% of my age category!

Challenge 5: L'Etape Denmark // Flensburg - Viborg // 300 km / 2500m Elev. Gain - Saturday 28th June 2025 (COMPLETED: 13h34m48s)

So between Challenge 4 and Challenge 5, I took on the Struggle Dales in Harrogate which took on the beautiful but brutal Yorkshire Dales in roughly 175km over 9250ft of climbing, including Malham Cove and Park Rash, a fracturing crank at just over halfway in meant I had to walk parts of the route to finish, as if it had snapped my ride would have ended. After an 11h 23m effort in high winds and heavy showers over punishing terrain I finished the ride, but all that was in preparation for Challenge 5 and the Viking Gran Fondo aka L'Etape Denmark.

On June 28th 2025, I will tackle the 300km from the port of Flensburg, Germany to Viborg in the north of Denmark. The route will take in some of the finest scenery Denmark has to offer as well as passing through the iconic 'Home of the Viking Kings!' in Jelling! It is going to be a true test of stamina and endurance, and I'll have to dig deep to find my inner Viking and cross the finish line in Viborg!

Challenge 6: Pogi Challenge // Krvavec, Slovenia // 15.13 km / 1177m Elev. Gain / 7.9% Average Gradient - Sunday 2nd August 2026

(COMPLETED: 1h38m42s)

Tadej Pogačar 'Pogi' is one of the greatest cyclist ever to live and just one week after claiming his historic 5th Tour De France victory, the current World Champion will be chasing myself and over 1000 other amateur cyclists up his local mountain, Krvavec in Slovenia. He will give competitors a few minutes head start before setting off in pursuit of the challengers. It will be an epic challenge and I hope to be able keep away from Pogi for just a bit of the climb at least!

Since my last challenge in Denmark, I've been preparing as best as possible for this short but immense challenge, taking on the Lincoln GP Sportive over 100 miles taking in Michaelgate at the end and also just a few weeks ago I took on the gruelling Struggle NYM Ultra over 250km in a single day over the Howardian Hills and the North Yorks Moors.

Challenge 7: Flandrien Challenge // Flanders, Belgium // 59 Hills and Cobbled Segments / 72 hours - August Bank Holiday Weekend 2026

Only a month after riding against Pogacar on his home turf, I’m off to tackle the cycling heartland of Flanders in Belgium!

The challenge is simple, complete all 59 Hills & Cobbled segments in under 72 hours and earn a place on the Centre Ronde van Vlaanderen’s Wall of Fame, as a True Flandrien!

Standing in the way are some of the toughest conditions and roads in world cycling including the Koppenberg, Kemmelberg, Oude Kwaremont, Paterberg & De Muur to name only a few!

If you want to read more about the challenge then head to Cycling In Flanders website: https://www.cyclinginflanders.cc/flandrien-challenge

More challenges to be confirmed…

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about my story and challenges ahead. I know times are difficult for us all at the moment, but if you can donate; no matter how small an amount, it will help us find a cure to these awful diseases sooner and offer support and guidance to those brave people fighting blood cancers.

If you can’t donate please consider sharing this page with friends and family.

As more challenges are announced, I’ll be altering the fundraising target accordingly.

Best wishes and kind regards,

Phil

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