801 Massif - Ride to Rome

06/08/2024

22/06/2024

01/04/2024

Crew lynchpin Andrew Scott’s highlight and lowlight!

Toughest - either:
- day 1 north or England keeping sight of the three riders in snow and rain - and on the first day!!
- day 5 - finding and then getting Tony and John up the hill from Grenoble in the snow, re-booting them for the next climb where we not only had to keep the cyclists safe but also do 5 point turns on the zig-zags to get the van up the hill. Lucky it was dark as there was a BIG drop.....!* Grenoble was the rubbish, on many counts....

Best was final morning in the Tuscan dawn - the three boys on the road in 801 kit and formation as the pink sunlight came up over the Tuscan hilltop villages - poetry in motion
- not just the beauty (the scene, not the boys obvs.) but the enormity of the challenge beginning to set in as a wave of achievement rose up. Tears in me eyes....
Piazza Navona reception also hard to beat - will remember that for all my days.



Still time to donate!👇
https://www.justgiving.com/page/801massifrome

01/04/2024

Mr Dave Stuart’s highs and lows from the Ride 2 Rome:

Toughest: Sleet and snow in County Durham. Cold was bad but visibility was terrible. Could hardly keep eyes open with the driving sleet. I wondered what I had let myself in for at that point.
Favourite: Genuinely too many to pick but if pushed I’d say the morning run through the champagne region. The weather had changed, the countryside was stunning and a succession of beautiful French villages.


Still time to donate 👇

https://www.justgiving.com/page/801massifrome

29/03/2024

Tony’s picks for best and toughest bits of 801 Massif - Ride to Rome:
Hardest (most unpleasant) was through Grenoble in pooring rain and stopping for lights every 100 yards. Climbing some Alpine hill in the dark was interesting. Favourites, same as Mike,
The descent out of the Alpes, the Italian mafia peloton and the ride into Rome (the last 50 miles) and with the rest of the teams. Many lasting memories, but none as good as the reception in Rome. Oh and the road up to Col Des Leques.

Not too late to donate! https://www.justgiving.com/page/801massifrome

29/03/2024

801 Massif - Ride to Rome Crew Chief Jona’s top and bottom picks from the Ride to Rome:
Top: The first sight of the Med was the moment that sticks with me showing how far we’d come….
Bottom: certain industrial estates in France and England. You can check in, but you can never leave!

Still plenty of time to donate to the fantastic cause: https://www.justgiving.com/page/801massifrome

27/03/2024

801 Massif - Ride to Rome Mike's picks:

Favourites - hard to choose. Loved my night time solo ride with the descent from Col du Bayard to Gap and on to Sisteron but the descent down to the Med possibly takes it.

Toughest - Again possibly a tie between Day 2 Stage 1 (attack of the angry gammons), not too tough in reality but the bit between Lincoln and Sleaford was awful. Riding past all the war graves to the Somme was emotionally tough.

You can still donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/801massifrome

25/03/2024

Team verdicts: John Mucklow:

Favourite - the scenery on day 6 from Sisteron to Monaco was stunning... but there were so many great moments.
Hardest - north of England, couldn’t really see due to sleet and snow, hands got very cold. Thank you Andrew for removing my helmet.