Lycra Kid

2002 - L'Etape du Tour - Aime to Cluses In the French Alps - Superb event - brilliant scenery and weather but hot in the afternoon (32 degrees centigrade). Major climbs - Cormet de Roseland, Col de Saises, Col de Aravis, Col de la Colombiere. 2004 - L'Etape du Tour - Limoge to Tours across the Centrale Massif. Major climbs - Puy Marie (extinct volcano), Plomb du Cantal. 148 miles and the sting in the tail was a 10% gradient climb into Tours. 2005 - La Marmotte Grande Trophee - Bourg d' Oisons to Alpe d' Huez - 110 miles and 15,500 feet of vertical ascent via Col du Glandon, Col du Telegraph, Col du Galibier and Alpe d' Huez. Really tough this one! 2005 Cat and Fiddle Challenge - Brian Rourke Cycles event - 55 miles. Major climbs Cat and Fiddle and Stag Edge. 2006 - Nove Colli Medio Fondo - Cesenatico to Cesenatico, Italy (Marco Pantani's hometown) - 85 miles. Major climbs - Polenta, Pieve di Rivoschio, Ciola and Barbotto. 2008 - Nove Colli Medio Fondo (as 2006). 2009 - Harry Reynolds Spring Sportive (Solihull CC) - 65 mile course starting and finishing at Earlswood and into the Cotswolds. 2010 - Harry Reynolds Spring Sportive (as 2009). The event rides in the Alps were done in conjunction with cycle touring holidays of 8-10 days. For the Nove Colli events we stayed at the Hotel Belvedere 'bike hotel' in Riccione and rode for the hotel team. In 2006 we also had a cycle touring holiday in the French and Swiss Alps and saw the notorious stage 'win' by Floyd Landis from the top of the Col de Joux Plane. The tour was based on visits to the regions of three major mountains, ie, Matterhorn, Mont Blanc and the Eiger and included some serious climbing. Try the Grosse Scheideg and the Grimsell Pass if your feeling fit! Hope the above is of interest. Brian Brookes