Today, Phil O’Connor will be riding up and down Mont Ventoux six times. He is doing it to become a member of the “Club Des Bi-Cingles Du Mont-Ventoux” (which he says means “The Club of Doubly Crazy People of Mont Ventoux”).
He has to climb and descend all three of the routes to the top of the mountain so beloved and hated by riders on the Tour de France. And he will have to do them all twice.
But being crazy is not the sole aim of his attempt. He will also use the ride to raise money for Nazareth House, the South African organisation that, amongst other things, does such stunning work caring for abandoned and terminally ill children.
He is riding in memory of Calan Todd, the son of my Coronation Double Century and Change a Life Tour teammate and friend George Todd, who passed away after complications from pneumonia in June. Calan was two-years old. I’ll let O’Connor take up the story.
“The charity has been chosen by the parents of Calan Todd, a beautiful two-year old who died suddenly from sepsis/septicaemia earlier this year. Having visited the Nazareth House in Cape Town, George and Natalie were really impressed by the work done there. Immediately following Calan’s death they set up a memorial fund and have seen for themselves the hugely positive and significant impact the money raised has had.
So when I offered to do this challenge in memory of Calan, it was easy to decide where the money should go. George and Natalie are in the process of establishing a foundation (Brave Little Warriors) to support similar work in the future and raise awareness of septicaemia. Nazareth House gives kids a home, an education and the love they need to blossom despite such a hard start in life.”
O’Connor has to do all the six climbs in one day. He is estimating it will take him 15 hours. Well, he’s hoping it will take him 15 hours. He will ride some 280km with a total vertical ascent of over 10 000-metres. That’s higher than Everest. That’s why it is the Club of Doubly Crazy People of Mont Ventoux.
“I’ll be starting well before dawn to try and avoid the worst of any weather on the moon-like exposed summit,” wrote O’Connor. “Each climb takes around two hours of constant uphill riding on a steep gradient that requires a particular/peculiar affinity for pain and will test any cyclist's determination to get to the top. In the 10 years since its inception, only 176 riders have completed the Bi-Cingles challenge.”
At the time of going to press, O’Connor had raised £3 300, a third of his target of £10 000. To read more and to donate, go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/phil-mont-ventoux-6-times
@KevinMcCallum
The Star