Martyn Jones tackles the Tour De France
Dear all,
This coming Thursday, 03rd July is finally ‘LE TOUR’ time and a BIG THANK-YOU to all who have have supported me in various ways during my build-up. Special thanks to those ’super-doners’ (you know who you are!) who have given over £100 and the following organisations who have gone that extra mile:
http://www.poshbikes.com
http://www.kickski.co.uk
http://www.mulebar.com
http://www.storck-bicycle.de
http://www.nice2tri.com
http://www.bananaboat.com
Its been a memorable 3+ months managing this project, its deserved publicity, countless emails / letters, calls to UK businesses, contacts in France, Uganda, Germany of all places! Not to mention the large volumes of training involved and on a strict budget with some help from product sponsors along the way.
Riding up to 700 kilometers per week including 2 mountain training camps, most recently in the French Alps, I am as prepared as I could be in the time allowed.
Along the way I’ve received plenty of roadside encouragement from white van man (a few near misses and bruised egos), shit weather for most of April, May and even June! Minor mechanicals on roads fit for the third world (in Hertfordshire). That said, I’ve been pretty healthy throughout and have managed to reach ‘race weight’ (70 kilos) without resembling a concentration camp victim.
Below is a link to a photo of me tackling Alpe D’huez during a training ride last week (my third time up ‘The Alp’ that day)…
http://griffe2.phot-online.fr/album/762/10-les-21-virages-de-l-alpe-2008#photo_199394
To make a donation
Its simple, just go to the following charity site; http://www.justgiving.com/letour4good
My Tour de France Diary
I will be featuring (updated as often as I can) a blog of my daily grind around France from around the 03rd July onwards - wifi connection pending.
Go to: http://www.bikeradar.com/blogs/bikeradar
Cycling Weekly Magazine
Featured article Thursday 10th July issue
Radio Coverage
Hertbeat FM (http://www.hertbeat.com) brief coverage of my challenge will apparently be aired in their news bulletins on the day that I start: Thursday morning 03rd July (7am / 8am and 9am slots)
TV Coverage
Other than Eurosport, Le Tour is on ITV4 this year - I’m in touch with the ITV4 producer to get some coverage but its going to be pot luck - keep an eye out though!
Who to watch in the Pro event!
Apart from the chance of my own mugshot gracing the screens of ITV, look out for the pros who I was privileged to train with in Murcia - Spanish riders Luis Leon Sanchez and Jose Joaquin Rojas both representing the Caisse D’Epargne (a French Bank) team in this years Tour de France.
They are likely to be playing a supporting role for their team leader (Alejandro Valverde) and are exceptional athletes.
2008 Tour de France Route Video (Le ‘Parcours’) - see the entire course in 3-D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=661PawMt5Ns
Quotes - Henri Desgrange (credited as being the founder of The Tour de France in 1903):
Monsieur Desgrange designed the Tour de France to break the human spirit..He proclaimed; “The ideal Tour de France is the one in which only one rider finishes.”
Why was the Tour de France founded?
To learn more about how the Tour de France was started - effectively a marketing case study of a publicity stunt to increase the circulation of a Paris newspaper:
http://everythingbicycling.co.za/index.php?Itemid=71&id=38&option=com_content&task=view
One final quote from HG Wells:
“When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.” …
