Our man on a saddle (#ourmanonasaddle) Doug Robertson has made the first week of the amateur Tour 21, raising funds for CureLeukaemia.
As the professionals start their campaign in Copenhagen, the amateurs, paying their own way AND raising funds for Leukaemia research are on stage 7.
The 18 amateur cyclists, led by former footballer and blood cancer survivor, Geoff Thomas, are currently taking on the world’s most gruelling cycling challenge and riding the full Tour de France route, one week ahead of the professionals.
The team will follow the same route and ride over 3,500km in just 21 days – all to raise over £1,000,000 for Cure Leukaemia, the official charity partner of the Tour de France in the UK.
Here is Dougs week.
Day 1, Copenhagen Time Trial after mechanical problems with the team coach and the replacement had no aircon in 30c temperatures but he commented "feel great to be finally be underway and a special thanks to The Angel Hetton
Day 2. An ease into the task ahead, just about 180 k through Denmark.
Day 3 Heading to Sonderborg for the last stage in Denmark. 182k with a few climbs added
Day 4, Dunkirk to Calais. 120 k today with French escorts to guide us through junctions. Glorious weather. First hills and 172k
Day 5. COBBLES. and to think Lewis Hamilton has problems. 11 sections of cobbled roads over 156k. "Pave, the cobbles of Northern France. Oh my days, unrelenting brutal. We did 20k of them today on our 170k Stage 5. Blistered hands and battered backside. Our longest day tomorrow and its going to rain a lot"
Day 6. Binche to Longwy, The Longest Day! 241k and 2335 m elevation and then it rained.
Day 7. And the start of the Tour de France, the chasing pack. A Cat 1 climb. Tomblaine to La Super Planche des Belles Filles. 176.5k 2480m and 5 star difficult. The first week was sponsored by BOOTHS the Grocers.
And Kate, Dougs wife is taking part in a mirror event organised by the week one sponsors Booths to ride the 175k and try to find similar hills to climb #BoothsCycloClassic. JUST 14 MORE STAGES TO GO. Good RIDING DOUG
