The Challenge.

The chaps have signed up with Discover Adventure to take on their Classic Cols of the Tour De France ride. "This short but intensely demanding cycle challenge takes us through the heart of the French Alps, tackling a series of classic mountain climbs made famous by the Tour De France" The route will take them, on day one, from the shores of lake Annecy to Albertville via the Col des Aravis and Col des Saisies, both of which feature in the 2016 Tour on stage 20 and 19 respectively. http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/stage-20.html
http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/stage-19.html

Day 1 profile.

Next it's Albertville to Valloire and this day sees the boys take on two real classics in the Col de la Madeleine and the Col du Telegraphe. The first of these tops out at around 2000m but it's the length of the climb at around 25km which will really test the spirit! The Telegraphe is shorter but steeper so will be a stern test to finish on before a welcome descent to Valloire.

Day 2 Profile.

                                                                               




The last day is a big one. Tackling two of the Tours most iconic of climbs. First up from the off is the Col du Galibier long, steep and high, topping out at around 2500m. Then following a welcome decent to Bourg D'oisans it's up to tackle Alpe d'Huez and it's famous twenty one hairpin bends and beer a plenty waiting at the top!

Day 3 profile.

About the chaps

Stef and Phil have a long cycling history. Both of them, aged around four and four and a half respectively, were able to pedal along without so much as a stabilising wheel to be seen. By six Stef had pulled his first wheelie and by seven Phil had 'Evil Knieveled' over a row of four corgi buses, crushing the fifth. Paper rounds came and went and in teenage years mountain bikes became the norm with occasional forays into obscenely bright lycra. And then it was in the summer of 2012 inspired by the exploits of Wiggins and co that the door to the world of road cycling was opened. Stef fits the MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra)  tag very well. Phil, ten years his junior, just fits his lycra well and it was from this time on that they have bored friends and colleagues alike with tails of weekend rides and Strava stats. 
Here are the boys in action.

Time to reflect at the Olympic Park 

Enjoying the open road. 

Phil tackles a bump. 

Stef has tackled a bigger bump.

Raring to go at the Olympic velodrome. 

Stef loves his cake stops. 

Phil loves his tan lines.

They rode here.

In time to watch David Millar (pictured) in his last Tour and Chris Froome win his first.

Training hard at work. 

So why are they doing this then?

Stef and Phil are fulfilling some life long ambitions to go conquer some long steep hills in the Alps and at the same time raise some cash along the way. They have chosen Action Medical Research as their charity. These guys fund medical research to beat the diseases that devastate the lives of so many of our children. So they reckon it's for a good cause. To find out more about the charity check them out here. https://www.action.org.uk