ADDENBROOKES TO BRECON RIDERS PAGE
Over 200 miles in the name of Stanley George
You can follow Smiles for Stanley on Facebook here
RIDING FROM ADDENBROKES TO BRECON FOR STANLEY GEORGE
Friday 15th May to Monday 18th May 2020
This page is for the riders and sponsors, it contains information relating to the route, the riders, the sponsors, our training, logistics, blogs and other useful information
ABOUT SMILES FOR STANLEY AND CYCLING THE BIG S!
WHY DO IT?
In 2019 Nineteen of us cycled the Coast to Coast route from Whitehaven in the west to Sunderland in the east. This is the next instalment and we will be honouring Stanley George Apple by cycling from Addenbrokes hospital in Cambridge to Brecon in South Wales, followed by the two hour climb to the top of Pen-y-Fan!
Why, you ask?
Our very own hero Stanley was so cruelly taken away from us, Sarah and I have witnessed first hand other families that have lost their precious children all too soon, this cannot continue. Every penny we continue to raise will go to groundbreaking research to ultimately find a cure for Neuroblastoma, as well as making the treatment of this hideous disease kinder to those little ones who are forced to endure it.
As many of you will be aware, Stanley smiled and smiled and then smiled some more, he brought joy and laughter to our lives and in return we’ll again do our very best to do him proud. Please dig deep, give what you can and sponsor us as we look to complete the second leg of the big S!
What is the Big ‘S’
Sarah, Freddie and I wish to share Stanley’s smile across the length and breadth of the UK. Having completed the upper arc of the ‘S’, this year we embark on capturing the lower arc, hence Addenbrookes to Brecon. You can see from the hand draw sketch (each year we plan for the next event) that we will complete the Big ‘S’ across the map of the UK in good time, through an up and coming event in 2021 or beyond (we have plenty of other challenges in the pipeline!). ‘S for Stanley’ will shine out, just as his beaming, cheeky smile does.
Paul, Sarah, Freddie and of course, Stanley George xx
THE RIDERS
Paul, Sarah and Freddie, alongside Solving Kids Cancer, would like to thank everyone who has committed to cycling over 200 miles!
IAN BOND
ROB MATTHEWS
STANLEY'S DADDY
PHIL HUNTER
BRIAN FARRAR
PAUL BOND
LUKE ELAM
CRAIG WILSON
GRAHAM SINCLAIR
CHRIS NICHOLSON
SIMON WORFOLK
PAUL TAYLOR
LEE PERKINS
KATE RIVERS AND NICK GILMOUR
MICHAEL APPLETON
NEIL SULLIVAN
SAMUEL WORFOLK
TOM DYKE
LEWIS DYKE
JAMES STRIDE
OUR ACCOMMODATION
We have secured accommodation for all three nights for all riders and support staff. It delivers some long days but ensures that the riders are accessible to family and friends along the way. The last day sees a short climb into the foothills of the Brecon Beacons before the grand finale as the team climb Pen-y-Fan, the highest point in southern Britain at 2907 feet above sea level
THE ROUTE
The route totals around 200 miles between Addenbrokes in Cambridge and Brecon with around 3000 metres of climbing all in. Day one is a total of 80 miles and takes us from Addenbrokes, around the top of Letchworh and Luton, before travelling along the side of the Chiltern Hills to our first nights stop near Oxford. Day two is a slightly lesser 70 miles, and takes us west, around the top of Cirencester and up onto the Cotswolds in a steady climb that is nearly 40 miles long before dropping down into Cheltenham for our second overnight stay. The final day of cycling continues west for another 70 miles with lots of short sharp climbs through Ross-on-Wye, Abergavenny and onto Brecon where we spend our third night.
KEY TIMINGS
Key milestones to consider over the three days
START TIMES
To take into account the ride times, start times are different for each day
Day One - 08:00
Day Two - 08:00
Day Three - 09:00
DEPARTURES
Following some local media commitments and lunch we expect to depart Brecon by 15:00 on Monday 18th May
EQUIPMENT
Some of this might sound obvious, but..
BIKES
We are planning to have our bikes serviced a couple of weeks before the ride. It's worth having space for two water bottles, puncture repair kit, fully charged mobile phone, multi-tool and some cash.
BAGS
There is room for bags in the support vehicles will transport your bags to each overnight stop and ultimately to the finish in Brecon. Other than basic toiletries, try and pack as lightly as possible.
CLOTHING
We are supplying sponsored cycling tops and hoodies. Padded cycling shorts, a windproof/waterproof top and clean socks for each day are highly recommended. We'll be eating together in the evenings and with our sponsored hoodies we can probably get away with a pair of jeans and some spare undies!
QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS...
HOW MUCH DOES THE ACCOMODATION COST?
The accommodation costs £250 per person for all three nights, a cooked breakfast every day plus a significant kitty to cover other meals and expenses. Payment is direct to Ian Bond in the form of £100 deposit with the balance in cash over the course of the weekend.
WHAT SUPPORT VEHICLES DO WE HAVE?
We will again have a series of support vehicles who will carry food, tools, spares and the ability to carry people and bikes if required. They will meet us for lunch each day and be nearby, but they won't follow us around. Mobile numbers will be shared.