The Tour de Sez is back for its third edition and organisers are calling on riders to sign-up to get involved in the 2018 endurance bike ride which sees cyclists ride from Guernsey to Amsterdam. The event was successfully launched on Saturday (3 June) and over 50 people have already signed up to take on the challenge but organisers are still calling for more people to get involved.
Established in 2014, the charity bike ride honours Sarah Groves who was brutally murdered in India in 2013. As with the 2014 and 2016 tours, all proceeds from the event will go to the Sarah Groves Foundation. The Foundation was set up by Sarah’s parents Vic and Kate Groves and focusses on raising funds to enhance young Guernsey lives by creating better opportunities and experiences for future generations.
Tour organisers Vic Groves, Gary Hooks and Leon Howard are looking to make the third ride their biggest yet. The 2014 event attracted 50 cyclists and 2016 saw 75 riders take part, this year organisers are hoping to attract 85 riders and 15 support crew.
“The Tour de Sez is about ordinary people doing extraordinary things while raising money for a cause that benefits so many young peoples’ lives in the island. We encourage everyone from novice riders through to athletes to take on this challenge. In 2018 we will be cycling for 700 miles from Guernsey to Amsterdam from Friday 7 September until Sunday 16 September and encourage anyone that is thinking of signing-up to do so – we know it can be life changing ,” said Mr Hooks.
FCG, the parent company of UK insurance provider 1st CENTRAL, is once again the headline sponsor for the ride and hopes to help raise awareness of the Tour de Sez by attracting as many participants as possible.
Mr Howard said: “We are so grateful to FCG for supporting the ride once again, their sponsorship and help is invaluable. The more cyclists we can encourage to take part, the more money we can raise for the Sarah Groves Foundation and, in turn, the more the island can benefit from the work that the Foundation undertakes.”
Among the cyclists for the 2016 tour to Bilbao were four FCG employees, including Group COO Simon Walker who will be joining the 2018 tour to Amsterdam, FCG are aiming to make up 10% of the 85 riders with members of their team.
“I am extremely excited to be joining the tour once again. As a challenge, I would actively encourage my fellow islanders to consider participating. The tour in 2016 was a brilliant experience – great camaraderie, lots of new friendships formed, a push to improve my fitness and an opportunity to raise funds for a most worthy cause,” he said.
“The Sarah Groves Foundation resonates with me given both the focus we at FCG place on delivering support to our local community and, more personally, as a father of six children. This ride is more than just a fundraising event for us and we will help Vic, Kate and the rest of their fabulous team make this tour the best one to date.”
Sarah Groves Foundation managing trustee, Vic Groves, said: “Sarah was a firm believer in living life to the full and the Tour de Sez embodies this. The past two tours have been extraordinary both for the Foundation and the riders taking part. I would urge anyone interested to sign up to the ride and help us raise funds to make a difference to the lives of our young people in the Bailiwick.”
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