L2P Ride Captains 2012

We are pleased to introduce you to the 2012 Ride Captains.  The role of the HotChillee Ride Captain is to mentor and motivate you during the ride, provide assistance for the smooth running of the event, such as but not limited to, directions, peloton etiquette, drink breaks and advice.

The Ride Captains will also be leading the Training Rides so if you are able to make some of these you will get the chance to ask questions and get advice before June.  Dates for the Training Rides can be found on the L2P 2012 Calendar by clicking here.

 

Michael Blann

I was born by the sea in Hastings in 1970. My teens were spent exploring the south coast on a push-bike with dreams of riding the Tour De France one day.

In 1990 I headed to Australia to race as an elite and to experience some tough racing hanging on the tails of the bunch in races such as the Golden West Tour (a 9 day stage race) and other premier events in Queensland.

Dream over I headed back to England to get an education! From there I followed my passion in photography, which eventually became my career (and still is).

I first met Sven riding around the lanes in Surrey and he quickly became a friend and part of the Esher riding group. With the gift of the gab, he persuaded me to ride an event he was organising (it didn't have a name then) and so one summer we set off as a group of 18 friends to Paris.

I've now lost count of the number of times I've done The L2P but it must be 6 or 7 and it's been an honor to ride alongside ex-pros I admired as a kid - Kelly and Roche. I’ve also experienced the immense talent of riders such as Matt Stevens at the sharp end of the racing and even had some success along the way, winning the mountain jersey 3 times and been runner up 3 times.

This will now be my 3^rd year as a Ride Captain and I'm looking forward to it more than ever - meeting new faces, seasoned pros and old friends. See you on the road soon.

 

David Bryant

(aka 'The Bull')

I've been part of the HotChillee family as a Ride Captain for a few years now after having done The London-Paris as part of a team, an individual and Ride Captain.  I've also been in the Ride Captain squad for The Alpine Challenge 2010 & 2011.

Been riding bikes for years.  Rode to school when I was a lad, now I ride to work - maybe I haven't really grown up.  Ride on road and off road and occasionally on the track.

Australian but moved to Europe 15 years ago for the skiing, mountains and the big bike races.  Now living in Kingston in Surrey. Married with 3 little kids - training is "whenever possible" - mostly commuting mileage in to the office, though the gang from 76 Harley St clinic did a fantastic job with the training program to get me to the start line in top shape. The challenge of the multi-day and endurance type events is really where my heart is now (criteriums and TT's just hurt too much).

It is a fantastic privilege to be a Ride Captain and support riders in their journey through the UK winter all the way to Paris in June after 3 days in the saddle.  Sharing that few minutes with my journeymen when the Arc de Triomphe comes into view and we roll over the cobbles to the Eiffel Tower for that champagne is a great reason for being a cyclist and especially a Ride Captain.

 

Andrew Gill

(aka Gilly)

Andrew came to cycling following many years of swallowing mud on the Rugby field. He immediately fell in love with the sport and soon started to league race for Sigma Sport as well as taking on numerous Tours, Gran Fondos and Sportives around the world. He loves all aspects of cycling and thrives on competitively riding as much as time off the bike, at the coffee stop or sharing a cold beer with team mates.

This will be Andrew's 5th London-Paris, the first dating back to 2004 when it was just 16 riders!  He crowned his cycling career in 2008 when he met his partner, Lizzie, in France while racing a L2P as part of the victorious Glasshouse La Fuga team. Two years later the first L2P baby was born!

Moving forward Andrew continues to juggle an incredibly busy career in IBM and family life where his 3 and 1 year old boys keep him on his toes.  Andrew is looking forward to the 2012 season and intends to enjoy the twilight years of his league racing, but is incredibly excited about joining the HotChillee Ride Captain team and taking part in The London-Paris again.  No other event has such fantastic spirit, comradery and amazing mix of people. Andrew is looking forward to meeting the 2012 riders, helping them to exceed their L2P ambitions and to celebrate their achievements in Paris...  Time to 'Shake and Bake' again!

 

Ian Holmes

With one London-Paris and two Alpine Challenges (winning the climbers jersey in 2010) under my belt I am delighted to be joining HotChillee again for 2012.

I have a mixed background in cycling over the past 20 odd years from triathlon back in the 90's to mountain biking and currently a bit of road racing.

I love the challenges that the HotChillee team create and the opportunity to meet such a wide range of like minded people in some of the most fantastic places across Europe is great motivation to keep training (even in the Great British winter!)

Away from riding I am busy working towards a Diploma in Sports & Remedial Massage Therapy at the London School of Sports Massage. Married to a very understanding wife and with teenage twin boys life is never dull!

 

Steve Jackson

(aka 'Flash')

Fashion photographer, father of three boys, owner of seven bikes and keeper of one wife. BMX'er from the 80's and 90's (as witness by Group 1 a couple of years ago on the infamous blowout crash, he still has the skills), now a roadie mostly but can be found at the skate park in Kingston and Teddington dirt jumps on his Standard Shorty BMX every now and then. Etape x 5, Marmotte x 2, Dragon x 5, L2P x 5, Surrey league, Hillingdon, Gorrick 12, no fixed "as never liked coaster brakes way back when" "I like to have a rest every now and then also".

This will be his 5th L2P, 3rd as Group 1 Ride Captain. Can be seen most weekends heading out to the hills with Will Watt and the J Express crew.

Steve, a Cat 2 racer and member of Sigma laFuga CC, he will be working hard to achieve his goal to push himself for a Cat 1 license in 2012 and is over the moon to be given the opportunity again to help and support this years London-Paris riders. "I will be looking forward to witnessing the team tactics out on the racing sections, whilst helping all groups, particularly pushing and pulling the fast guys to get them ready during the training rides for what will be the best 3 days of their cycling year!"

 

David Kirkby

(aka 'Capt')

6 London-Paris’ completed and 1 Alpine Challenge.

A father of two young men, a husband with a very understanding wife who knows as much about cycling as most blokes, and a businessman.

Just as happy riding a road or mountain bike. David is the old man of the Ride Captain squad, but can still just keep up with the young bucks when required. Australian by nationality and now settled in Surrey, David is married with two teenage sons and is training through the Winter of 2011/12 for some early events, in 2012.

David also started a charity cycling event in Australia called Tour de Kids which has now been running for over 12 years.

 

Daniel Lawrence

I was fortunate enough to combine my love of sport with my work as a Sports Physiotherapist in Australia. When an overseas tour was cancelled in 1999 I decided to travel without the team and I am still “planning” my trip home. Once in the UK I found myself riding the Coast to Coast with minimal bike experience outside of the self-made tracks and roads of my BMX childhood and the torturous exercise bikes from the rugby gym. Somewhere between Scarborough and St Bees my heavy mountain bike had a fatal mechanical and I had to buy a new bike to complete the ride. The bug had bit! I was soon clocking up the miles on my mountain bike, completing the South Downs Way, 24 hour mountain bike races, and playing on the trails of the Surrey Hills, the French Alps, Peak District and Wales.

My first proper road bike was purchased after a friend suggested doing the Raid Pyrenean and 6 weeks later I was cycling iconic climbs such as Col de Tourmalet and Col D’Aubisque. Since then I have participated in a number of cyclosportives and ridden in the beautiful and imposing surrounds of the French and Italian Alps. I love climbing mountains although my frame is better suited to fast descents!

Now my riding is scheduled around time with my wife, a gorgeous 5 month old daughter and my work as a Clinician and Manager of a busy Physiotherapy Service in London.

This will be my 3^rd London-Paris and the 1^st as a Ride Captain. In my previous sporting incarnation as a rugby player I could not have imagined the camaraderie amongst cyclists, the friendships made through riding and the generosity of my much more experienced riding buddies. The L2P epitomises this with everyone working towards an individual goal whilst supporting, encouraging, and challenging each other with the shared purpose of completing this great event. Needless to say the subsequent satisfaction upon arriving in Paris with a fantastic group of people is amazing. I am looking forward to riding with everyone and working together to get to Paris and am delighted to be part of The 2012 HotChillee team.

 

James Lees

Regular customers at Sigma Sport in Surrey will probably know me better as the small ginger chap. I started working for Sigma in 2001 part time whilst I was at university. I continued to work for Sigma Sport in shop sales and eventually became full time.  I'm now focused on running the web sales department based at the warehouse. I can still be found in the shop from time to time or when the boss lets me out.

In the past I've done The London-Paris in 2006, and 2010 & 2011 as a Ride Captain in Group 3 and 4. I've also dabbled in triathlon and eventually qualified for the world age group world champs in Hawaii in 2005.

In my spare time I spend a lot of time teaching spinning classes most mornings and evenings with classes up to 2 hours none stop. I love going to the cinema, X-BOX and my current restoration project of a BMW E30 convertible, which is my wife’s pride and joy especially in the summer.

If you need any help or advice please don't hesitate to ask me.

Happy miles everyone.

 

Jon Lewis

(aka 'Eddy')

I am proud and delighted to be riding my 5th L2P in 2012.

This year I have varied my training for The London-Paris by riding the Alpine Challenge for the hills and the Masters World Track Championship for the flat roads!

I'm based in Surrey and have an extensive knowledge of the local roads.....which is perfect for seeking out all the hills in Surrey for the training rides. There are 6 training rides prior to The L2P and participating in as many as you can will allow you to meet your fellow riders and get you to the event in good condition. That could be the difference between completing the event and really savouring all that the event has to offer.

My favourite moments? The 2 times my spine tingles and the hair on the back of my neck stands up:

1) The pasta dinner with its air of expectancy, watching the previous years video montage backed by uplifting tunes.

2) Rolling down the Champs Elysees, closed road, all groups together in a big bunch, Eiffel Tower as backdrop. Pure magic!

I look forward to rolling into Paris with you!

 

Ian Lobley

(aka 'Goose')

Ian's cycling life began in the 1970's as a Saturday shop boy alongside L2P Chief Mechanic Nigel Hill.  Narrowly beating Nigel in a sprint up Eltham High Street led to many years of club riding in Kent and London and some success in 10 mile TT and cyclocross.  A family (including 2 girls now aged 20 and 18) and a career in Private Equity ensured bike riding was sporadic and weight gain more reliable!

After getting fit to ride the Alps including Alpe D'Huez, L2P has been the cornerstone of Ian’s cycling renaissance where, as Group 5 Ride Captain alongside Mark 'Murph' Murphy, he has had the privilege to assist some of the pluckiest and most determined riders reach their goal of Paris. 

As well as The London-Paris, Ian has ridden various international events including The Alpine Challenge in Annecy, the 300km Vatternrundan in Sweden and the bike leg of the Henley Ironman.  Always looking for an excuse to get dirty, Ian has returned to cyclocross racing after a layoff of 27 years where he competes in various regional league events and is looking forward to getting 50+ veteran status or some new lungs!

Ian will be helping riders have lots of fun on the way to Paris.  As usual, he will be found at the back giving special encouragement to other riders who remember the 1960s and/or weigh a bit more than the mountain goats in Group 1.

 

Martin Markowski

This is my first L2P as a Ride Captain and I am very pleased to be given this opportunity. I have ridden The L2P twice before, in 2008 as part of the Trainsmart Team with fellow Ride Captain Eddy and James Cracknell and a couple of years earlier where I won the Sprinters jersey.

I have my own business Bayeux Landscapes where I have toiled in rain or shine for nearly 20 years. I have two young daughters who take up my time along with my work and cycling.

I live in Hastings where I started cycling aged 17 and soon after met Ride Captain Michael Blann and started to train and race with him. I had a bad accident at 18 which took me out of racing for a year. I regained my fitness and moved up to a 1^st Cat the following year where racing took me to Germany and Ireland where I rode the Ras – 12 days of rain and pain. This is when I met Stephen Roche in his Fagor World Championship jersey riding a stage up the Wicklow Mountains in the rain where he gave me a few friendly words of encouragement.

In 1989 I moved to France and raced with the UV Aube team in Troyes. I moved back to England in 1990 and after several jobs started landscaping. I then started my own team Bayeux in 1995 and my first race in these colours I won the Perfs Pedal Race. I then raced for several years before hanging up my wheels.

A couple of years later the cycling bug bit again and I started Bayeux Landscapes cycling team and have raced occasionally ever since, usually managing to scrape a win every year.

I am now looking forward to a new and exciting opportunity to be part of The HotChillee Ride Captain squad.

 

Jay McStay

This will be my first year as a Ride Captain for The London-Paris. I feel privileged to be a part of this ever growing event and to ride alongside everyone involved rolling into Paris come June. Nicknames have already sprouted up since joining the HotChillee team, McGo, Jedi, OB1 to name a few so hopefully one will settle come our roll out?!

How did I end up here?  A county track and swimmer in my teenage days I found myself at the age of 15 doing the first ever Windsor Triathlon persuaded then by my sister's boyfriend and sporting a rather colourful pair of Speedos!  By the age of 19 I had completed 3 Ironman's and countless Triathlons and TT's until a broken femur put a stop to my running and I moved onto the road and mountain bike.  I've fleeted in and out of these sports from 2nd Cat to XC Expert and back down the ladder dependent upon my interest and motivation!  After several top 10's in 12/24hr MTB races I've found my calling where my lungs and legs are happiest.  Multi-stage road and MTB racing with my dream to one day complete the Tour Divide from Canada to Mexico http://www.tourdivide.org/.  I'll be a part of the HotChillee Cape Epic Race Team going to South Africa in March and my riding partner aka "Captain" will be by my side as we endure 8 days of dirt, sweat, gears and maybe a few beers!

Married to an ever loving and supportive wife with two kids under 3 years old, I'm well aware of how time crunched it can be getting the hours in, with an average of only 7 hrs per week it is possible!  I'm open all ears and may have a few tips here and there I can pass on to make your riding experience even more positive.

See you at the training rides!

 

Rachel Przybylski

(aka 'Ray')

Hello everyone, my name is Rachel and I was a Ride Captain for The L2P 2009 and 2010. Before that I rode as an individual and a team member.

The L2P 2011 will be my 5th L2P in a row and 3rd as a Ride Captain. This event holds a special place in my heart and always will.

Why am I a Ride Captain? Maybe it's my riding experience. Maybe it's my personality traits (loud and chatty!!). They are the obvious elements, but to me they are not the main reason why.

5 years ago I was a novice cyclist feeling all the same fears and excitement that you may feel in the lead up to the event. I realised that around me were not cyclists, celebrities and business people but fellow human beings all with passion, determination and the will to succeed.

I am now a national level racing cyclist for Rapha Condor women's team and I hold a full time job at a busy investment bank in the City of London.

The reason I am a Ride Captain is because I am an example of the typical L2P participant but with 5 years experience of the highs and lows that make The L2P the life changing experience that it is.

I will be with you on this journey every step of the way, in the hope I can be a small part of what makes The L2P 2012 the ride of a lifetime.

Rachel

P.S. I couldn't let the RC crew be totally male dominated now could I?

David Sidgwick

(aka 'Whisk')

This will be my 3^rd London-Paris, but my first as part of the Ride Captain team. In 2010 I rode in support of team mates who were riding for the jerseys and in 2011 I was just trying to hang on as the UK Youth and Mavic teams shredded Group 1 through the race sections! Both years The L2P was an amazing experience and I'm really looking forward to the opportunity of helping other people achieve their L2P ambitions this time round.

I arrived in cycling from rowing via triathlon. My triathlon exploits are now limited to an Ironman per year (6 and counting so far….) and the rest of the time I’m a road cyclist. Ironman Lanzarote is in my sights for 2012. The years of rowing training mean that I'm a big unit and definitely a “rouleur” rather than a climber - I'm told I'm a good wheel to sit behind into a headwind!

In case you were wondering, the nickname “Whisk” dates back to my rowing days, but anyone who's seen me riding my fixed wheel commuter would probably tell you it applies to my cycling too!

The London-Paris 2012 promises to be the best yet. The journey to Paris should be a good one!

 

David Thomas

I am delighted to be back as a Ride Captain for The London-Paris 2012.  This will be my fifth year involved with The L2P and after such a superb event in 2011, I jumped at the chance to come back for more.  Already I'm looking forward to meeting all you riders - roll on the mid-winter 'spring' rides.

Ride Captains fulfill many roles and you will see from all the write-ups here, a huge wealth of cycling knowledge, combined with decades of competition experience within ranks of the Ride Captains.  My cycling CV is somewhat shorter having found the sport later in life than many here.  This does mean that I'm well placed to provide help and encouragement to any of you who are, like me, older and larger than what would be considered ideal for a cyclist!

Away from the bike, I'm a full-time parent, looking after my two daughters while my very tolerant wife goes out to work.

 

Will Watt

This will be my fourth year as a Ride Captain on The London-Paris, and it will be a great pleasure to work with the HotChillee team again.

I work for Specialized and am responsible for the development and retail design of the bike brand’s Concept Stores in this market.

I came to the company through XC mountain bike racing and now spend most my riding hours on a road bike.

2012 will also see fellow veteran Ride Captains David Bryant (Bull), David Kirkby (Capt), former Ride Captain Michael Attenborough (Doc) and myself representing HotChillee as we dust down our 29ers and hone our team skills in the 2012 edition of the 8-day Cape Epic in March.

With a great focus on organised training rides in 2012, I look forward to welcoming both newcomers and veterans to The L2P during their preparation.

The Ride Captains for 2012 have a broad base of experience, and will aim to help those entering this year’s event at every standard to have a great riding experience and achieve their goals.

 

David Williams

I am a regular face in The L2P family, having ridden and crewed on several HotChillee events since 2008.

I am hoping that I will be able to share my past experience with The L2P 2012 riders to help them get the most out of this fantastic event.

I have a background in event management, organising many different sporting events and was recently involved with the delivery of Skyride in the UK on behalf of Sky/British Cycling.  I am a qualified fitness instructor and personnel trainer specialising in strength training; I used to teach aerobics, circuits, body pump and spinning.

I am a keen cyclist, both road and mountain biking and now living every cyclists dream by living and working on the beautiful island of Mallorca running Stephen Roche's cycling holidays in Palm Nova with my wife Tracey.

Being part of The L2P experience as Ride Captain is a fantastic opportunity for me to ride and meet with a great bunch of people from all walks of life. It will be good to meet back up with regular L2P riders and make new friends. I look forward to arriving in Paris and enjoying the spirit of The L2P 2012.

Look out for me at the training rides.