David Bryant
Rider call sign - BULL
Nationality - Australian
Cycling Variant - Triathlete to Road Cyclist to Mixed Up!
L2Ps completed - 2008 with TEAM DISNEY, 2009 individual

David started his cycling "life" as a triathlete in the early 90s when lime green, florescent pink, bright orange and sky blue were thought to be cool and they could be worn TOGETHER!  Over the years he got stuck between transitions and ended up just cycling.

He moved to Europe just before 2000 and spent 6 years skiing and some occasional dabbling with the mountain bike.

In recent years he has "thrown the leg back over the bike" and completed endurance cycling events such as the Raid de Pyrenees, a few 24 hour MTB enduros and the L2P twice (once in a team once individual).

Now living in Kingston in Surrey with 3 young kids he commutes regularly what he calls his "Trusty Tractor", an old clunker of a single speed "fixie" with tyres better suited for off road.

He would like to do other big events especially the Marmotte, and l'Etape and other big multi-day enduros such as Mexico to Canada.

David says "I am excited about joining the L2P squad as a ride captain to motivate, assist, push and see the beaming smile of achievement  (and sometimes relief) on finishers faces" 

David Kirkby 
Nickname: "Capt"

4 L2P's completed

Professionally responsible for the funds management business with Valad Property Group.

Just as happy riding a bike, road or mountain.  David is the old man of the Ride Captain squad, but can still get on the rivet when required.  Australian by nationality and now settled in Surrey, David is married with two teenage sons and rides when he can, occasionally commuting to the work.

Having completed many long distance cycling event and various sports of the years, David is going back to basics this year with one of L2P sponsors F.I.T.   The team at FIT are going to work with David on a fitness plan which riders will be able to follow via a blog by both David and the professionals.  The aim being to provide a guide to what riders need to consider in both being able to complete the event, but also their general fitness needs. 

David also started a charity cycling event in Australia, covering 1000kms each year, called tour de Kids now in its 10th year.

Emma Davies
Home residence: Paris
Born: Knutsford, Cheshire, UK

Key achievements: 
Great Britain debut 1995 Junior World Championships
1997 - 2005 Great Britain Lottery Funding
2000 Olympic Games Points Race 13th
2002 Commonwealth Games pursuit 4th  Road Race 13th
2004 Olympic Games Pursuit 7th Points Race 11th
2005 Women’s Tour de France Green jersey winner and 2nd Stage 4
2006 Commonwealth Games Pursuit 3rd Points Race 6th Road Race 11th
2005-2007 Member of Vlaanderen TopSport Team

In October 2005, Emma had a broken back in hit and run accident and came back to win bronze medal in March 2006 in Commonwealth Games.  She set up Emma's Spinal Hope to raise money for research into Spinal Injuries at Hope Hospital in Salford Manchester where I was treated.

Winner of one day races and medalled consistently in the world cup track series from 2001 to 2006. 

Father John was an Olympian in 1968 for 800m and held a world record for 1000m.

Emma has been a Ride Captain for L2P 08, 09 and again for 2010.

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 loose. In the past I’ve done L2P 06 and loved it so much I’m back for more and to help out. 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.

I just hope I can fill the boots left by ’08 and ’09 Ride Captains Dan (aka the speccy wearing mechanic) and Dave (aka the Bear) both from Sigma and get fit enough to keep up with you all.

Good luck and see you soon.

Mark 'Murph' Murphy

This years’ journey to Paris will be my fourth L2P, and I am really looking forward to it yet again, as this event just keeps getting better and better, which is why I keep coming back for more.

My normal position is Ride Captain for group 4, and in 2009 the event saw this group needing three Captains, due to it having the largest number of riders to contend with.

Those of you who know me will probably appreciate I am the right size to be a good wind break, so anyone who needs to recoup any energy during the training rides, or maybe even during the event itself  is more than welcome to look out for me.

My day job is working for Specialized UK, as a Technical Product Rep, dealing with product and staff training.

Michael Blann

Having taken a year out from riding the L2P Michael is back for another sprint across the channel but in a new role as ride captain.  With 4 L2P's already under his belt (and winner of the red mountain jersey 3 years in a row) you could say he's an old veteran at this which he nearly is at the age of 39! 

Michael hopes to he can impart some of his knowledge to guys and girls who are riding for the first time and commented - “I practically know where all the pot holes are and I certainly remember where all the hills are!”
 
This year is all change for Michael with a baby on the way in March and a new job he expects to be riding a little more sedately - "at least this year I can take more of a back seat and watch the sprints from afar but it's still 600km so I'll have to get in reasonable shape!"

Michael first started cycling as a juvenile some 23 years ago and raced in England before making his way to Australia when 19 to take a place on a semi pro team riding events such as the Golden West Tour in Queensland before the realisation that cycling at that level was "bloody tough".  After that he came back to England and got an education as is now working as a freelance photographer having recently left Getty Images where he worked for 5 years. Being a cyclist, it was natural for his photography to gravitate towards sports and he recently finished his "dream job" photographing Bradley Wiggins for adidas.  You could say he's got it sussed, combining two of his greatest passions - photography and cycling. 

Peta McSharry

As an endurance cyclist with a preference for stage races, the London-Paris 2010 will be my 3rd year of participating in the event. I joined the L2P team last year as a ride captain for Group 4 having ridden the previous year in Group 2 and 3. 

My job as a ride captain will include interval training for 3 days over 550km, whilst teaching folk to ride in a group, talking, coaxing and in some instances even pushing folk to Paris.

I take part in many sportives, including the Etape where I came 31st in the Woman and top quarter of the field, missing a gold time by 9 minutes on Ventoux. The Ras in Ireland (4 stages over 3 days racing against full time cyclists), where I got top 10 on day one and lost time when my spokes were ripped out on day 2. 

I was Silver in Tour of Wessex which I have done for 4 years, and manage to stay with Sean Kelly and Malcolm Elliott on the Cat and Fiddle.
I am looking forward to riding with you in 2010 and hope to make your ride safe in the first instance and enjoyable.

Rachel Przybylski

2010 will be my 4th London to Paris and my 2nd as a Ride Captain.
I am racing in women’s national events alongside holding down a busy career in the city.  I have become very vocal and supportive in promoting Women’s cycling in and around London. Through L2P I have had the chance to improve as a rider, & ride captain. I hope to provide my riders with useful information and insight to my own world of cycling.

In 2007 a friend signed me up to L2P and I was so naïve! I didn’t do enough training, I didn’t have much experience and I certainly had no idea what was in store for me! In the few years since then I have completed more road races, time trials, roller races, sportive and triathlons than I can remember.

I hope that in 2010 I can be part of the same wide range of conversations as 2009, whilst meeting new people from all over the world with different reasons for being on the ride.

Paris is a beautiful city and on the final night when spirits are high and celebrations are in full swing, I know that new L2P participants will understand all that L2P stands for and old timers will get that feeling all over again.

See you on the road

Rebecca Charlton

As a journalist I’ve had plenty of opportunities to interview the L2P team over the last couple of years and have always loved the ethos of the event, so I was delighted to be invited to come on board as a ride captain for 2010.

I first began racing on the track and off-road at the age of about eight and got the bug for all the disciplines from that point onwards. I now train and race regularly on the road whilst working as a journalist and presenter within the cycling media. I present a weekly show on Cycling TV where I have the pleasure of interviewing some incredibly inspiring athletes. Covering events like the Tour de France has given me a window into how the riders feel when they race across the line in Paris. The atmosphere is electric and now the L2P event offers a fantastic opportunity for us all to experience that pro-feeling!

The 2010 edition of L2P is going to be an exciting one and I look forward to meeting you all out on the road in preparation for a great challenge.

Steve Jackson
Nickname: “Flash”

This will be Steve's third L2P.

Photographer, father of three boys, owner of six bikes and keeper of one wife.  BMX'er from the 80’s and 90’s, now 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 4, Marmotte x 2, Dragon x 3, L2P x 2, Surrey League, Hillingdon, Gorrick 12, no fixed as never liked coaster brakes way back then as I like to have a rest every now and then!

This will be his 3rd L2P, 1st as Ride Capt, last time out riding with team Valad who having not won anything on the road (although coming very close on day two) but winning the best looking team/kit by a mile. 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 Rollapaluza.cc, will be working hard to achieve his goal to push himself for a Cat 1 license in 2010 and is over the moon to be given the opportunity to help and support this year’s London-Paris Riders.  “I will be looking forward to witnessing the team tactics out on the timed 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!”

Will Watt

This will be my second year as a group Ride Captain on the L2P, and it will be a great pleasure to work with the L2P 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. The growth in sportive riding has been great for the sport and has hooked me as it has many others. The Fred Whitton Challenge stands out as a favourite.

Specialized will again be a proud sponsor of this year’s event and will provide the Ride Captains with bikes and equipment.

The Roubaix bike will be my chosen steed.  It has evolved into such a well honed endurance race bike that will suit this event.

With a greater focus on organised training rides in 2010, I look forward to welcoming both newcomers and veterans to the L2P during their preparation.

The Ride Captains for 2010 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.