Nigel's Cycling Saga
The dashing figure of Nigel MacCormack, kitted out in his cycling gear with bike and helmet outside Wincanton Post Office, was an inspiring summer sight.
You may remember he was about to set off for the Paris to London Centenary Cycle Challenge. This celebrated both that most famous of French sporting events, the Tour de France and provided British cyclists who went over to Paris with a great opportunity to raise money through sponsorship for the charity of their choice.
Nigel, you may remember, was dedicated to raising money for CLIC-Sargent, the charity which provides support for children with cancer and their families as they go through the gruelling, often painful and traumatic experience of dealing with such a challenging condition. This time Nigel set himself his highest target ever, to raise £3,000.
Knowing he was preparing to cycle several hundred miles, Nigel felt further training was essential and the day after I photographed him for the Window he set out on a training ride through Maiden Bradley.
Suddenly he hit something, lost his balance and came crashing down. Non-cyclists are not that aware of how easily this can happen with the racing machines of serious sportsmen and a bashed, grazed and bloodied Nigel picked himself up to discover he had deep scratches, a black eye, and - worst of all - torn tendons in his right hand.
Such injuries would lead most to withdraw, but Nigel, despite experiencing what he has admitted was pretty relentless pain, decided so many had already pledged to support him that he would do his best to see it through.
So it was that he joined the 26 other Brits, four of them women, who rode up to London to get on the Eurostar at St Pancras. They arrived in Paris to witness the final stages of the race, seeing the "peloton", the extended formation of top rate cyclists, sweep through the city and up the Champs Elysees at what Nigel described as an incredible speed. He was thrilled to be there and to see the world's top cyclists. He said they all found the atmosphere electric.
Next morning, Monday, it was their turn and guided by small orange triangles they set off at 7.30am to cycle from Paris to Amiens. It was already 30 degrees and soon the temperature climbed to 39 degrees, which is dangerously hot. One of the women slipped on the waste left by a rubbish truck and needed medical attention before she could continue with her leg strapped; another man started vomiting, ill from dehydration - so conditions were extreme.
The ride to Amiens was long and demanding and those with older and heavier cycles or who had not put in enough training, were nearly defeated for the heat was relentless, but finally by around 8.00pm they all arrived and were able to have a meal together.
The next day they aimed for the smaller town of Montreuil-sur-Mer. This involved riding over cobbles which on occasions Nigel found excruciating. It was also hilly and with his right hand unable to squeeze the brake he had scarily little control when it came to stopping and so had to ride very slowly.
Their final stop was Calais and then it was on the ferry to Dover. There they faced a 46 mile ride to Ashford which turned out to be often uphill. Finally they rode from Ashford to Greenwich where, in the shadow of the Cutty Sark, their friends, supporters and families were waiting to meet them and celebrate with the riders what had been a round trip of cycling 312 miles.
On getting back home to Wincanton with his family Nigel was soon to discover that people here had been extremely generous and instead of raising £3,000 the final total for his ride was £4,307.30.
"I feel quite overwhelmed by the generosity people have shown in supporting me, but most importantly their supporting this really worthwhile charity CLIC-Sargent," he said.
To see more visit Clic Sargent's website.
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Reply #1 on : Thu October 31, 2013, 17:02:43
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