Cyclists embark on 2,000-mile journey to Istanbul
A GROUP of cyclists embarked on their epic ride to Istanbul via Rome on Friday on behalf of the Sarah Groves Foundation.
Gary Hooks and Leon Howard left Guernsey to cover a distance of more than 2,000 miles over 20 days, alongside their support team of Damian Bent, Diana Gabranova, for the outgoing route, and Sophie McPhee, for the return.
The ride is being used as the planning phase for the fourth Tour de Sez in September 2021, from Guernsey to Rome, to be known colloquially as Home to Rome, as well as a personal challenge.
Sarah Groves Foundation committee member Leon Howard said he was both excited and nervous about the ride.
‘We have the official biennial Tour de Sez scheduled for 2021 to Rome and this is a warm-up for that,’ he said.
‘Going further than Rome is more of a personal challenge, to be able to do this in support of the foundation is an incredible honour.’
The group is hoping to complete around 150 miles a day and will be sleeping in a seven-berth mobile vehicle along the way. They hope to arrive in Rome on 23 September and in Istanbul on 2 October.
The team will be using the ride to confirm the route, identify stop-overs and resting points, while vetting options for overnight accommodation for the official event in two years’ time.
Sarah Groves’ mother, Kate, said she was proud of the team for all the work they did for the foundation. ‘They have been absolutely incredible,’ she said.
‘Last year they cycled to Amsterdam, Bilbao and Paris – they left a lock on the Pont des Arts and we went back to add another, which we locked to the other – I can’t believe we’ve found it among the thousands there.
‘Gary and Leon do so much for us, I’m very proud of them.’
The foundation was set up in memory of Sarah Groves, who was killed in India in April 2013, and it aims to enhance the lives of young people.
