2014 was a bumper year for us both from a business point of view and from a cycling point of view.
Our bike shop in Bourg d’Oisans has gone from strength to strength with more customers than ever before hiring more bikes and buying more merchandise.
The cycle tour and self catered business has also developed further and we will have some exciting news on this over the next month or so.
Onto my cycling year
With Theo and Hattie taking some of the touring strain last year I was able to get out on my mountain bike more and competed in 3 marathon style events in 2015. The Vercors challenge and Roc d’Azure in France and my highlight of the year the 4 day stage race just outside Perth Australia.
On the road I managed a 53 minutes up Alpe d’Huez my 3rd fastest time ever and a 28 minutes up the south side of the Col du Galibier my fastest time ever.
I also travelled and rode in the following eight countries
France : obviously ! From Ventoux (3 times with guests) to Alpe d’Huez at least once each month. Rides with Ricky Feather and crew and a couple of mountain bike events.
Italy: A couple of trips into Italy as part of our cycling tours
Uk : back to see the family and a great few days cycling in the Purbecks
Belgium : For the first time in 2014 we had a cycle tour and bike hire in Roubaix for the Paris Roubaix. I did not get to ride the event but I managed a few sorties into flanders
New Zealand: I had a great few weeks touring New Zealand in January and February. You can read my blog here
Australia: As mentioned earlier I competed in the Cape to Cape mtb race. Read more including the build up here
UAE – on the way to Australia I had a stop over in Dubai so I hired a bike and rode the worlds longest cycle track
And finally in Denmark Helen and I hired some city bikes and tackled the streets of Copenhagen.