Viel Gluck! South Yorkshire cycling team gears up for the Alps

Viel Gluck! South Yorkshire cycling team gears up for the Alps

12 September 2014

 
Barnsley firm Dransfield Properties Ltd is gearing up for the latest leg of the company’s annual charity cycle ride, with the aim of clocking up an impressive 360 miles in a tough five day route through the Alps.

The riders will be joined by the pro-cyclist and World Championship Silver Medallist Tony Gibb who’ll be leading out the peloton when they set off on their charity challenge on Monday (September 15th).

The 19 cyclists start their challenge in the Italian city of Trieste, where last year’s ride finished, and after five punishing days cycling through the Alps they’ll be riding into Munich in Southern Germany on Friday.

This is the eighth year that members of the team, nicknamed The Mamils, have taken on a leg of their Tour of Europe after starting out in 2007 with a ride from London to Paris. They range in age from late 20's to mid 60's - all with a shared passion for cycling.

The team is this year supporting Action Against Cancer as well as continuing its support of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. Part of the fundraising will also go towards local causes, community projects and initiatives suggested by each of this year's riders which will be supported through the Dransfield Foundation.

Since the ride started more than £285,000 has been raised for charity and the cyclists have covered a leg aching  2,280 miles in a route which has seen them stop off at Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Portofino, Rome, Dubrovnik  and Trieste. They’re aiming to get back to London by 2022.

Most of the riders are from South Yorkshire with team members also hailing from Lincolnshire, Hull, Merseyside and London.

Mark Dransfield, Managing Director of Dransfield Properties and founding team member, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tony Gibb to the team this year. It’s going to be a tough challenge for all of us but we’re looking forward to getting started and to raising as much money as possible for our chosen charities.

"It does get a little harder each year but we enjoy the challenge, adding on more miles or more hills each time! This year we seem to have done both, we’ve got 360 miles to cover over five days and a few very challenging climbs to get over through the Alps.”

Picture shows the team during last year’s ride which finished in Trieste.

To follow the team’s progress please like Team Dransfield on facebook or follow the cyclists on twitter @teamdransfield using the hashtag #tourofeurope. You can also visit  www.dransfield.co.uk to find out more about the annual charity cycle ride.

To support the riders visit  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/DransfieldTourofEurope2014

Editors notes

Meet the riders:

Mark Dransfield,  Paul Dransfield, Tony Gibb, Andrew Malley,  Dean Draper, Will Downing, Tim Downing, Alec Cammish, Thomas Meagher, Philip Prince, Alex Prince, Christoper Morrison, Matthew Rigby, David Simpson, Chris Haigh, Christian Cox, Nick Rees, Lee Newsham, Mark Yardley. 

The route:

Day One - Monday 15th September: Today will see the MAMILS endure a 103 km trip from last year's finish point in Trieste through to Gemona del Friuli where they will stay overnight.
Day Two - Tuesday 16th September: Another calf crunching 109 km is ahead of the team today as they depart Gemona del friuli with their sights set firmly on reaching Villach before sunset.
Day Three - Wednesday 17th September: Ready to tackle the second longest day of this year's ride, the team will leave Villach and cycle a whopping 133.12 km through to Radstadt.
Day Four - Thursday 18th September: Today will see the MAMILS set along a 103 km ride leaving Radstadt and heading to Traunstein.
Day Five - Friday 19th September: It may be the last day but it is definitely going to be the toughest, 113 km ride from Traunstein to their finish point of Munich.

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk