Sponsor Ciaran Doran at : https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ciarandoranbeforethetour
We begin stage 20 from Sevres in the south west suburb of Paris and wind our way through some parks and a category 4 climb, through the Bois de Boulogne and onto the Avenue Grande Armee where we finish at the Arc de Triomphe. Looking forward to seeing the families and friends there and enjoying our celebrations.
- 21 days in the saddle
- 3,344km cycled
- more than 40,000metres climbed
- more than 120,000 calories expended
- 9 flat stages
- 3 hilly stages
- 7 mountain stages including 5 summit finishes
- 1 individual time trial
- 1 team time trial
- 2 rest days
Hopefully £1million raised.
Today was an ecstatic day for us all. For a group of amateur cyclists, who had never really ridden together, to come together and complete an event like this is quite unbelievable if I might say so. We did it for a cause, for a charity but of course we did it for ourselves too. I believe it’s important to challenge yourself from time to time, to take yourself to the limit of what you believe you can acheive. It’s what pushes humankind further in our development and if we didn’t do such things we wouldn’t be human, we would simply laze about and accept our situations. That’s not what we do, though, is it? I am constantly making the connection between what I’ve just done and what Charlie Craddock and his team are doing at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. Taking on a challenge like this pushes us to our limits and inspires us, and hopefully others, to do more, to do better, to push harder when it hurts, to change course slightly when we encounter obstacles, to overcome the near impossible when our mind tells us otherwise.
After some celebratory champagne before setting off, in true French and Bernard Hinault style, we entered Paris quite sedately and processed through the streets as if we were kings of the road. Moving gently through the suburbs from St Germain en Laye towards Nanterre and into the Bois de Boulogne we met with the French women’s team of cyclists who rode with us to the Arc. It’s better to enter Paris as a massive group of cyclists rather than just a few. However important we felt we were we shared the pleasure of the motorcade with another team.
Passing through Porte Maillot (the word itself being appropriate) was quite tricky as it’s a really busy junction. This is where the motos came into their own, yet again. It became quite emotional for every one of us as we moved onto the cobbles of the Avenue de lla Grande Armee and saw the Arc de Triomphe.
This is it. This is it done now. We’re here, in Paris, at the Arc de Triomphe !
Families were crowed onto the top of the road and the centre of the Arc and there was a huge noise of celebration as we entered the roundabout on the Arc. I could see every one of my family and there was huge cheering and joy all round. I can feel the emotions right now, still, several hours after it happened and I can feel every pedal turn as we processed from there, down the Champs Elysees, back up again to the Arc and then off to the hotel.
Families poured to the Hotel afterwards and all round there were hugs, tears, kisses, and much needed and deserved celebration all round.
I will post pictures at a later time as they seem to be on everyone elses cameras but mine.
Thank you for your support throughout this journey and for taking the time to read this blog. I hope you’ve enjoyed it.
If you haven’ thad the chance to do so yet, please donate on the link at the top of this page and take a look at our sponsors on the links below.
Thank you.
Thank you to our sponsors, without whom this challenge would not be possible.