Coffee Stop
It all happens at the "Coffee Stop"! What's being discussed on the coffee stops, in the build up to the 2011 Alpine Challenge? If you have any news, rumour or otherwise - please use the contact form to let us know
HotChillee Ride Captain, Ian Holmes, Wattbike interview
Friday 10th February 2012Read Wattbike's Matt Moran's interview with HotChillee Ride Captain Ian Holmes ...
Read More ...Training Ride #1, Group Ride Reviews
Monday 30th January 2012Read the Group Ride Reports from the January HotChillee Training Ride
Read More ...Ride Captain, Juliette Clark, shares her HotChillee journey
Sunday 29th January 2012This Friday my mind quickly settled on the exciting plans for 2012 beyond the marathon.
Read More ...HotChillee Ride Captains on London-Paris Training
Thursday 26th January 2012Check out this video of the HotChillee Ride Captains when they visited the Wattbike Sport Science Lab...
Read More ...The 2nd Cyclosport End of Season Ride & Lunch
Friday 13th January 2012The 2nd Cyclosport End of Season Ride and Lunch offered the cycling industry a chance to reflect on successes of 2011 and set the strategic direction for 2012.
Read More ...HotChillee End of Season Ride & Lunch ends the year with a bang
Monday 21st November 2011Last Sunday it was the much anticipated HotChillee End of Season Ride and Lunch, giving us all the chance to share one last ride before the cold weather really sets in.
Read More ...Cycling Weekly features Kelli Bayliss, The Alpine Challenge 2011 Pink Jersey Winner
Monday 14th November 2011This weeks Cycling Weekly speaks to The Alpine Challenge 2011 Pink Jersey Winner, Kelli Bayliss
Read More ...The Alpine Massage Challenge by Dan Scott, TheTriTouch
Tuesday 8th November 2011My new career started 3 months ago when I graduated from the North London School of Sports Massage and I have loved every minute of it. I have met great people, visited stunning locations and have developed my skills to make me a better therapist. On of the many events that I have attended over the past few months was The Alpine Challenge 2011.
Read More ...REVIEW: Mountain High by Daniel Friebe and Pete Goding, by Sven Thiele
Wednesday 2nd November 2011Sven Thiele is founder and Director of HotChillee. He recently attended the book launch of Mountain High by Daniel Friebe and photographer Pete Goding, held at Look Mum No Hands!
Read More ...The Cyclosport End of Season Party Review
Friday 21st October 2011This weekend saw the second annual Cyclosport end of season party The staff at Cyclosport have been pretty excited about it for a while now, and whilst it's been hard work organising and planning, the anticipation of the weekend's events kept us going!
Read More ...The TriTouch at The Alpine Challenge 2011
Monday 10th October 2011Its just one month since The Alpine Challenge concluded under bright blue skies in the beautiful town of Annecy in France. TheTriTouch is the proud sports massage partner for this 4 stage event (110-120km per day) since its creation in 2010, sending therapists from our massage crew on site to support the riders. This year the 60 riders were supported by Dan Scott and Mike Peters.
Read More ...The Alpine Challenge 2011 Official Photographs
Monday 19th September 2011The official photographs for The Alpine Challenge 2011 are now online and available to download free of charge.
Read More ...The Alpine Challenge 2011 by Alan Moules, St Ives Cycle Club
Monday 19th September 2011St Ives Cycle Club riders Alan Moules and Roger Tyler recently took part in The Alpine Challenge 2011. Alan shares his experiences with his fellow club members and club sponsors Plastribution, Grafham Cycles and Techniflo.
Read More ...Cyclosport.org talk to Stephen Roche
Tuesday 13th September 2011Last week saw the HotChillee Alpine Challenge take place in the French Alps around Lake Annecy. The professional event for amateurs was a roaring success, with Jered Gruber being proclaimed King of the Mountain's and Kelli Bayliss the Queen. A familiar face to all participants was 1987 Tour de France winner Stephen Roche. After a couple of days recovery, we caught up with him to find out a little bit more about how he became involved in the Alpine Challenge.
Read More ...Wattbike blog: Alpine Challenge Day 3
Tuesday 13th September 2011Day 3 of the 2011 Alpine Challenge promised to be the most difficult yet and with expected temperatures of 30C+ there were a few nerves on show amongst all of the groups. Group 1 riders were still battling it our for the Chazal leaders jersey, Group 2 riders were looking to move themselves up the rankings while Group 3 riders were pondering the steep, hot road ahead.
Read More ...Cyclosport.org Talks to Emma Davies
Monday 12th September 2011The Alpine Challenge is approaching its end, with Saturday being the final of its four stages. Here we carry on with our short series of interviews and opinions from those taking part in the event. Emma Davies began racing at 11 years old, participating in two Olympic Games, two Commonwealth Games and numerous other professional women's bike races. Whilst primarily a track rider, she was successful in many road races, even taking the Green Jersey in the women's version of the Tour de France. In 2005 she was involved in a hit and run accident in Manchester and left with a fractured vertebrae Something she was determined to fight back from.
Read More ...Cyclosport.org Talks to Yanto Barker
Monday 12th September 2011Yesterday saw the first stage of the HotChillee Alpine Challenge take place in Annecy, France. The Professional Event for Amateurs covers four stages in the French Alps and in this, the second in a series, we meet a participant in the Alpine Challenge and ask them how they're getting on in the mountains.
Read More ...Wattbike blog: Alpine Challenge Day 2
Monday 12th September 2011Today there was a most welcome later start to Stage 2 of the Alpine Challenge, I think it was appreciated by most riders after a tough start yesterday but it didnt stop some very wearing looking riders staring blankly into their cups of coffee over breakfast (including me). After forcing a whole heap of food down me and a few last minute bike adjustments we were again swept through the closed off streets of Annecy by the moto outriders who are looking after us so well. Id quite like to hire them for some of my training rides!
Read More ...Wattbike blog: Alpine Challenge Day 1
Monday 12th September 2011Today saw the official start of the 2011 Alpine Challenge here in Annecy, it started with an 11km time trial up the Col des Leschaux, not particularly steep but deceptively long. Plenty of excited riders (and a few nervous ones) gathered outside the hotel where we were met by nearly 20 moto outriders and a couple of Mavic Neutral Service vehicles.
Read More ...Wattbike blog: Alpine Challenge - pre event rides
Monday 12th September 2011So weve been in the Alps in Annecy for 2 days, within 30 mins of arriving wed been coerced into a ride with Sven, the organiser of the Alpine Challenge. He took us around Lake Annecy which has to be one of the most stunning rides Ive ever done. A great loop on a traffic-free cycle path for half of the ride and a great fast road back into Annecy (except for the c. 300m hill which Sven forgot to mention - in typical fashion enthusiasm got the better of me and my legs went bang after 150m).
Read More ...Wattbike blog: Alpine Challenge here we come!
Monday 12th September 2011I had some great feedback via Twitter and Facebook about restarting my training plan and feel really motivated about getting stuck into it. I had planned to do the 3 minutes aerobic test last week to work out my power training zones until my colleagues at Wattbike decided they had other plans for me. When the email asking me to go to the Alpine Challenge landed in my inbox I was pretty pleased (see understatement in the dictionary). As the day unfolded though I realised I was being coerced into riding it which, as regular blog readers will know, will be a tall order given the amount of training Ive done recently.
Read More ...Cyclosport.org Talk to Mark Phillips
Friday 9th September 2011The Alpine Challenge kicked off today in Annecy, France. Billed by organisers HotChillee as the "Professional Event for Amateurs", it's a much celebrated sportive in the French Alps and one which is the mainstay of any serious bike rider's calendar.
Read More ...Are you biking mad?
Sunday 4th September 2011Just two weeks to go until the start of The Alpine Challenge! If you are like most of the other competitors, you have been training hard over the past few months and seeking out the biggest, the steepest and the meanest hills for miles around to test yourself against. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why?
Read More ...Cycling: Paris or bust (a lung)
Sunday 17th July 2011Martin Love writing for The Observer shares his L2P 2011 experience. A high-speed 330-mile ride from London to Paris gives Martin Love a taste of cycling's most famous event - and a glimpse of Nigel Mansell's race tactics.
Read More ...The L2P 2011 on medzooma.com
Tuesday 12th July 2011Mark Bright along with a team of ex-professional sports personalities Lee Dixon (Arsenal), Craig Higgnet (Middlesborough) and John Solako (Crystal Palace) who had to pull out due to a bad knee. Will Carling (former England Rugby Captain) was also participating in the 320 miles 3 day challenge for his own charity, whilst Geoff and the boys pedalled to Paris in the aim to raise awareness and money for Leukaemia and Lymphoma research.
Read More ...The L2P 2011 Featured on Pez Cycling News
Tuesday 12th July 2011The 2011 version of London-Paris, run by HotChillee, is the biggest of its kind in the UK with the 520 KM sportive ride over three days from London to Paris. Ben Goddard was on hand for PEZ to soak up the sights, smells, sounds, and fun.
Read More ...Are you biking mad? Why do we do it?
Wednesday 6th July 2011Why do we do it? Why do we submit ourselves to a gruelling training regime and cover many hundreds if not thousands of miles on our bikes to ride in events that most of us have no realistic chance of winning? Please help us find the answers by responding to a questionnaire.
Read More ...The London-Paris 2011 - Eurosport Highlights
Wednesday 6th July 2011The London-Paris 2011 Eurosport Highlights were first shown after the highlights of the first stage of the Tour de France. It's repeated again on Eurosport on Friday 8th July at 9pm, but you can also watch it online...
Read More ...The London-Paris 2011 on Terry Smith's Blog
Wednesday 6th July 2011The event is organised by Hot Chillee and is billed as "THE Professional Event for Amateurs". It was certainly very professionally organised. Riders were split into five groups based on their pace. Each group was led by a pace car - a Skoda Superb estate, writes Terry Smith.
Read More ...The London-Paris 2011 - A Photographer's Tale
Wednesday 6th July 2011With the likes of Nigel Mansell, Magnus Backstedt, Stephen Roche and other famous names, Dave Hayward took the trip to Paris from London with cameras in hand and here is his story...(via VeloUK.net)
Read More ...L2P Spring Ride #5 Ride Captain's Reports
Friday 27th May 2011To read how the 5 Speed Groups got on at the 5th L2P Spring Ride during the Pearson 150 Sportive
Read More ...Football Meets The L2P with Cycling Weekly
Wednesday 4th May 2011See former England football stars, Geoff Thomas, Lee Dixon, John Salako and Mark Bright ride with Paris Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt and The London-Paris crew. It was an organised ride with one of cycling's leading publications, Cycling Weekly. Expect an article on the ride and The London-Paris footballers out soon!
Read More ...Addiscombe Challenge Cyclosportive
Wednesday 4th May 2011As we head into the final weeks of our L2P 2011 training we have the Pearson 150 on 22 May and the final training ride on 12 June. For those who enjoy the Surrey Hills and wish to fit in something between those dates, Addiscombe CC has organised a 135 km sportive on 5 June which starts from Chipstead and routes through some of the most enchanting lanes in Surrey and West Sussex with the climbs of Ranmore, White Down, Leith Hill and Box Hill adding an element of challenge.
Read More ...Pearson 150 Sportive 2011, Sunday 22nd May
Wednesday 4th May 2011Like last year we will using the Pearson 150 Sportive as our 5th Spring Training Ride. L2P riders will benefit from an earlier/fast track registration on the day and will be departing in their L2P Groups ahead of the other sportive riders. This was a great success in 2010 and is an excellent opportunity to test yourself over a similar distance to a L2P stage (150km) within your speed group. You will be supported by L2P crew at registration and the Ride Captains during the ride. Please register now to avoid disappointment.
Read More ...We ride alone, we ride together
Wednesday 4th May 2011I'm sure you can relate: there are times when I really just want to be alone on my bike. Maybe churning out mile after mile, staring blankly ahead, my mind doing nothing other than white noise; tap, tap, tap on the pedals, writes Morgan Lewis about the PUNCHEUR and Pearson sportives.
Read More ...Novice to L2P: Jacky Bernett's Experience
Wednesday 4th May 2011Novice to L2P. Jacky Bernett shares her experience of the build up and training. On 30th November 2009 I signed up for the 2010 L2P. I didn't sleep for a week afterwards as I pondered what I had signed up for what had I let myself in for? I was a total novice and did not know how I was going to meet the challenge of 330 miles in 3 days.
Read More ...The End of a Journey - by Peta McSharry
Tuesday 12th April 2011Four years ago The London-Paris was an unknown entity in my world, my introduction came off the back of an idea I'd been mulling over for a while - to ride from London down to the Pyrenees' to compete in the Etape. Being both logistically and navigationally challenged, these ventures are usually best left to someone else to organise, writes Peta McSharry.
Read More ...David Bryant Tests Sportique Skin Care Range
Tuesday 12th April 2011I was never one for "faffing" around with creams, oils and rubs but on my first L2P 4 years ago I was rather tender after a couple of days in the saddle. On Stage 2 it was hard to sit and then by Stage 3 if I had not managed to get some chamois cream I doubt the photos in Paris would have had me with a smile on my face.
Read More ...Spring Ride #3 - Ride Captain's Report
Wednesday 30th March 2011Spring seemed to arrive this week and the talk around the coffee shop was dominated with tales of extra sneaky rides grabbed during the week. To their bosses this translated as "a meeting off site" and "I'm working from home today". But, although the March equinox
Read More ...Mallorca Miles from Ride Captain David Kirkby
Wednesday 30th March 2011
As a Ride Captain we need to be able to keep up or even set tempo on the front of the bunch so we need to be fit. So I felt I should go off to Mallorca to the Stephen Roche training camp, here's what's involved...
World Funride Champions Cape Argus
Wednesday 30th March 2011
To locals, the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour is affectionately known as the World Funride Champs. For those not familiar with it, the event is a 110km road race, the biggest timed...
MET Sine Thesis Helmet Review by Ian Lobley
Friday 4th March 2011
There are some cycling essentials where different riders look for different key features - weight, colour, sound, kerb appeal etc. But when we're talking helmets there's only one thing that matters way more than everything else - if I ever need the protection, will the helmet be secure in the right place on my head and will it absorb the impact. The MET Sine Thesis has proven itself to be Ian Lobley's favourite helmet.
L2P Fundraising Winner: A Day at the Football
Friday 4th March 2011
Lynda Kellam, The L2P 2010 Purple Fundraiser Jersey winner, enjoyed part of her prize this weekend as guests of adidas at the FA Cup match between Chelsea v Everton at Stanford Bridge. As the highest fundraiser for the L2P official charities Lynda received VIP box tickets to the game and took along both her sons.
Spring Ride #2 - Ride Captain's Report
Thursday 3rd March 2011
What a day of contrast. The day started as a glorious sunny spring day and by the time I got home I couldn't feel my hands and feet and was thinking about drying out one very soggy pair of Mavic shoes. But what a great ride and I think we all banked some very useful miles which will go a long way to getting fit for the L2P, writes one Ride Captain Michael Blann.
Sports Nutrition for The London-Paris 2011
Monday 14th February 2011
As you are no doubt aware The L2P 2011 is made up of 3 stages totaling 520Km. At an average speed of 32Km/h (20mph) you can expect to be in the saddle for over 16 hours, and at an average speed of 27Km/h (17mph) this equates to nearly 20 hours of riding. The secret to successfully completing the ride will be down to a combination of pace judgment, energy supply, keeping hydrated and ensuring you maximize your recovery after each stage, oh yes - coupled with a reasonable amount of training prior to the Tour! Read Science in Sport's Guide for fuelling for The L2P.
R-Sys Wheel Review, by Ride Captain James Booth
Thursday 10th February 2011
One of the beauties of riding an event like The London-Paris 2011 means that I have an excuse to start pimping my ride for the 3-day event. So what better place to start than with the wheels, clearly visible for people to notice and comment on!
Cosmic Carbone SR, by Ride Captain Steve Jackson
Thursday 3rd February 2011
As you know us Ride Captains are in the lucky position of being supplied with kit for The L2P, and this being my second year as a Ride Captain I already have a pile of shiny new kit I keep bringing home to deposit in my man room!
2011 Spring Ride #1 Report by Ride Captains
Thursday 3rd February 2011
Last Sunday (30th January 2011) saw the start of the Spring Rides again. Having proved to be a major part of The London-Paris experience, they're a great way to get your fitness up to scratch and meet some of your fellow riders ahead of June. Here's what our Ride Captains said.
The London-Paris 2011 Launch, article on Cyclosport.org
Tuesday 25th January 2011
From Cyclosport.org: The London to Paris, "THE professional cycling event for amateur cyclists", launched the 2011 event at Sigma Sport, Kingston Upon Thames on Thursday 20th January 2011. I first heard about this event, a cyclosportive-über alles last year and was fascinated by the professional organisation, rolling road closures, motorbike outriders, and neutral car back up and course over 3 stages. Leaving one of the world's most dynamic cities, London on day one and finishing at the centre of cycling's most sacred ground on the Champs-Élysées, Paris on the third day.
Charlotte Hill: The Onset of Pain and Suffering
Tuesday 11th January 2011
UK Youth Chief Executive Charlotte Hill has signed up to ride The London-Paris 2011 and hopes to raise, in the process, in excess of £3,500 for UK Youth. The biggest problem facing her being, by her own admission, she is patently not a cyclist. In fact, her kuota road bike has yet to arrive, and the furthest Ms Hill has managed so far, is not far at all; spinning class. Read about Charlotte's aim for the L2P on thewashingmachinepost.net.
The Alpine Challenge 2010 - We Did It!
Wednesday 28th July 2010
In 2010, Sheila McWilliams, Nora Smith, Malachy Smith, Brendan Mooney, Ian Haslam and John Kennedy embarked on their journey from London to Paris. APC 2010 has been the most physically demanding and at times most gruelling event that each of us has ever undertaken. But the pain and exhaustion that we experienced during the cycle melted away in our triumphant descent into Paris. The enthusiastic welcome from the Parisians rejuvenated tired limbs and spirits, they write. Check out the full article PDF and photos, well worth a read!
Coach's Challenge - The London-Paris 2010
Thursday 1st July 2010
I've set myself some challenges in my time as a cyclist: competing in time trials, riding up mountains, travelling long distances, even 4 hour turbo sessions! But, I don't think I have ever experienced anything like the 3 days cycling from Esher, West London to Paris, writes Helen Carter of PBscience.
L2P Rider Scott Sunderland on Wiggins in the Tour
Thursday 1st July 2010
Bradley Wiggins must adopt the concentration and focus for which seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong is renowned in order to fulfil his ambition of finishing on the Champs Elysees podium, according to former Team Sky senior sporting director Scott Sunderland.
Mike Hawkins' L2P Blog on Cycling Weekly's Website
Thursday 1st July 2010
It's official. France is a big place and in June it's hot. Today reached 34 degrees. Despite the heat and the fact that we had 124km to do before the lunch stop, it really was incredible. All of our group was by now well into the way the ride worked with people were given free rein to ride off the front up the hills with those behind working together to get back in touch when the pace softened again. Whilst the rest of the time we rolled along as a tidy bunch, writes Mike Hawkins.
Latest News
The L2P 2012 February Newsletter
Thursday 16th February 2012The February edition of The London-Paris 2012 newsletter, featuring information about training rides, HotChillee Sportive, introducing the Official Teams and more.
Read More ...HotChillee announces its first ever Hand Cyclist team for The London-Paris 2012
Tuesday 7th February 2012Stoke Mandeville Hand Cyclist team, sponsored by Stewarts Law LLP, participate in 520km ride from London to Paris
Read More ...Events
The L2P is on a par with events like the London and New York Marathons and was named by the Daily Telegraph as one of the world's top 25 participation events.
More details...