The seventh and final day of Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM starts a little earlier for the 85 cyclists, with a 6.30am rollout. After a big day yesterday, today is still a challenging 162km to the finishing line and there are a lot of tired bodies out there.
The peloton rolls out for stage one: there’s no specific team on the front, all the riders of Teams Lockton, Civic and Vectos are out. It’s a 53km stage with 1,162m of climbing.
The peloton heads out through lavender fields for 30km of relative flat, making their way towards and up the Gorges du Verdon. The climb offers stunning vertiginous views down the river canyon to the Verdon river. The riders are given free rein to go at their own pace, which some choose to do, while others stay together in smaller groups. There’s a short descent into coffee and then it’s time to push on for stage two, a long 73km to Montauroux.
The stage is one of, overall, descending but with 1,034m of climbing, there are also plenty of lumpy climbs to get up and over. The group stays together, riding as one for the entire stage as they make their way through the gorge until they are running at river level past villages and medieval castles perched on rocky outcrops. Finally, there is a 15km descent into lunch through one of “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” which promotes small rural villages with a rich cultural heritage.
After a fantastic lunch – thanks again to AHMM and chefs Lewis and Harvey – stage three, the final one of the ride, is under way. Spirits are high: the end is in sight. There are two steep climbs with tight switchbacks to contend with before a final descent and then, suddenly, the peloton is making its way along the Cannes seafront in the sunshine, grouped together in their teams.
The arrival into Cannes is a huge moment for everyone: colleagues and friends and family are waiting to greet them. There are lots of hugs and high fives, group photos, team photos, riding buddy photos and then a well-deserved celebratory beer.
Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM 2022 covered 1,438km in total and has so far raised £226,000 for charity projects Coram, Cyclists Fighting Cancer, MSA Trust and Tom’s Trust.
It has been a journey in every sense of the word. New riders have pushed themselves further than they ever thought possible, while others have ridden through dark moments on a bike to emerge stronger the other side. Old acquaintances have been renewed while many new friendships have been made, and we look forward to welcoming back as many as possible in future years.
