Martin is turning 60 this year and is a father to 6 children with ages ranging from 6 to 30 and also has 3 grandkids.

His greatest sporting achievements have mainly been as a shove-halfpenny player. He was also Falkland County Primary School badminton champion in 1972 and came third in his secondary school cross country race in 1977.

His greatest talents are boundless optimism and talking a good game.

Martin’s major involvement in sport is as a passionate spectator with total faith in Chelsea football club, Harlequins rugby club, Surrey County cricket club and various inconsistent race horses.

In his spare time Martin helps advise a number of early- stage technology companies and produces high quality red wine from a small vineyard in Italy - the end point of our epic ride.

We know the wheels on the support van will be safe as “Laybourne is a Scouser”

 

Pete is a bon viveur who retired from running his international research and marketing agency 8 years ago following a near fatal heart attack, but went on to provide pro bono marketing advice the NHS to give something back to those who saved his life.

 

He coached Youth Rugby for 24 years, the last 10 of which were at London Welsh, before becoming Marketing Director and then Commercial Director of the Club. In the summer he transferred his coaching skills to cricket, and became Chairman of Surrey Premiership side Weybridge CC.

 

A keen golfer and supporter of Liverpool FC he is not at home on a bike and will, therefore, be driving the van! YNWA.

Nirosh, the 'Cycling Buddhist" will bring his steadfast calmness to the Strollers - except when they leave him for dust in the mountains! 

He comes from England, Australia and Sri Lanka and has a wife and 2 children.

The Aussie in him lives by the mantra that you must always "have a go", the Sri Lankan, to "eat and drink well", and his English mantra is to "have a good laugh at yourself".  

While he has a few marathons to his name, some century rides and taking 7 wickets for 2 runs, completing this challenge will be his greatest sporting achievement. 

Nirosh is a 'foodie' and loves making Sri Lankan dishes when entertaining friends. 

He works in the financial markets and has founded several startups over the years. 

Stuart gained his Cycling Proficiency certificate in 1975 but it was to be another 40 years before he bought his first road bike and embraced the joy of cycling.  He hasn't looked back since then, apart from when turning right.  

Stuart rides in Kent and beyond, and having discovered the fun of riding uphill (which he does rather slowly) he is working his way through a bucket list of cycling climbs.

Stuart is the proud owner of a Chpt3 Brompton (ridden without Lycra or Strava) and he enjoys exploring the world of specialty coffee, from its origins to making and drinking the stuff.  A good ride (or even a good business meeting) can be defined by the quality of the coffee at the coffee-stop.

Stuart is delighted that Xyenta is able to sponsor Ride For Keith to help raise money for Shout 85258, a charity that uses technology as an enabler to provide a much needed service. 

Having been introduced to cycling at 16 by his father Martin, Harry is rarely off the saddle. He is no stranger to Alpine climbs and can often be found pedalling around Kent or at the back of cyclo-cross races.

Harry will lead out the riders on stage one as chief domestique before returning to care for his impending first child. He has enjoyed planning the route and designing the jerseys and is heartbroken not to be joining the team in the mountains.

As the oldest rider in the group and the only sexagenarian on the road, Mal is looking forward to the challenge of getting to Italy in one piece and in at least partial working order and is relying on the amazing team spirit in the group and the incentive of helping a fantastic charity to spur him on.

Married to Alison (also riding) and father to two grown up girls and three grown up stepsons, Mal retired from his position as a ‘Boffin’ in the pharmaceutical industry 4 years ago and has taken to a life of leisure like a Chelsea fan to a caviar sandwich…..Mal is a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter.

Having played lead guitar in pub rock and function bands for almost 30 years in the Cambridge and West Suffolk area, from which he has also taken early retirement, he promises to provide the musical accompaniment to the raucous singing and celebratory wailing that will ensue after the team’s successful arrival in Acqui Termi.

Ali at 58 is married to Mal (also riding). She has three boys, one of which ‘the BMX kid’ is riding too. She also has two stepdaughters. Ali is semi-retired and is much more comfortable in the garden dressed up like Worzel Gummidge with her toes in the soil, than in lycra in the saddle. She has yet to master how to get the water bottle out and back into the cradle whilst riding. She will certainly get plenty of time to practise.

One of Ali’s most notable achievements was 54 years ago when she won the playschool’s 100 metre running race. Her prize was a red watering can. (How times have changed). She went on to become an avid gardener.

Ali is a passionate rugby spectator and one of Jonnie Wilkinson’s shirts has pride of place on the wall. Her sons know that it is best to have ear muffs at hand if she watching a game as she can become extremely excitable and vocal.

The one thing Ali is not is being competitive. However, she is secretly hoping to top the ladies’ statistics table on the ride.

Peter, unlike the other more sensible Pete (driving the support vehicle), had the misfortune to be told that he could only be included in the challenge if he was willing to cycle 1,800km. This is some 1,700km further than he has ever cycled before. Whilst looking forward to the challenge, having never cycled outside the UK, he is wondering how different it will feel like to cycle on the other side of the road and the wrong way round roundabouts.

In some ways, however, he did commence training aged 11 when he cycled 1 mile to and from school everyday, and sub-consciously and unknowingly has been searching for this type of challenge ever since he took part in a 5km fun run a few years ago. Young at heart Peter likes to think of himself, and act, as a 25 year old, when he knows that living in Clapham and visiting trendy wine bars belonged to a former life. He leaves that type of behaviour to other members of the cycling team.

Peter has worked for many years in financial services, mainly in and around investment banking and asset management. He is currently a Partner of a fund management group focusing on infrastructure investment but is beginning to look up from his desk and become involved in more important things in life, such as enjoyment and charities.

After the ride Peter is hoping he will make it back to the UK where he has committed to a volunteering role during the Commonwealth Games.

Bruce and Shirley celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary a few years ago having met in Enfield in the sixties. They played sports enthusiastically when they were younger but nowadays are mainly keen spectators. Although Bruce has a conventional bike and Shirley has an electric bike they felt that they are well past being able to pedal from London to Italy, so have taken on a supporting role of mainly feeding and rehydrating the riders.

They had two children, Keith and Caroline, who were initially educated in Broxbourne. Keith gained his PhD and teaching qualifications in Nottingham and Caroline trained to be a physiotherapist in London. As a family they travelled in the UK, Europe and the USA. 

Upon retiring from banking Bruce volunteered at an East London hospice for many years. However, once their lovely granddaughters, Libby and Mel, were born Shirley also elected to retire from a firm of local accountants.

Caroline and Adam, their son-in-law, have been married for 20 years and have been very loving and supportive to Bruce and Shirley throughout. Martin is Shirley's cousin and they greatly appreciate his kindness and efforts in respect of this event.

They obviously miss Keith very much and remember him with deepest affection. He was known amongst his peers for being really caring about the underprivileged and the bike ride for the charity 'Shout' will give added meaning to his memory.

Bruce and Shirley extend their heartfelt thanks to all of you.

My elite cycling career and specialism ‘King of the Mountains’ a distant memory. The road-bike had been retired to a safe and dusty space in the garage. Eurosport was the closest I would get to a cycle ride.

I was then asked to participate in the Ride for Keith and immediately volunteered someone else. That didn’t work, so I decided to support the ride-team by completing Stage 1 - London to Dover (and then taking the train to the nearest A&E).

I am delighted to support Ride for Keith and raise money for Shout 85258. An important charity.

I am a runner not a cyclist, so whilst I have the ultimate respect and frankly am in awe of this challenge my support thus far has been limited to technical and fundraising logistics.

I have however landed a spot at The Royal Parks Half Marathon in October. So I will be running for Keith my brother in law.

I have spent time with Shout and they are an amazing charity doing great things with technology in order to improve mental health care, I know Keith would have loved and benefitted from what they do.