Ever wondered what it would be like to be part of a World Tour Team Training camp?
To ride the best bikes, to wear the team kit, to stay with the rest of the riders and staff in a top quality hotel, eat every meal with the team and ride out to the café with them.
Well, if you really want to know, just ask Darren Stringer ……
Darren and his wife Claire are from Halifax in Yorkshire. Darren rides with local club 3RT whilst Claire rides for BBB Zwift Racing Team. They are also involved in helping to run the Kirklees Cycling Academy which helps young riders from the area.
They came along to the Rayner Foundation Dinner together with a big group from Ravensthorpe CC who we know were determined to have a good time.
As part of the fundraising proceedings during the evening we held a live auction wih exclusive prizes on offer. Team Ineos Grenadiers provided an unbelievable experience with their Team whilst Luke Rowe and Tom Pidcock also did their bit to send us exclusive prizes items. The yellow numbers that Luke organised were quite possibly the most original and rare items that we have ever received. Yellow back numbers from the winning team at the Tour de France, all signed by the riders….. We can only hope they do it again 😊
Anyway back to Darren..
“We had no idea that this Ineos Grenadiers pre season TeamTraining Camp Experience prize was on offer before we arrived at the Dinner. We were also tempted by the Yellow Numbers but the Training Camp was the big one we were really after. After some hard bidding we were able to secure the prize and logistics were put in motion to get myself and Claire out to Majorca for the December Camp.
There were 27 of the 29 team riders present plus of course lots of staff members. We were struck by how they all appear very relaxed overall. This camp is obviously less pressured overall due to thie timing just before Christmas, we were able to observe and meet a bunch of super chilled people with such amazing support.
Everything we needed was provided, giving us a taste of what it would be like to be a rider on this Team.
We were provided with the Team Orange training Kit and Team race bikes. These were super cool Pinarello Dogma’s kitted with top spec electronic gears and aero wheels so no expense spared at all. All meals were taken with the Team over the threee days we were there.
We had a great ride out to the café in the peloton with the entire team, plus staff. There was even a sprint for the café which was great fun. Claire was side by side at over 30mph with Luke Rowe with the biggest grin ever….
Riders and staff were amazing. Super friendly. We tried to respect everyone by sharing our good wishes for their achievements and they were very happy to talk about the team, their views on the future, their results and personal stories too.
Of course everyone was brilliant but some standout individuals would be Rod Ellingworth and Roger Hammond, Simon Watts, Olli Cookson, Ellio Viviani, Josh Tarling, Ben Tullet, Ben Swift, Luke Rowe, Steve Cummings….as I mentioned way too many amazing people to thank.
It was surreal.”
The Rayner Foundation would like to thank Rod Ellingworth and everyone at Team Ineos Grenadiers for providing this prize. All proceeds for the auction items are used for the benefit of young British Riders racing on the Continent, riders who hope to become professionals thenselves in the future.
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