About The Coach
My Background
Hi, my name is Andy and I have always enjoyed cycling since the times that it first provided me with freedom to roam at the age of 10 or 11.
Even during my University days I got around by bike and, somewhat famously in my family, I cycled home 100 miles on a whim one day. As you might imagine, my parents were quite surprised !
I would not, however, recommend the usage of Mars Bars and Coca-Cola as the only sustenance for endurance rides !
After my MTB phase in the 90's, I discovered cycling 'Sportives' in the early 00's and I have taken on many challenges since then. Following a spontaneous decision in 2004 to take on the 2005 edition of L'etape du Tour, it became quite clear to me that there is a deficit of cycle coaches who specialised in helping riders prepare for Sportives. The idea for my business was born but it would take another 13 years before the opportunity to launch my company would arise.
Following a redundancy in 2018, I retrained as a cycle coach with the Association of British Cycling Coaches (ABCC). With my hands-on experience of riding many events and the formal qualification under the ABCC, I know I can help others experience the pleasures of cycling challenges with less of the pain caused by under preparation. The beauty of the Alps and Pyrenees can only really be appreciated, by bicycle, when you are not wheezing within an inch of your life !
Thank you very much for reading and I hope to hear from you soon.
Professional Certifications
Association of British Cycling Coaches
Training Peaks
Bike Fit Practioner
Some Of My Memories And Hopefully Inspiration For You!
Some Of My Challenge Rides
The South Downs Way
Summary:
Quite simply the toughest one day event I have ever done. Don’t underestimate the difficulty of 100 miles on a mountain bike.
Abiding Memory:
Ringing up my wife after finishing it for the first time and ‘doing a Steve Redgrave’ - i.e. if I ever think about doing this event again then shoot me. I’ve been back 3 times!
Tour de Yorkshire
Summary:
80 miles of Yorkshire’s finest terrain is difficult to beat!
Abiding Memory:
The spontaneous encouragement of Leeds residents as I rode back in to the built up area.
Yes, they were getting ready to cheer the professional peloton that would come through later in the day but it felt like they were coming out for me.
Polka Dot Challenge
Summary:
One of my earliest Peak District Sportives and one that many organisers have since tried to replicate.
Abiding Memory:
That cattle grid on the way up the 25% Winnat’s Pass! I had to ride back down a little bit because it was impossible to clip in and push off on that gradient.
Wicklow 200
Summary:
Cracking ride in the Emerald Isle
Abiding Memory:
The Emeral Isle fully living up to its reputation for wind and rain.
Atrocious conditions in the afternoon after a gloriously sunny morning, requiring cars to be using headlights at 4pm on a Sunday in June!
Lakeland Monster
Summary:
Beware the weather on this tough, fabulous mountain bike challenge route starting from Keswick in the Lake District in October!
Abiding Memory:
My colleague, Paul, getting distracted by the scenery and riding straight in to a dry stone wall. He was fine, just a little ego dented!
Land’s End to John O’Groats
Summary:
A 2 week ‘End to End’ to scratch my mid life crisis in my 40th year. (I wanted a Caterham 7, in fact I still do!
Abiding Memory:
Riding up a long drag in Scotland with 5 layers of clothing, in June and still getting cold. Some of the other riders were ‘pulled’ by the organisers due to the onset of hypothermia due to the horrible condition.
The closest I have ever come to abandoning a ride as I really didn’t want to step back out of a warm pizzaria
L’Eroica Britannia
Summary:
Peak District Sportive where all bikes have to be pre-1987! Modern indexed gears are strictly forbidden.
Abiding Memory:
My mate Loz’s front tyre exploding on a descent to Chatsworth House causing him to have a very bad crash. He still has the scars to prove it!
Blackpool to Paris
Summary:
Tower to Tower seven day supported ride for the National Kidney Research Fund
Abiding Memory:
Assembling at the Blackpool seafront and being ‘started off’ by the comedian Sid Little.
He had stepped in the night before when the mayor told the organisers that he wouldn’t be able to do it.
What a star, Sid!
And Some From Abroad
Paris-Roubaix Sportive
Summary:
Trust me, the Hell of the North is every bit as bad as they say it is.
Abiding Memory:
Riding in to the Roubaix Velodrome really does feel like you are following the pedal strokes of cycling gods. The pave is something else and you really do have to ride it as hard as you can to minimise the jarring.
While watching the professionals near Pont Gibbus, my car was towed away and I had parked legally. It’s a long story …
Liege - Bastogne - Liege
Summary:
Just because it’s not in mountainous terrain, L-B-L is not flat. It has over 4000m of climbing!
Abiding Memory:
Most of the feedstations have the ubiquitous Belgian waffles and after 12 hours or more you get a bit fed up of eating sweet things.
My mate was getting quite angsty at the time, so we bought him a waffle maker when we got back to the UK.
He saw the funny side of it, eventually!
Tour of Flanders
Summary:
Another of the monuments but the one with the least character
Abiding Memory:
Raining all morning and big chunk of the afternoon until the sun finally came out.
On the Koppenberg, I passed a chap who had stopped for a breather. In his defence, he had been riding a penny farthing! Just a few metres up from this position, another chap ran out of steam and fell off causing a domino affect back down the cobbles!
L’Etape du Tour
Summary:
My first European Sportive (2005) and still one that is on a lot of folks’ bucket lists.
Abiding Memory:
Hot, hot, hot and melting tarmac helping to increase the pressure to stay in front of the broom wagon.
Walking on a carpet of discarded plastic water bottles at the feed stations and seemingly everyone going for a pee at the same time at the start pens
The Vatternrundan
Summary:
The longest ride I have done in one day (300km) but not the most exciting course.
Abiding Memory:
The sheer scale of the event is hugely impressive, over 25000 people setting off in groups of about 50 every 2 minutes for hours and hours.
Swedish people still being on the streets at 3.30am in the morning to cheer and encourage the riders and the meatballs at the feedstations are just devine. (Or maybe it was just the sheer relief of a sitdown, hot food and a rest after 10 hours!)
Marco Pantani Gran Fondo
Summary:
Well worth a trip to Cesenatico to remember this fallen idol and ride near his home town.
Abiding Memory:
Gorgeous, hot sunny weather for the professional’s race on the Saturday. More like a drab, dreary, damp, miserable February day for the mortals’ sportive on the Sunday. On a plus side, definitely the best goody bag I’ve ever had, even if the size XL gilet seems to have been designed for a 10 year old!
