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I have always loved cycling. As a young kid in school I would take myself off to the library during recess and lunch times and read books on the Tour de France. I have followed the Tour every year since I was 13, and I had dreams of one day being a pro rider and participating in the Tour myself. Well, reality set in and my ambition didn't match my cycling ability, so I became a weekend warrior instead! The closest I have got to being a pro rider is having my photo taken with 'The Voice of Cycling - Phil Liggett'!
John Cullen with 'The Voice of Cycling' Phil Liggett
However, during the 2015 Tour Down Under we were in the Tour Village and there was a stand set up for the 2015 Beat Cancer Tour (BCT). When I enquired what it was about, I was hooked immediately and knew I wanted to be on the 2016 BCT Team!
The Beat Cancer Tour is an official part of the Santos Tour Down Under. It is a fantastic opportunity to raise much needed funds for cancer research through Cancer Council’s Beat Cancer Project.
Cancer Council's Beat Cancer Project has one vision – to bring us closer than ever to a future without cancer... and we have every reason to believe it is possible.
Thanks to the contribution of cancer research, over the last 20 years in Australia we have seen:
• Cancer deaths fall by approximately 14%
• Survival rates for many common cancers increase by as much as 30%
• An estimated 61,000 Australian lives saved by improvements in cancer prevention, screening and treatment.
The Beat Cancer Tour is not a ‘race’ – we ride as a united peloton to raise awareness in the fight to beat cancer.
Beat Cancer Tour is unlike any other charity ride. This is a pro experience so our peleton will only be stopping briefly for ‘comfort breaks’ and at the FeedZones. I'll need to be able to ride approx. 150 kms a day, and I'll need a very high level of fitness and ability equal to or greater than a C Grade Club rider.
We will be riding every stage of the Tour Down Under, just like the pro's, so this will be approx 900kms for the week.
Throughout the next 10 months I will take you on my journey preparing for this event, the training rides I do, the organised rides I participate in, and most importantly, the fundraising that I do.
As the main focus of this ride is to raise funds, I have set the goal of raising $25,000.
To Make a Donation Towards My 2016 Beat Cancer Tour click here:
