Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Chamonix to Venice 

Over 8 days in July 2016, a group of 25+ amateur cyclists will tackle the route from Chamonix to Venice, from the shadow of Mont Blanc to the Italian coast.  The route is a little over 1,000 kms in length, traversing many infamous cols and passes in the Swiss Alps and Italian Dolomites.  There are 23 major climbs with a combined ascent of nearly 20,000 metres, reaching 2,760 metres at the highest point.

This is no ordinary challenge.  Even for the fittest cyclists, this is a huge test of endurance.  The route closely follows the “Haute Route”, widely labelled as the highest and toughest cyclo-sportive in the world.  Yes, we are not battling this against the clock, but neither do we have the closed roads, nor medical and mechanical support that the Haute Route riders do.  Several of the stages would comfortably qualify as Tour de France stages, with 8-10 hours in the saddle per day and a calorie consumption equivalent to that of running a marathon.  For 8 days in a row.

However, it's not all about the personal challenge for each of the cyclists.  The group are raising funds for a new charity, Kennedy's Disease UK, a cause close to many of the cyclists' hearts.  

Kennedy’s Disease is a rare, inherited neuromuscular disorder.  It is an adult onset, progressive disorder, characterised by the degeneration of lower motor neurons within the spinal cord and brainstem. This causes progressive weakening and wasting of the muscles particularly in the arms and legs.  The many symptoms of Kennedy’s Disease generally start to appear when the person is between 30 and 50 years old.  Every case is different, but some form of physical disability will take hold.  What starts with small trips and falls, can eventually lead to wheel chair confinement and full-time care.  Often symptoms begin with painful cramping and uncontrollable muscle spasms. Over time the disease will attack most of the muscles often making it difficult to even swallow liquids.

It is estimated that 1 in 40,000 people have this genetic defect and because it is relatively rare, Kennedy’s Disease is often initially misdiagnosed or goes undiagnosed for years. There is no cure for Kennedy’s Disease and no current treatment available.  

The ride is entirely self-funded and each of the cyclists has a personal target, with all monies raised going straight to the charity.  The charity itself is run by volunteers meaning that everything you donate will go the causes we support.  The vast majority of the funds we have raised have been given to University College London (UCL), who are undertaking vital research into the causes and effects of Kennedy's Disease,  with the remainder going towards raising awareness of this awful disease.

If you are unable to sponsor the cyclists, it would be much appreciated if you could take a few minutes to have a look at our website, kd-uk.com, or visit, like and share our Facebook page.  We also have a Facebook page for the ride so you can keep up to date with all the news, plus updates from the actual ride, https://www.facebook.com/CHX-Venice-2016-769046436544806/?fref=ts.