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Taking to two wheels once more, senior drinks industry figures will be joining me for the 9th Mentzendorff Charity Cycle Ride this June through the Southern regions of France formerly known as Occitania, to raise a target of £30,000 of vital funds for the drinks industry charity The Benevolent. Starting from the M.Chapoutier winery in Tain L’Hermitage with a send-off from The Benevolent’s Chief Executive David Cox on Monday 1st June, the “Tour de L’Oc” will see a fifteen strong peloton of riders travel through some of southern France’s most picturesque scenery to finish nearly 500 km later at Collioure on the Spanish border.

However, a cycling holiday this is not, for the tour includes a gruelling  21.5 km 1912 metre climb of  the infamous Mont Ventoux, which some have called the hardest of all the mythical Tour de France climbs. The ascent nearly beat the 1970 Tour de France Champion Eddy Merckx who rode himself to the brink of collapse, requiring oxygen to recover during the climb. Eddy went on to win the Tour de France that year, and we have confidence that all rider in the Tour de L’Oc will rise to the challenge and conquer Mont Ventoux.

 "Physically, the Ventoux is dreadful. Bald, it's the spirit of Dry: Its climate (it is much more an essence of climate than a geographic place) makes it a damned terrain, a testing place for heroes, something like a higher hell."

Roland Barthes, French philosopher and bicycle racing fan,

Joining me this year are tour veterans Andrew Hawes MD  from Mentzendorff, Ian Harris CEO of the WSET, Andrew Reed of WRBM and Chris Matthews of Berry Bros. & Rudd. Returning to the tour after successfully completing his MW studies is The Drinks Business’s Patrick Schmitt (MW) and joining for the first time are Mentzendorff's Director , James McKenna and  Andrew Wilkins, Simon Tester from The Champagne Company and Stuart Gillies, Managing Director of Gordon Ramsay Holdings. These industry titans will be accompanied by a further five private individuals.

The Benevolent provides vital support to colleagues from the UK Drinks Industry who are facing serious illness, disability or a personal family crisis. Your support is much appreciated.

THANK YOU