Clonakilty cycling ‘legends' complete gruelling Alps race

THEY were fit leaving, but super-fit on their return to Clonakilty, after cycling 2,350km for charity.

Andrew Bradley, who previously paddled down the Shannon in a kayak in aid of Down Syndrome Cork in 2014, thought it was time to do another fundraiser and had no trouble persuading his friends, Gearoid Beamish and Ian D Murphy, to take part in a seven-day cycle from Nice to Geneva in Switzerland.

The fact that they decided to cycle from Clonakilty to the start of the race – a mere 1,300km – earned them ‘legend’ status on their arrival in Nice.

‘The organisers thought we were absolutely crazy,’ Gearoid Beamish told The Southern Star, but it also endeared them to the other cyclists, the crowds and the organisers, too.

‘The cycle from Cherbourg to Nice took 10 days. It all went well, no mishaps, no misadventures, just breath-taking scenery all along the route.’

The trio were joined in Nice by two more cycling buddies from Clonakilty, Patrick Mulcahy and Ian McLelland, and all five completed the gruelling Haute Route Alps – a seven-day race that covered 900km and took in climbs of 22,000m.

The five finished the race on August 27th and they all flew home together after a day of well-deserved rest.

‘Before we’d left we had reached our target of €25,000. But the money is still coming in,’ said Gearoid. To make a donation check out their Facebook page: Clonvelo Cycle for Down Syndrome.

Andrew is a photographer and Ian is a videographer so their Facebook page got more than 10,000 views. ‘We would like to thank everyone for their support – it meant a lot to us on this trip,’ said Gearoid,’ and it will mean a lot to Down Syndrome Cork too.’