Meet the Event Directors: Meg & Rhian
This year's Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM has been organised and is in the safe hands of Event Directors Meg and Rhian. We chat to them about how they got involved with Club Peloton, and the best bit about Cycle to MIPIM...
Meg, Event Director
I’ve been working with Club Peloton since 2018, starting out as a sports massage therapist on Cycle to MIPIM. I loved the team so much that they took me under their wing and I became Rhian's assistant! In 2021, I took over Rhian’s Event Director role while she went off on maternity leave. It’s all been stepping stones but really wonderful supportive ones along the way, helping me progress.
My first event for Club Peloton was a post-pandemic pedElle in the Lake District. Now it’s a few years on, people can laugh about it a little more but I don’t think anyone particulary liked me because of all the hills! I now can’t live it down and the question that is always asked is ‘But how does it compare to the lakes?’! It was a magical moment when the event was complete and we were having our last dinner, laughing in a tipi in the garden of a manor house, and everyone sang back to me ‘Here comes the sun’ - which I had used as their early morning wake-up call every day!
My favourite event so far has to be pedElle 2023 in Slovenia. It was the 10th anniversary which definitely lent the event a slightly different atmosphere - pedElle always feels special, but this one was extra special. The climbs that we completed (even in a ‘passing’ storm that lasted two hours), the remote stops with endless views, and finishing at the sea for a swim in our Lycra. Slovenia just seemed to offer it all in a perfect package.
The best thing about Cycle to MIPIM is the pure tenacity of the riders and the crew to keep going for the long days both on the road and in the saddle. Everyone merges together as a team so quickly that we then whirl along as this bundle of organised chaos from one stop to the next. It really is a remarkable sight to see. My piece of advice for new riders is to take a moment to look up and see where you are. It’s important to remember what an experience it is to be cycling from London to Cannes in a beautiful, whirlwind bustle, so take a minute to enjoy the views. For those returning riders, I'd say spend time on your bike: it’s not often that you get to spend seven days on your bike going from place to place so just spend time in the saddle, get to know your bike, and figure out how you can make it all more comfortable for your journey.
Outside of work, I read an awful lot of books. I tend to have about 12 on the go at any one point because I get easily distracted and like a change! I run every day and ride my mountain bike as much as possible.
Rhian, Event Director
Thinking about how long I have been working for Club Peloton makes me feel old! I started out working for one of our amazing charity projects, Coram, back in 2014, with focus on supporting Club Peloton with its events and fundraising. I went full time with Club Peloton (known then as Cycle to…) in 2015, and here we are nine years later!
I spent my first couple of years supporting and chasing the wheel of our wonderful Event Director Chris Clarke, before taking on my own events. My first event was for Universal Music, a fantastic group of people who also embraced my love for music of course! I became known for tugging around our PA not just for playing music, but to get my microphone out and shout out what I soon became known for: “FIVE minutes!” My favourite moments on these events are often the memories and relationships built with both riders and crew, the camaraderie, fun and laughter, and celebrations for the achievements.
It's hard to pick one favourite event. They all have their special moments. I would say Cycle to MIPIM 2019 was one of my favourites. I’d organised the ride for a couple of years by then, and the camaraderie that is built with riders and crew, the shared experience of being a part of something so big, and so many working cogs that all pull together to make it all come together into one event, is just incredible. The stops where the music is playing and we’re having fun and bouncing off one another, the achievement on the final night for both riders and crew, and that last day into Cannes when the sun is shining!
My best piece of advice for new riders is to put the time in before the ride so that you can enjoy the experience, look at the scenery and chat with those around you. Off the back of that, the amazing thing about this ride is that it is a relay, a team event and a shared experience… make the most of taking a stage off and having a rest so that you have the energy to be able to enjoy it and share that enjoyment with others around you. As we say, you can definitely tell those who are doing too much… And for those returning riders? Have fun! You’re older and wiser now so know how you would like to approach it.
Outside work, I have two little ones now who keep me busy, active and on my toes! We love to be outside, rain or shine… and are often supporting my mum at horse shows.
