Day 4: Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM 2022
Day Four of Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM - the midpoint of the ride - dawns dry again but with the threat of rain forecast. Luckily no headwind though, which is a welcome relief to all of the peloton, for the 196k day ahead. The first stage from Auxerre to Vesaley is 44k led by Team Vectos. The peloton wends its way out of the picturesque town over the river and out into the French countryside.
After the quintessentially French cafe stop in the village of Vesaley, stage 2, led by Team Civic, is the big one of the day: 57k and over 1,000m of climbing. The peloton heads through a countryside populated by baby Christmas trees. The fine drizzle turns to rain and it’s a long and lumpy slog through to lunch at Moux en Morvan. For the most part, though, this remains infinitely preferable to yesterday’s relentless headwind.
Lunch is a delightful concoction of freshly made salads, cheeses and meats, courtesy of REFUEL sponsor AHMM. Some of the coldest, wettest riders are given blankets for warmth before some head out again (donning extra layers) to brave the next stage.
Stage 3 is approx. 40k led by the Lockton Ladies (the ladies of Team Lockton) who take the lead on the front to the cafe stop at Chateau de Sully, a beautiful Renaissance chateau in southern Burgundy, for the most surreal stop of the day - possibly the whole ride. The line-up of supercars distract quite a few of the riders, while others head indoors outside of the rain for coffee, tea and delicious, delicate macarons, swapping cycling shoes for slippers to protect the wooden floors.
The peloton - lead by Team Vectos - head out for the fourth and final stage of the day into the grey afternoon, riding through stone villages. Despite the previous chilly, damp stages, the riders enjoy the stage, characterised by a steep descent through bare, wintry vines into a broad valley before a steep climb through a little village to get up and out the other side and on through narrow, hedged lanes suddenly reminiscent of the English countryside.
Our arrival into Chalon sur Saône, deep in the Burgundy wine-producing region of Bourgogne, marks 795k and over halfway done!
Watch EG Editor Sam McClary's daily video update below.
If you’re able to sponsor the riders - even a small amount makes a big difference - you can do so here. Our fundraising total is currently an amazing £216,300 (thank you to everyone who has been donating!) and our target is £250,000. We are fundraising for a number of brilliant projects supporting vulnerable young people via Coram, Cyclists Fighting Cancer, MSA Trust and the Tom Ap Rhys Pryce Memorial Trust (Tom's Trust).
