Last Saturday (July 7), I went down to the French Alps with the muckers, known as the City Winkers, to compete in a bike race called La Marmotte. This year the group comprised Bill Gilbert, who is a Peloton Partner, Marcus Browning and Ian Edwards from Citi, Frank Rawlins and Simon Manwaring from Bank of America, Bill’s brother Howard, who used to work in the market but is now a law professor, some bloke called Chris Ward – nobody really knows what he does – and myself. There were a few others who said they were up for it, but perhaps sensibly they dropped out.
Organizing this group of big cheeses was a nightmare. I don’t know how their PAs put up with them. The final straw came when one of them asked me if I had any loo roll with me before the start. If I had said yes, I’m sure he’d have then asked me to wipe his arse for him as well.
For the past five years, we have done L’Etape du Tour. This is a ride where amateurs get the chance to race over one of the same stage routes as the professionals ride in the Tour de France.