Kit & Martin
Plenty of our riders come in pairs, or groups of mates. Kit and Martin are a great example. Having ridden their first Loop in 2012 (Martin) and 2014 (Kit), they keep returning for more bites of the quiche. They have ridden 14 Loops so far!
Name: Kit Ebben
Age: 52
Location: Shropshire
Name: Martin Jones
Age: 57
Location: Cheshire
Experience
Kit: I didn’t start road cycling untiI 2013 when I was volunteered by Martin to make up the numbers on an independent LEJOG with a few friends who were already cyclists. After that, he introduced me to Le Loop and I completed the Pyrenees in 2014. Since then, I’ve returned to complete various shorter loops and plucked up the courage to do the Grand Loop in 2024.
Besides Le Loop I’ve done quite a bit of cycling around Europe, occasional sportives and some Audaxes but never been in a cycling club. I love the challenge of long rides, especially the mountain stages.
Martin: I’ve taken part in various road and MTB sportives, Haute Routes, dragged Kit round LEJOG and completed multiple shorter loops of Le Loop.
Words of wisdom: Well it beats work. On a personal level it's incredibly rewarding to ride the beautiful routes of the TdF. The welcome and support of the Le Loop team is outstanding and whichever category rider you are, you'll find great people to share a fantastic life experience. Meeting beneficiaries of some of the supported charities provides perspective and reinforces how lucky you are to take part in Le Loop. I promise you will not regret it!
Don’t hesitate to sign up, you will love it. The climbs are long, so don’t set off too fast! You will always have someone to cycle with, the great thing about Le Loop is it caters for a range of athletes, so long as you have the endurance to keep going, so don’t worry about pace, it’s not a race! The logistics are seamless and you’ll get to ride the beautiful routes of the TdF in a supportive and team environment.
Where are you now?
Kit –Back in Shropshire. I’ve signed up for the Pyrenees and the Alps 2025. Cramming in some training and heading to Ventoux early June with some great friends I met on the Grand Loop last year!
Martin –It’s a cold Bank holiday Monday and I’ve just finished a 100mile ride with Kit in Shropshire. We did have a pint at the end! I’ll be doing the Pyrenees Loop in the summer, hopefully it will be a bit warmer…