Featured Rider - Alex
Alex rode the full 2018 tour and highly entertained us all with his daily diary video interviews with fellow riders. He rode his heart out and was one of the great characters of the Tour. It clearly left an indelible mark on him too!
We’re really delighted that he’s come back for more this year!
Meet Alex Costley-White
Age: 38
Location: Tamerton Foliot, sandwiched between Plymouth and Dartmoor, Devon
Pedigree: I bought my first road bike when I was about 23, mainly for commuting in London. I loved the sense of freedom and autonomy being on a bike gave me, not to mention the joy at not having to get on the Tube quite so often.
Before long I was going on longer group rides with friends, some sportives, and a couple of the ‘cult’ cycling events like Dunwich Dynamo and Chase The Sun. I heard about Le Loop from a colleague and, having no major plans for summer 2018, signed up for the Grand Loop on a bit of a whim.
I spent the next 10 months working as a locum doctor on the Isle of Man, getting involved in the local cycling culture. It was fast paced and inspiring with an inclusive ethos: wednesday morning Club Run was for anyone who could keep up, from British and World Champions down to little old me. It was the most amazing preparation for Le Loop 2018, which stands out as one of the best experiences of my life. Chatting with some friends last summer I couldn’t help but gush that Le Loop was “by far the best holiday I’ve ever been on” and realised that, well, I’d better do it again..
He says: It goes without saying that you have to love riding your bike a lot, and there is no substitute for hours in the saddle. That said, not only is the Loop a huge event in itself, the preparation is a marathon. Train hard, of course, but listen to your body and your mind. Invest early in restorative practices like yoga and pilates and spend time focussing on mental stamina, resilience, and active relaxation. Recover well and be aware of the risk of over training – the last thing you want to do is arrive at the Loop tired because you’ve been consistently overdoing it by 1% for the previous 6 months or more.
Tour Highlight: Winning the Henri Degrange memorial Frog Prize awarded for bringing the sport of cycling into disrepute, and the Route Sign prize for being a generally good sport on the same stage. I can’t remember the exact details of what offences I committed, but it must have been a busy day!
Words of Wisdom:
1. Pace yourself. I spent the first week of the 2018 Loop up front with an amazing group of cyclists who were talented, great company, natural group riders, and all much, much fitter than me. I paid for this over-enthusiasm in the mountains…
2. Don’t try to rehydrate with beer.
(Ed: Alex is part of the SW WhatsApp group and offered this alternative wisdom to a fellow Looper recently:
3. Cycle a heavy bike outdoors (preferably off road) through the winter.
4. Give up smoking now(ish))
Where are you now: Sitting on my sofa answering these questions. I finished a week of night shifts this morning so I’m not sure if I’m making any sense. (Ed. Probably also planning his next big training ride, of course!).
Huge thanks to Alex for contributing to our featured rider post. We’re secretly hoping the daily video diary will make a return this tour (no pressure!). Bring on the summer!!
Vive Le Tour!
