Update on Team Vittoria

It was a welcome respite from highways when the Tour de Cure rolled into Sails Resort in Port Macquarie. After a gruelling 170kms on the road, the team were very happy to see the front door of the beautiful Quality Resort Sails.

After devouring a couple of buckets of snakes, red frogs and chocolates, the guys unpacked the trucks, restocked the Powerade and headed inside to put their feet up.
It was a incredible feat for the majority of the Tour De Cure pack who had set a personal best on the road of 170kms. There were some very testing stretches of road on the highway, dealing with truck drivers, road debris and some pretty average roads. Everybody arrived in great spirits and in fact the pace in the last 5kms to the resort topped well over 35kms per hour!

That night there were celebrations all around and the team unwound ready for their rest day. Quality Resort Sails Port Macquarie is the ideal spot to rest, only metres from the beach, the surrounds are just what we needed to rest. The Team Vittoria squad were up early and on the bikes to head out for a loosener around the beaches of Port Macquarie. The ride took in some picturesque beach scenery and went for about 40mins, up and down some hills that helped work out the knots and lactic acid from the legs. The small squad then return backed to the resort to enjoy an incredible breakfast put on by Canadian Kitchens. Leesa and Mel put on a brilliant spread of Nasi Goren, eggs, mueslis and fresh juices.

Once breakfast was devoured, Team Vittoria got back on the bikes and rode back down to the beach to Café Pernod to present the owner with a limited addition Café Vittoria Plaque. The owner was well aware of the Tour and was excited to see us and shouted us raisin toast and coffees on the beach. Once the pack devoured the raisin toast and Vittoria coffees we headed back to the resort for a function on the lagoon with Camp Quality, Prostate Cancer and Breast Cancer. Once again the pink ladies of the breast dragon boat team gave us a wonderful display and our own Couger (Geoff Coomes) did a training session with the guys to share the fine art of Dragon Boating. After the charity BBQ fundraiser we headed back to Sails Resort for some down time before the girls from Canadian Kitchens once again treated us to a festive feast over a BBQ. Lessa and Mel have really looked after the team and kept the energy high with a perfect mix of high carb healthy food. (the chocolate mousse and chocolate espresso cake were a treat!)

The whole afternoon was free time and most of the riders took advantage of the massages by the pool. Rob, our physio, was there to welcome the riders to her house of pain. With two guest physios who sat in to assist with the long line of bodies that needed a tune up.

Undoubtedly the highlight of the Tour so far has been the people we have met and the stories they’ve shared. Not many of the 23 riders knew what it was like to deal with Cancer or in fact be a part of a family that is hit like a freight train when a diagnosis of leukaemia or a cancer is announced. The stories, the people, the passion and the friendship has touched each and everyone of the riders.

Coming through Kempsey a lady saw the passing pelaton, saw the logo, went home, googled Tour de Cure and got onto our website and gave Cougar a call. She then asked if she could walk up to our lunch place and give a donation. On arrival she introduced her son Jordan and shared a story of her Aunty who had died weeks earlier. She said she didn’t have much and handed over $5 and said that’s all she had, but she would like to make a donation. Stories like this have not only touched the riders but it slams you in the face like a headwind up a hill to try and understand what its like to deal with this beast. I could fill 50 blogs with stories like this that have been recounted to us by the local communitites up and down the coast. The media, the charities and the people we have met on the side of the road have created an experience for riders that could not have been comprehended when we left Brisbane. For Cougar and I to see our dream come true and have the priviledge of being part of these stories with the other 21 riders, is something to be proud of.

Our logistics team have been incredible in keeping the team going. It was a harrowing day in the cars yesterday for Eric, Dave, Sam and Ross. Trucks, road works and 170kms made it tough for the guys, but like true professionals they never lost their focus, their smile or sight of the pelaton. Sunday we head to Taree for a 100km trek down the coast.

More from Team Vittoria soon. Until then raise the espresso and keep the donations coming.