FEATURING
Our Ambassadors
Nick Brown
"The BDOVELO rides are a great way to combine a love of cycling with light networking. Having ridden in many organised cycling events, I have to say the BDOVELO events are some of the best I have attended."
"In establishing BDOVELO, I saw a fantastic opportunity to bring people together and create something different."
"Speak to me if you are interested in any of the Ride of Legends charity events especially our plans for the Lions tour of South Africa in 2021."
"It’s amazing just how many people you meet amongst your business connections who have an interest in cycling."
"Cycling is more like business than most other sports for a couple of reasons; you are constantly having to make decisions often under pressure."
Rachael Elliott
Philip Cavell and Julian Wall
yANTO BARKER
"Cycling creates a superb way to bond groups of people, through a shared passion."
CHRIS GROVE
PETER WINTERBOTTOM
Bruce Sandell
"Cycling is the ultimate social and economic leveller. And it always has been. Every ride is an adventure shared between the participants that consumes and absorbs the collective psyche."
Grahame Jones
"Business is about relationships. Cycling is the conduit for building these relationships; and doing so in healthy, fun & sustainable way."
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Chris Grove
Why did you start BDOVELO? For most of us business is about people; we thrive on finding connections and building relationships. As a partner in BDO’s corporate finance team, I have enjoyed many years working in the mid-market across many sectors and with some great management teams, investors and advisers, a lot of whom I would now regard as friends. In establishing BDOVELO, I saw a fantastic opportunity to bring people together and create something different – a sustainable business community, based around two wheels. Your current bike/s? My cycling pre-dates the post-Olympic Wiggo-inspired craze, which is probably how I’ve managed to accumulate my current “fleet”, from the 1970s steel-framed Eddy Merckx of my youth, to the Bamboo bike I rode from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 2012. Your cycling highlight? I’ve followed wheels around the UK and Europe, with this year’s highlight riding the Il Lombardia challenge. Recent excursions have included Strade Bianche, the Amstel Gold Race (don’t believe anyone who says the Netherlands are flat!) and Milan-San Remo. There have been many “defining moments” but few come close to riding the 23 hairpins of Alpe d’Huez in advance of the Tour de France in 2011 or Sa Colobra in Mallorca. “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy a bicycle and that’s pretty close.” Anon. Speak to me if you want to know… How to join the group on a ride or event. Culture in the work place and Corporate Finance.
FOUNDER OF BDOVELO Corporate Finance Partner – National Head of Transaction Services, BDO chris.grove@bdo.co.uk
Read about our other ambassadors
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Yanto Barker
Your cycling highlight? Representing Team GB, it is always a great pleasure and proud moment representing your country. Your favourite post ride meal? I like all food but if I had to choose it would be Eggs on toast with Salmon and Avocado. Your current bike? A Le Col edition Colnago C64. I love it! Speak to me if you want to know… About cycling, fitness, mental discipline. Why do cycling and business go together? Cycling is more like business than most other sports for a couple of reasons; you are constantly having to make decisions often under pressure and at speed. There is often a need to negotiate and form unusual allies in both sport and business. Last of all, in cycling, like business, if you are a bit of an idiot, people remember and can stop you winning by riding or acting against you, so you always have to conduct yourself with respect to give yourself the best chance of success.
Managing Director, Le Col yanto@lecol.cc
Why did you join BDOVELO? I’ve been looking for an excuse to get out of the office, ride my bike during business hours and I still seen to be working (well it’ is a netWORKING ride!) Your favourite ride? It has to be my first BDO ride. Apart from being a little apprehensive about my fitness levels, it was cold and wet as I set out from London to the meeting point. Thankfully, a warm bacon sandwich and coffee with a friendly bunch of cycle loving City professionals soon perked me up before we headed out on what was a fantastic ride in Surrey (even the rain stopped!). Your current bike? Cube Litening C:62, amongst others…N+1 Your BDOVELO highlight? So many to mention: pre ride bacon sandwiches; post ride drinks and networking (every ride); the post ride Haman at Mannings Heath Gold Club (Tour of West Sussex); the mid way point cake stop at Kingdom coffee in Penshurst (Surrey & Kent Ride); the brilliant post dinner talk by illustrator Simon Spilsbury; or trying to beat the BDO Chairman up every hill! Your “bucket list” bike and ride? For the bike I have to stay loyal to my suppliers (I work in the bike industry) so it will have to be the Cube Litening C:68X SLT (with the new Sram Red AXS wireless group set). As for the ride, every year I say that I will do Mont. Ventoux… Speak to me if you want to know… – How regularly you should service your bike; – About fleet bicycles and police bicycles; – Why I quit my job as a Banking lawyer to start a bicycle business; – Why we should get the other 97% of the UK population onto their bikes. Why do cycling and business go together? Cycling is the new golf (seriously!). Many captains of industry are keen cyclists (Sir Richard Branson and Lord Alan Sugar being high profile ones) and a recent study published in the Harvard Business Review, suggests that cycling benefits leadership skills. Plus, what a great way to get out of the office and join like-minded people to chat about gear ratios, power meters, electronic shifting and potential business opportunities.
Managing Director, havebike... nick@havebike.co.uk
Rachael elliott
Cycling highlight I had a stroke in 2018, totally out of the blue. As a result, I became vision impaired and thought I’d never ride or compete again. My highlight, therefore, was gaining a new 15 mile national record on the back of a tandem just over a year after the stroke. We’ve since gone on to gain five more, but the first was the highlight. Your favourite ride? Getting back from work on time in the summer and enjoying an easy spin on the tandem in the setting sun in the beautiful lanes of Berkshire and Wiltshire near my home. Your current bike? I have a Matrix racing tandem, a Trek touring tandem and a very old Trek commuter bike on my turbo. I also still have all my bikes from when I could ride solo: a Specialized tarmac, a Scott Plasma TT bike and three Bromptons. I’m also just getting a mountain bike tandem! Your “bucket list” bike and ride? A Filament TT tandem would mean we can go even faster! My bucket list ride, however, would be returning to some of the beautiful places I’ve been on cycling holidays before e.g. Nice & Monaco, Provence, Tenerife – and doing some of the rides again on the tandem! Speak to me about… ... Racing (road, time trial, track), coaching help (I’m a registered BC coach but will happily give tips to any BDOVELO members), women’s riding (racing OR simply getting confidence to get riding), cycling clubs, race organising. Why do cycling and business go together? It’s amazing just how many people you meet amongst your business connections who have an interest in cycling. In business breakfasts, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve talked cycling rather than business! Being a cyclist is like being part of a very exclusive “club” and opens doors to new contacts and business opportunities which would never have been possible without the bike. BDOVELO helps to be the facilitator for this which saves the legwork (or gives you the legwork, whichever way you look at it!).
Head of Thought Leadership, BCI rachael.elliott@gmail.com
Why did you join BDOVELO? Wanted to join a business networking community with a difference. BDOVELO uses cycling to help build new relationships. The opportunity to talk cycling, do cycling is a refreshing idea to winning new business! Your favourite ride? My local. Surrey Hills. Whitedown! Your current bike? Giant TCR Advanced SL1, Ultegra Di2 11 speed groupset; and hill crunching 11/34’s on the back! Your BDOVELO highlight? Enjoyed listening to many different inspirational talks from people related to cycling. Particularly enjoyed Neil Laughton talking about his passion for Penny Farthings. Your “bucket list” bike and ride? Pinarello Dogma F12 up and down Ventoux (3 ways) in July! Speak to me if you want to know… ... how to get the most out of joining a ride, or attending evening event. Why do cycling and business go together? We all know the benefits of networking. We all know how difficult it can be. Entering a room of strangers, making small talk about the weather or traffic fills most folk with dread. But what if you entered the same of room full of business men and women, and rather talk about the terrible weather and traffic, you talked about cycling. All of a sudden the dynamics of the conversations change. Cycling becomes the topic and vehicle to get to know others (who share your passion and love of cycling). Business is about relationships. Cycling is the conduit for building these relationships; and doing so in healthy, fun & sustainable way.
Founder, Soukiasjones grahame@soukiasjones.co.uk
Company: Into Tomorrow Communications, currently working with RGT Cycling (www.rgtcycling.com) on developing their business plan and fundraise. Plus, the #bikeisbest campaign. Why did you become involved with BDOVELO? It is a great opportunity to network over a shared passion for bicycles, riding and racing. What is not to like? Your favourite post ride meal? My cycling club, the mighty Southborough and District Wheelers from Tunbridge Wells - meet at the renamed Velo-George post ride every Sunday. Their poached eggs on brioche toast - doused in tabasco sauce, washed down with a few strong black americanos does the trick for me. If the sun is shining – I will often stay on for a few authentic Belgian recovery ales and enjoy talk of that day’s ride and discussion of who is ‘in-form’, for any bike-racing on TV later that day. Your current/favourite bike? My one-off red art deco Colnago C60, built with Campagnolo Super Record and Bora Ultras, in fact there is only one thing on that bike that is not Italian (and only I know what that is…..). I race cyclo-cross throughout the Autumn and Winter months and love my Kinesis Pro 6, which the fantastic, super-talented Alistair Mclean of Fat Creations has custom painted for me and I have built with a one by SRAM-Force CX-1 groupset with hydraulic disc brakes just the trick for muddy, slippery races in tough winter conditions. Speak to me if you want to know… ... why you should take up cyclo-cross in the Autumn/ Winter months – it is just the best fun you can have on a bike, when the clocks go back and the weather worsens. I used to go into a ‘cycling depression’ at that time each year, when I packed my best road bike away to save it from the terrors of winter road riding. Now each changing season brings something to look forward to - from a cycling perspective. I love the social side of Cyclo-cross, as much as the racing and training – racing in the London League all over the South East, it is like a family that travels from race to race – all encouraging each other on. Why do cycling and business go together? It can be a group ride in the Surrey Hills, heading to Belgium to watch a one day Classic or an evening networking event – cycling creates a superb way to bond groups of people, through a shared passion.
Business Owner/ Consultant bruce@into-tomorrow.com
Business Owner/ Consultant bruce@rouleur.cc
Peter winterbottom
Peter is a former Harlequins, British & Irish Lions and England Rugby Player
Cycling highlight Cycling into Gibraltar after a 14 day cycle covering 2100km from London, on the Clock to the Rock cycle 2016. Your favourite post ride meal? After 100 miles in the saddle I would go for Spaghetti Bolognese followed by steak and chips followed by sticky toffee pudding washed down with a gallon of beer, so not too much. Your current bike? My trusty Wilier Triestina. Eight years old but still getting me down the road but still no good at getting me up the hills. Speak to me if you are interested in… ... any of the Ride of the Legends charity events especially our plans for the Lions tour of South Africa in 2021.
MBE
Former Harlequins, British & Irish Lions and England Rugby Player wints@peterwinterbottom.co.uk
Philip Cavell & Julian Wall
Our favourite Cycling Highlight – Descending Cormet de Roselend together in a thunder-storm. Steam was rising off the flooded road as we flew into Beaufort. It was reckless and surreal in equal measure. But also memorable and exhilarating. What is your favourite post-ride meal? We managed to scavenge local cheese and bread in Beaufort after the reckless descent. Washed down with a local beer. Best post-ride meal is anything local, in copious quantities. Your current bikes? Jules – Trek Emonda SLR Disc, Phil – Seven 622 XX Disc. Speak to us if you want to know… How to be faster and more effective on your bike. And/or you want a bike project custom designed around your individual requirements. Why do business and cycling go together? Cycling is the ultimate social and economic leveller. And it always has been. Every ride is an adventure shared between the participants that consumes and absorbs the collective psyche. But in the quieter moments it is also an opportunity to chat in a way that is not possible with other sports. Cycle sport is full of iconic heroes, both male and female and it is inspiring to ride in their tyre-treads up and down hill and mountain. Cycling, unlike other sports also provides an opportunity to share energy and strength by drafting – riding behind someone is 30% easier than riding in front. One rider can assist the whole group by riding on the front. We have always thought that performance cycling is a great metaphor for life.
Directors, Cyclefit phil@cyclefit.co.uk julian@cyclefit.co.uk
