This June, the 9th Mentzendorff Charity Cycle Tour took place through the Southern regions of France formerly known as Occitania. Starting from the M.Chapoutier winery in Tain L’Hermitage with a send-off from The Benevolent’s Chief Executive David Cox on Monday 1st June, the “Tour de L’Oc” saw a fifteen strong peloton of riders primarily from the drinks industry travel through some of southern France’s most picturesque scenery to finish 400km later at Collioure near the Spanish border.

However, a cycling holiday this was not, for the tour included a gruelling 1912 metre climb of the infamous Mont Ventoux, which some have called the hardest of all the mythical Tour de France climbs. The Giant of Provence is a 22km climb with an average gradient of 8.9%. Ouch. Yet, every single rider in the peloton conquered the mountain in their own time and under their own steam.

Congratulations to all riders, who have provided The Benevolent with what CEO David Cox termed the “largest single fundraising of the year”. Particular mention must going to Mentzendorff riders Andrew Hawes, Alan Montague-Dennis, James McKenna and Andrew Wilkins – bravo chaps!