My Updates
Final thoughts
Yesterday was the 7th and final day of my 1,000km fundraising cycling challenge in New Zealand. We may be short of about 100km from Day Six which drowned in thunderstorms, but this was nonetheless an experience of massive proportions, in many ways.
There is, of course, the physical part - huge steep long hills such as The Remarkables yesterday, which pushed my body beyond what it has ever felt. And with the physical comes the mental element of actually believing in what I can achieve, fighting back negative thoughts of stepping down.
Then there is the surreal NZ landscape. Grassy plains, old volcanos, high snowcapped peaks, rivers and lakes, glaciers and waterfalls falling into the sea. It may be a bit like Switzerland, but at the same time it’s not - wilder, perhaps more magical.
There is also the Chain Reaction spirit, the organisation that took me there. A bunch of likeminded people who I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and sharing time with, this week but also throughout the training sessions. Many friendships formed. We just need more women to join in and balance the testosterone a bit. There is no reason why women couldn’t do this, and our wonderful and brave Alice and Jayne are cases in point.
But most importantly, this is about the children and their families who are not as fortunate as we are. This week I’ve heard so many moving and humbling stories about why we did what we did. There is much distress and sorrow out there. Some stories end up well, others don’t. As a group we managed to raise more than $1.3m, which is truly amazing but also deeply needed. Let me therefore conclude by thanking all of you who contributed to this event. This wasn’t about me, this was about them - the sick kids who are fighting for their life and looking for a happy future and perhaps living an experience like this one day.
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Last day
Day 6
The arrival in Wanaka was, as always, extraordinary. This remains one of my very happy places. I love it there.
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Day 5
Day 4
Day 3 - one more picture
Day 3
Day 2
Day One
Aside from this, what a beautiful day around Christchurch, with amazing views (see other picture below).
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D-Day
Kinglake, 140km in the rain
Albert Park Lake - 6am
Back to serious training today
Help me support kids in need!
Thank You To My Donors
Daniel Petitpierre
Joyeux Anniversaire et bravo pour l'idée de soutien à cette oeuvre!
$1,000
Claude P
Sacré challenge! Après, on se calme. Je ne sponsorise plus que les voyages vers la Suisse :-D
$810
Mark Shaw
Best of luck mate!
$510
Chantal Block
Heureux anniversaire Olivier!! Tres bel initiative. Succes!
$460
Kevin Pereira
Go hard Olivier!
$400
Croce Family
$307.50
Lars B
Hey man! Now that you are crossing the half-way point in your life, may you find in these 1’000 kms the boost for your years to come…
$211
Steve Beards
$211
Bruno Fries
Bonne chance pour ce beau projet 😘
$211
Timothy Rofe
Amazing effort and for a great cause! Good on you!
$205
Jo Egan
Good luck Olivier!
$205
Nat, Bryan And Cameron Field
Allez!!
$205
Chantal Block
Succes Olivier. Tiens nous au courant de l’évent. 👍👍👍
$205
Nicole Wallis
Good luck for your epic journey Olivier, what a great way to celebrate your big birthday. Such a wonderful cause that is close to my heart too.
$200
Steven Shaw
Olivier... well done on turning 50 (its great to have you on board) and for supporting a great charity. All the best - love Steve and Helen (Milo and Jasper too)
$200
Cindy Vandecasteele
Go Olivier! What an awesome initiative to celebrate half a century of you. Let's see what's easiest, the fundraising or the cycling - but so far I''m super impressed with how you've thrown yourself into both :-)
$200
Kylie Archer
$153.75
Famille Boizumault
Il y a la suisse mais aussi la Bretagne est derrière toi !! Forza Olivier !
$105.50
Alex Pilcher
Bon chance, Olivier! Jusqu’au sommet et redescendre. Et encore, et encore... Mais pour une cause formidable!
$105.50
Samir Ahshrup
All the best!
$105.50
Famille Nachtergaele
Quel beau challenge! De tout coeur avec toi. Augustin, Mathilde, Polo, Raphael, Nathalie & Benoit
$105.50
Grant Powell
Ride like the wind!!
$102.50
Guillaume D
Forza Olivier. Je te souhaite un super anniversaire, ainsi que la belle expérience velo en NZ. A très bientot!
$102.50
Barbara Gfeller Bonjour
Bravo, Olivier, pour ce magnifique challenge et pour la belle cause! L’époque où tu portais le maillot du Stade Genève n’est pas si loin…tu as certainement de bons restes d’endurance! Bonne route! Barbara
$102.50
Julia Lu
I'll be cheering for you every step of the way, Olivier! You are a champ!
$102.50
Catherine Eymin
Bonne Chance Olivier
$102.50
Bart Coppens
$102.50
F.lo
Let your journey be as joyful as the happiness Starlight brings to kids
$102.50
Robert Teunisse
Best of Luck, Olivier!
$102.50
Jerome & Family
Excellent initiative and what a way to jump into the 50s!! Happy birthday!
$102.50
Simon Page
Good on you! Enjoy every km if you can!
$102.50
Alex R
Pas de meilleur facon pour garder l esprit et le corps jeune! Prend plaisir avec l entraînement, le voyage et l épreuve en elle meme. Une inspiration! Plein de courage et zéro blessures!
$102.50
Mark Nicholls
Olivier, good luck for your challenge and the fabulous causes that it supports.
$102.50
Angelique Beauvais
Joyeux anniversaire Olivier et bravo pour ce challenge !!
$100
Glenn Waterson
Outstanding cause Olivier - good luck with the training.
$100
Roberts Family
Bravo Olivier . Nous te soutenons dans cette belle initiative . Almost there ! Well done
$100
Ellen + Koenraad Van De Borne
Go go go Olivier!!!!!
$100
Armelle Et Bertrand Timbal
J’ai toujours admiré vos challenges et réussites, sportives ou autres 😊. Une fois de plus well done pour le commitment et la ténacité sans oublier le sourire! Go for gold a Kiwiland!!
$100
Valérie P.
De tout cœur avec toi pour cette bonne cause, frérot!
$100
Kylie Magrath
Good luck! What a fantastic way to celebrate your birthday and raise money for such a great cause.
$100
Xavier Vandame
Bon courage Olivier et tres belle initiative. On suivra de pres tes prouesses!
$100
Cedric And Sophie
Bon annif Olivier! Ravis de fêter ce cap avec toi.
$100
Trevor Young
Ride like the Wind Olivier!
$88
David Perzoff
Bonne route l’ami
$84.40
Bavo & Co
$72
Claude P
GOAL !!!!!
$69.63
David Le Breton
beau challenge qui va te propulser à une autre dimension et niveau de vélo, tu vas les avaler ces 1000kms, a fonds Olivier!
$60
Sarah Hollingworth
Well done Olivier. What an amazing achievement and fantastic gift to the many sick children - and their families - who need our support.
$52.75
Lauranne Kennedy
Bon courage Olivier!
$52.75
Miguel Suarez
Great initiative, good luck.
$52.75
Karen Hill
Bravo Olivier!!
$51.88
Alex Sakellaridis
Enjoy the ride Olivier for this worthy cause!
$51.88
Tarl Hart
Great cause and doing us proud Olivier!!!!
$51.88
Peter Nash
Allez, Allez!
$51.25
Joan Petitpierre
Keep pedalling ! Good Luck !
$51.25
Alex Petitpierre
Bravo pour ton défi de la cinquantaine !
$51.25
Anonymous
$51.25
Steven Dimovski
Hey Olivier, congratulations and well done on supporting such a great cause. Good luck and best wishes for your 40th birthday!! Cheers Steve D
$51.25
Nicole Crabtree
Wishing you all the best OP!
$51.25
Mark Millen
Nice velocity uplift!
$51.25
Dima Isaac
Way to go Olivier!!!
$51.25
Anonymous
$51.25
Blessie Baker
Good luck and good on you for supporting a wonderful cause, I’m sure you’ll smash it 👏🏼
$51.25
Olivia Brice
Good luck Olivier. I think this challenge will make the Retail Next challenge look easy by comparison!
$51.25
Bruno
$51.25
Raj
All the best Olivier!
$51.25
Alessio Bresciani
Great cause Olivier and an incredible location to fundraise.
$51.25
Liz Chen
What an amazing cause, thank you. All the best for the day, may the wind always be in your favour!
$51.25
Anonymous
Go Olivier
$51.25
Alison Hawkins
Here's cheers to a brilliant ride and a love and laughter full 50th birthday celebration. Happy Birthday xx
$51.25
Rachel
Good Luck Olivier! This is such a great thing you are doing, I can't wait to hear all about it.
$51.25
Edan Lo Presti
Great cause Olivier and well done for taking on the challenge. Best of luck!
$51.25
Sian Wesley
Well done Olivier! Great effort. Wishing you smooth, puncture free riding... Sian
$51.25
Murielle
Super initiative et beau challenge! Profite de tout, de la préparation jusqu'à l'arrivée! Bises à toute la famille
$51.25
Kristen De La Cruz
Love this! Good on you. What a fantastic cause you are supporting. Good luck for your challenge Olivier & enjoy your ride. 🏞🚴♀️
$50
Lolo Petitpierre
ALLEZ PAPA!! Fière d’être ta fille 🥹
$50
Sean Y.
Well done Olivier! Great initiative and Good Luck!
$50
Adam Smith
Incredible training and fund-raising effort Olivier, well done! Safe travels.
$50
Amarnda Corlett
All the best for your epic ride, amazing and challenging location, enjoy!!
$50
Waqas Ishaque
Great initiative Olivier.
$50
Cathy Nevill
All the best Olivier! You’ll smash it!
$50
Sarah Clayton
Congratulations Olivier! Incredibly impressive achievement and such an important cause!
$50
L. Petitpierre
Quelle belle initiative ! Bravo et bonne route
$50
Tamara Eastham
Amazing effort! Well done OP!
$50
Denise Valdez
Amazing effort for an amazing cause! Go Olivier!
$41
Vash
Well done for contributing to a great cause, keep up the good work mate:)
$40
Anonymous
Go Olivier!
$30.75
Roger Reyes
All the best Olivier and keep safe!
$30.75
Ben Szonyi
Good luck Olivier.
$30.75
Bree Marshall
$30.75
Alana
A worthy challenge!
$30
Fangio
Ride like the wind mate
$26.38
Daniel Gaut
Great work Olivier - keep it up and good luck in achieving the milestone
$25.63
Jeremy Brook
Bravo for doing this Olivier!
$25.63
Antonia Silverstein
You should be so proud. :)
$21.10
Emma Rosenfeldt
Good luck Olivier and thank you for supporting such a worthy cause!
$20.50
Matthew Tutty
$20.50
Robyn Gallagher
$20.50
Eric Bruzek
Have a great ride mate. Regards, Eric
$20
Juline Petitpierre
Allez papa! Bonne anniversaire! Je te souhaite plein de plaisir pendant ta course + l’entraînement. Courage, you’ve got this! 😘
$15.38
Connie Ponzio
Good Luck!
$10.25
Anonymous
$10.25
My Fellow Team Members
My Fundraising Journey
