Paignton man gears up for 1,300-mile charity ride to Rome

After cycling over 800 miles to Santander in Spain back in 2022, a Paignton man is getting ready to embark on an even more audacious mission: cycling 1,300 miles from Paignton to Rome.

Ian Stone, who many may know from his time at the helm of Park Lane nightclub, will be taking on the challenge with nine other locals in aid of Alzheimer’s UK.

The trip builds on his first Ride 4 Dementia cycling challenge, which he completed over eight days in 2022 after his mother was diagnosed with dementia.

“My mum was diagnosed in 2018, but then in 2020, my dad passed away, completely out of the blue. It was a total shock to everyone. We moved down from Somerset to Paignton and I became a full-time carer for her.

“So in 2020, I started cycling because I wanted to raise awareness for her in some way. She asked me what I was going to do, and I said I was going to cycle to Spain. She thought I was crazy.”

After two years of delays due to COVID-19, Ian managed the ride to Santander with two of his mates, Paul Bumby and Paul Hebdon, raising over £20,000 in the process.

Ian said: “I really struggled with that ride, it killed me. But as I was on the ferry back to Plymouth, I reflected on what we achieved, and I wanted to do it all again.”

Back in Paignton, Ian began cooking up a new adventure. This time the end destination will be Rome, with a 200-mile detour to Monaco.

Ian’s justification was: “We’ll be at the F1 Circuit, when will we ever get the chance to ride that again?”

Another highlight will be Alpe d'Huez, one of the most iconic mountain climbs in the Tour de France.

Riders joining Ian are Tim Bumby, Paul Hebdon, Simon Denham, Dean Hodge, Ryan Chivers, Wayne Harker, Matt Dempsey, Josh Illingsworth and Paul Mortimer. The group will be leaving Paignton Green from the Geo Park on July 9, arriving at the Colosseum in Rome 10 days later.

Ian said: “We’re all mixed abilities, but every single one of us has put in a shed load of training. We’re all up around 1,500 and 2,000 miles of training and over 100,000 feet of climbing so far.

“It’s going to be a lot tougher than the first challenge. We’ll be looking at 150 miles a day and 10-12 hours in the saddle.”

For the arrival in Rome, the team's families are set to fly out for a celebration.

Some top sponsors include Rev Comps, WEMCo, VX3, Primal Ltd, the Brixham Fish Market, Boss Scaffolding and the Geo Café on Paignton Seafront.

The aim of the challenge isn’t just to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK, but also to raise the profile of the issue.

Ian said: “We're not going to change the world by any stretch of the imagination, but we’re going to help fund research that will give people the chance to live a longer life.

“But it’s also about raising the profile of dementia. 10 years ago, dementia wasn’t talked about, we need to keep raising awareness, so people know what it is and how to spot it.”

In time, Ian hopes that Ride 4 Dementia can continue to make an impact long into the future. With even more difficult challenges planned, Rome certainly won’t be the last destination Ian's bike takes him.

He added: “It’s too late for mum, unfortunately. But if I can help others and keep helping others moving forward, I’ll have done my mum proud and I’ll have achieved what I promised her.”

To find out more about Ride 4 Dementia, visit their website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram. To donate, click here.