TODAY 200 riders are gathering at Maple Leaf Square to prepare to ride with Clara Hughes, six-time Olympic medalist in cycling and speed skating, to help end the stigmas associated with mental illness. These riders will join Clara for the first 5 kilometers of her 12,000 kilometer journey. Together the riders will cycle to CAMH, racing through the streets of Toronto, building momentum and awareness for this tremendous cause!
We decided to catch up with some of the riders cycling on behalf of Cisco, and here is what they had to say…
Rick Otway, Cisco Canada
- Hometown: Thunder Bay
- If you were going on the 110 day journey with Clara, what is the one thing you would need to bring with you? Taxi Chits. Definitely. Maybe a whole Taxi.
- Are you a pro, regular or rookie cyclist? – almost regular!
- What tunes will you be listening to when you take off on March 14th ? Some nice Metallica would be good..
- Other fun fact about yourself: Will be cycling up Mont Ventoux In France this spring with some great Canadian Olympians and Musicians!
Corey Tkachuk, Cisco Canada
- Hometown: Toronto.
- If you were going on 110 day journey with Clara, what is the one thing you would need to bring with you? My family.
- Are you a pro, regular or rookie cyclist? Regular.
- What tunes will you be listening to when you take off on March 14th? None – not safe to listen to music while riding on Toronto’s streets 🙂
- Other fun fact about yourself: I enjoy racing my bike in the snow and mud in the late fall.
Katie Jensen, Cisco Canada
- Hometown: Toronto.
- If you were going on the 110 day journey with Clara, what is the one thing you would need to bring with you? A fresh sketchbook and Sakura Micron illustration pens.
- Are you a pro, regular or rookie cyclist? Commuter and late night cyclist.
- What tunes will you be listening to when you take off on March 14th? Hooded Fang, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, The Black Lips, and Chromeo
- Other fun fact about yourself: I go to 1-2 concerts every week.
Fabio Corazzola, Bell
- Hometown: Toronto.
- If you were going on the 110 day journey with Clara, what is the one thing you would need to bring with you? Good mental disposition and the knowledge that I am riding for the many people that are afflicted with this condition.
- Are you a pro, regular or rookie cyclist? Regular.
- What tunes will you be listening to when you take off on March 14th? No tunes..I like the sounds of the different environments in which I travel.
- Other fun fact about yourself: Had the ability to experience the 2012 Tour De France for 3 days and talk to Ryder Hesjedal.
Gary Isaacs, Bell
- Hometown: born in Toronto, live in Whitby.
- If you were going on the 110 day journey with Clara, what is the one thing you would need to bring with you? My iphone.
- Are you a pro, regular or rookie cyclist? regular to rookie.
- What tunes will you be listening to when you take off on March 14th? classic rock.
- Other fun fact about yourself: – my (5) children would all say I was a terrible bike instructor.
Rob Dixon, Bell
- Hometown: Toronto
- If you were going on 110 day journey with Clara, what is the one thing you would need to bring with you? My Cisco Jawbone Icon Bluetooth headset so I could ride with two hands and stay in touch with my wife and three young kids.
- Are you a pro, regular or rookie cyclist? Regular
- What tunes will you be listening to when you take off on March 14th? I’ve been in a country mood lately, so probably some classic 80’s/90’s country tunes.
- Other fun fact about yourself: While backpacking Europe in the year 2000, I rode roughly 400km along the beautiful Neckar River in Germany with my backpack on for the whole ride.
To learn more about our partnership with Bell for Clara’s Big Ride, please visit our website here, or join the conversation by using the hashtag #Clarasbigride.
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