Name: Neil
Nickname: Franco
Birthplace: Amersham
Age: 40
Weight: 14.5
Previous Clubs: None.
Bike: Orbea – I love it.
Favourite Rider: Jens Voight, for his attacking style and mindset.
Favourite other team: Any that are prepared to attack in the peloton, and make the race interesting throughout.
Most memorable ride: The 2013 ride around Lake Annecy it felt like we found paradise and on that day I think we did!
Biggest thrill: Other than becoming a dad three times, when it comes to cycling teaching my kids to ride was amazing, and then when my 5 year old tells me he is going to come out riding with me when he is bigger and gets a bike like mine.
Biggest disappointment: Not breaking 4 hours in the 2014 London Marathon (4:06:23), I felt crushed, I was completely miffed at what went wrong at 16 miles after so much training.
Miscellaneous likes: Any Ice Cream, especially Tesco Finest Hazelnut Gelato, it is like Ferrero Rocher in a tub.
Miscellanous dislikes: Goats cheese and aniseed. Disgusting and wrong.
Favourite cake: Cadburys Hedgehog Birthday Cake it was truly amazing, but sadly no longer available.
Favourite drink: A true gentlemen who I once worked with said this, ‘the first sip of your first lager of the day – nothing tastes or feels so refreshing!’. In the winter though, Guinness.
Favourite TV show: Lost.
Favourite singer: Jo singing to the kids
Best friend: Scott Clarke
Biggest influence on career: Kevin and Mike who took a chance on me & changed my life for the better (work).
Treve and Dieter who said come out for a ride at a Royal Wedding Street Party in 2011 and so I joined Ripcor (cycling).
Biggest drag in cycling: Head Winds and Potholes.
International honours: None.
Personal ambition: To ride from the top to the bottom of New Zealand’s Islands with a lovely long stop at the amazing Lake Wanaka.
If you weren’t a cyclist what do you think you’d be? Fat and Bored.
Which person in the world would you most like to share a beer with? Bear Grylls
