Nick Bell : Cycling for Horses
An incredible challenge awaits Nick Bell, renowned stud manager and veteran cyclist, when he aims to cycle the length of France over the course of 11 days to raise funds in support of Au-delà des Pistes, France’s national racehorse aftercare charity. Nick will set out on 15 June from France’s northernmost racecourse, Le Touquet on the English Channel, to the southern point of Hyères, which lies on the Mediterranean, covering a distance of no less than 1,118km.
English-born Nick Bell is well-known as the manager of the Rothschild family’s Haras de Meautry, which is just outside Deauville in Normandy, currently owned by former France Galop chairman Edouard and the cradle of countless champions since its inception back in 1875, most recently Mqse de Sevigné, Esoterique, Elliptique and Meandre.In recent years, Nick (63), has suffered a series of health issues including a hip replacement which was followed by a diagnosis of incurable chronic pulmonary sarcoidosis before being hit by prostate cancer. Despite these serious setbacks he has embarked on his first cycling challenge in aid of charity in 2021 for Down Syndrome Kerry and then Kerry Mountain Rescue in 2023. He only missed a challenge in 2022 due to spinal surgery.
Nick says “I’ve always had in the back of my mind to do an epic journey while I still can. Therefore, I came up with the idea of cycling from the most Northerly racecourse in France to the most Southerly and it seemed particularly apt, considering my career, to do this ride in aid of Au-dèla des pistes, a charity that is involved with the retraining of ex-racehorses.”
Daily updates will be posted on Instagram: @nickbell2072 and @audeladespistes as well as on Nick’s YouTube channel, where you can already watch snippets of his previous cycling feats: https://www.youtube.com/@munsterbygrace
To sponsor Nick Bell in his generous challenge and support the aftercare of racehorses in France, please visit: https://gofund.me/0e0bcf19
More on Au-Delà des Pistes:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audeladespistes
Twitter: @audeladespistes
Email: carole.desmetz@audeladespistes.fr
Project Manager: Carole Desmetz - Tel: +33 6 86 76 25 06