Number 1 - End of Summer Party

We are celebrating the end of summer with the launch of The Number1 Spritz at Solenzara (See below invite). Will be a fun day...... Spritz is on the house 🥂 and copious amounts will be enjoyed by all.

Simon Gook of Number1 is hoping to round up a big crew for what will be a fun day and has invited as many COCCs as possible to attend.

Stef (Former Anjuna Manager) is putting on a great band and they would love to see you and any friends you want to bring.

Just let Simon know if you can make it and how many as numbers are limited.

Contact - 06 40 62 96 25

Ps. There is a kids activity area too

Monaco Yacht Show - Charity Cycle Ride

“At the invitation of HSH Prince Albert, The Premier of the Cayman Islands and I took

part in the annual Champagne & Oyster Cycle Club charity ride earlier this year, in aid of

the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. This was a fantastic experience and gave

us inspiration to create our own charity ride in Monaco at the annual Monaco Yacht show.

The Cayman Islands and Monaco share so many similarities - our aim is to encourage riders

of all levels to take part and to raise as much money as possible for the Prince Albert

II of Monaco Foundation, in support of the amazing work it does for our planet and the

environment.”

- Eric Bush, Chief Officer, Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation, & Maritime Affairs, Cayman Islands Government

The Ride

The 2019 route will begin at Stars ‘N’ Bars in Monaco Port, before heading out along

the beautiful coastline to the town of Menton. Riders will then head back to the

principality and finish with a Champagne reception in a location to be confirmed.

We invite participants of all ages and abilities to take part - the route has been chosen because

of the relatively easy terrain, although there will be an optional hill climb for the more

experienced riders. Single riders or large groups are equally welcome to take part.

Your guides for the day will be the husband and wife team of Veronica and Gustav Larsson.

The ex-professional riders are experienced in operating cycling tours throughout the

region and know the local roads as well as anyone.

Different groups, dependant on ability, will be formed at registration, meaning that everyone

can enjoy the ride at their own comfortable pace. The estimated total distance for the ride is 24

km which should take between 1 and 2 hours.

• A full itinerary is available on request

• Applications close on 03/09/19

• All applicants need to be fit and healthy to participate in the ride

• 100% of money raised will go to The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

Sponsorship Opportunities

• Jersey sponsorship available from €2,000

• Each rider will receive a complimentary jersey

• Huge Media coverage

• Strong Social Media exposure

• The ride is free to take part in, meaning participant numbers

will be high

• Celebrity riders in attendance, including local professional

cyclists and legends of Formula One, such as Eddie Jordan

• The ride coincides with Monaco Yacht Show, a luxury event

that attracts over 580 exhibiting companies.

PLEASE CONTACT FOR FURTHER DETAILS:

United Kingdom

Red Eye Events

+44 (0)207 078 0299

info@redeyeevents.co.uk

Monaco

Vélo Monaco

+33 630895761

info@velomonaco.com

Full details

Thanks to all our sponsors and an offer to all 2019 riders

A massive thank you to all our sponsors without whom the COCC could not take place.

Our key sponsor again this year was Metabolic balance – below are a few key facts about them and an offer to all COCC 2019 participants.

Metabolic Balance® is cooperating with Doctors worldwide and is a well-known Metabolism Program.

Metabolic Balance® was developed by Dr. med Funfack and his expert team of nutritionists.

Metabolic Balance® creates an optimal individual nutrition program based on 36 blood values.

Metabolic Balance® stands for changing and optimizing your health and well-being.

Metabolic Balance® Program helps to detoxify your body, reactivate your metabolism and sustainably support your health, vitality and performance.

Over one million participants in more than 30 countries confirmed, that this program is a success – sustainably and permanently.

For the participants of the COCC-Bike-Event 2019, we offer a 20% discount on our program.

Reset your Body - Get in shape for summer 2019

For more details of Metabolic Balance please contact Silvia Mischler by email silvia.mischler@mb-intl.com and visit the website http://www.mb-intl.com/

Official Press Release

COCC 2019 St Tropez to Monaco Charity Ride A Huge Success and H.S.H. Prince Albert II Presents Awards.

A total of 105 riders took part in the Champagne and Oysters Cycling Club (COCC) annual charity bike ride from St Tropez to Monaco on Sunday 28 April. The ride, over more than 130km along the coast from St Tropez to Monaco, was once again in aid of The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. The result: an estimated €100,000 raised to help develop water safety programmes across the world. Donations can still be made at  https://coccmonaco.com/donate.

International participation

To date, the ride has raised approximately €850,000 over eight years in aid of The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation whose mission is to help in the development and growth of the awareness program on water safety and the risks of drowning and to help children to swim.

Event organiser Damian Crean commented: “The event just gets better and better every year. It has now become a firm fixture in the Monaco calendar but we also had participants this year flying in from The Cayman Islands, Singapore, Dubai, Switzerland and many from the UK – a lot of whom have already confirmed again for next year. The support team did an amazing job again this year; without them, the event could not take place.”

Who took part in this year’s event?

Thierry Boutsen: Belgian former F1 driver and prominent Monaco businessman. Boutsen Aviation, his business aviation brokerage, was founded in 1997 and is also a sponsor of the ride.

Mika Häkkinen: Finnish former F1 driver and Monaco resident Mika won the Formula 1 world championship in 1998 and 1999 for McLaren.

Thor Hushovd: Norwegian former pro cyclist and winner of the 2010 UCI Road World Championship. He was the first Norwegian to lead the Tour de France.

David Tanner: Australian former pro cyclist who competed at the highest level globally, including the UCI World Tour.

Calvin Watson: Australian former pro cyclist, active between 2010 and 2018. He notably won the Herald Sun Tour 2013.

Veronica Larsson: Swedish former pro-cyclist and winner of numerous international women’s pro races. She has now founded Vélo Monaco, www.velomonaco.com - Premier Cycling Adventures.

Modesta Vžesniauskaitė: Female road racing cyclist from Lithuania, who represented her nation at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Awards presented by H.S.H Prince Albert II

After a triumphant arrival in Monaco at Star’N’Bars, the COCC participants continued their evening with family and friends at a street party organised by Slammers, Monaco. Against the backdrop of a live band and a late spring evening, H.S.H. Prince Albert II gave out the ‘pedal’ awards to certain COCC participants. These were as follows:

The Gold Pedal Award: Patrick Torrison (aged 15), the youngest COCC participant.

The Silver Pedal Award: Orrett Conner (aged 69), the oldest rider, all the way from The Cayman Islands.

The Bronze Pedal Award: Mim Stanway, for the Stanway family, who organise all the support, vans, stops and lunch.

Rumble Romagnoli, one of the new riders this year, said: “It is so much more than a bike race. It is a family; a community of people who genuinely care about each other, on and off the road. The COCC has become a not-to-be-missed social and networking event on the Monaco calendar, where friends, family and colleagues can spend some hard-earned quality time together.”

Follow the COCC 2019 journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official.cocc/

Congratulations

Dear Riders and support team

The Champagne & Oyster Cycling Club of Monaco would like to congratulate you for completing the 8th annual Charity Bike Ride of 140 km from St Tropez to Monaco in aid of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. 

Well done! 

This year's event and the estimated €100,000 it raised would not have been possible without your collaboration, and for that, the C.O.C.C. would like to extend its most sincere gratitude.

You can view highlights of the ride and connect with the C.O.C.C follow us on:

Instagram - @official.cocc

Facebook - COCCRide

If you have any images or video of the event, please make sure to send your footage to 2019champagneandoysters@gmail.com via WeTransfer to include in our blog.

Once again, many thanks for your participation and the C.O.C.C. of Monaco is looking forward to welcoming you again next year!

Kind regards,

Damian

Kit Collection

We have been advised that the 2019 kit will be delivered sometime tomorrow morning.

It will be available for collection at the McLaren office - MC Sun 74 Bd D’Italie from 14.30 to 18h on Wednesday 24th and from 10h to 18h on Thursday 25th.

If you cannot collect your own kit please arrange for someone to collect it for you.

Payment will need to be made in full when collecting the kit.

We also need confirmation and payment for Anjuna latest when you collect your kit.

Cheers

Damian

The Man in the Van Who Has the Plan! - Main Stops of the C.O.C.C. Ride

Graham, a member of the squad since the pre-COCC days came to talk to us about his how he got involved and why it means so much to him and to share some very useful information about the stops along the way.

What is your involvement with COCC?

Initially I was here for the first ride which was actually only 7 people and it went from here to Saint Tropez and we took them all back in the cars and that was through McLaren Construction. It wasn’t a COCC ride, but it was a ride done with Terry Torrinson and all the other lads such as Kevin Taylor of McLaren construction. From that came COCC 4 months later, a ride from St Tropez to Monaco. That’s when I got involved. I was asked to fly over from the UK and drive the car to support the riders. From then on I’ve done every single one of the rides (accept from one) as the support driver.

So what happens before the ride from a technical point of view?

On the Saturday morning we go to the Monaco digue, and we collect all of the bikes from those that want their bikes transported to St Tropez. That takes place from around 9/9.30am, we give them until around 11/11.30am to get their bikes to us and then we take the bikes down to St Tropez where most people come and collect them on the same day (Saturday) around 4.30/5.30pm at the car park of Hotel Sube which is the hotel just above the Café de Paros.

We also transport all the drinks and energy bars supplied by Simon Gook from #1 and any other bars and snacks people bring along.

We’re then back in the car park around 5.30am, at which point some of us aren’t in the best of states because the Saturday in St Tropez is also a night for everyone to enjoy. We’re there to make sure everyone has all that they need for the ride. The cycling club of Monaco is also there to provide technical support for anything that goes wrong with people’s bikes. They’re also there all the way through the ride and sit in the lead van with me.

Former pro-cyclist Juilen Camellini owner Camellini Cycling in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, supports the riders along with Monaco Cycling Club who are our contacts on the bikes for any mishaps, accidents or mechanical failures and all riders will have a GPS of some sort. All they need to do is contact us with which kilometre they’re at and we will know where to pick them up.

Steve Stanway is in the last van following the riders and everyone knows who he is because he introduces himself at the car park in St Tropez before the ride.  

Stop 1: Saint-Raphaël

The first stop is the most important stop because it’s just before the Esterels. The location is in Saint Raphael and is just when the beach finishes and you come to the car park in the port. We’re always in the first entrance of the car park. This year there’ll be a pirate flag at the stop, in honour of the pirate who failed to find the stop 2-years ago (chuckles). He actually was supposed to supply everyone with the drinks…

Stop one is seen as the most important as it gives the cyclists the supplements needed before hitting the Esterels which is the most challenging part of the route.

Stop 2: Cannes-Mandelieu

The second stop is just outside the Pullman hotel in Cannes Mandelieu, in the same place as last year. We’re going to be just outside, near the Ermitage (not Hermitage). Here the riders will be able to eat some food, usually some sandwiches, croissants, pain-au-chocolates and of course Snickers and Mars bars.

Stop 3: Just past Antibes Castle (Fort Carré)

The third stop is outside the Hippodrome, just after Antibes Castle. We’re always on the beach side of the road. This is our last stop that we help the riders with, and then their next stop is Ma Nolan’s in Nice.

Ma Nolan’s

Once the last rider gets to Ma Nolan’s, that’s when Steve Stanway’s van gets there, and that’s the point when we ask the cyclists to head off as one. This is because when they get to Cap d’Ail they’ll be met by the police who will chaperone them into Monaco. The roster point will be by the Lamborghini Monaco garage at which point everyone will make their way towards the finish line at Stars & Bars in Monaco.

Stars’N’Bars

The riders are met by a huge welcome from family and friends at Stars’N’Bars in Monaco which is always a nice thing to see, they then get to tuck into some tasty oysters and nice chilled champagne.

Slammers

After Stars’n’Bars we head to Slammers and then the party really gets going. Food, drink, live music and the general frivolities of Slammers, of which I think everyone’s aware of. It’s great fun, and tickets are available behind the bar in Slammers.

There are also the AWARDS! There’s a gold peddle, silver peddle and a bronze peddle… and also the anorak is handed out as well.

These are usually for really good achievement in the ride, or, for some less good achievements…

Why the anorak?

The anorak is for someone that takes it a little bit too seriously. *someone* usually wins this award.

How would you describe COCC?

It’s an amazing thing. It’s grown into a community. It’s great for people to get involved if they’re new in the area to meet some people and has such great health benefits. One lad spoke volumes on how being a member of COCC has really helped him to get fit and stay fit, so along with helping the HRH Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation with their fight for the education of water safety, it’s helping the local community with their health and well-being too.

Charity Donations

The website for making donations has now been set up.

https://www.mygivinggroup.com/mg900037/champagne-and-oyster-cycling-club-of-monaco-8th-annual-st-tropez-to-monaco-bike-ride.html

Anyone wishing to set up a personal donations page should click JOIN THIS GROUP on the page and follow the simple instructions.

If you prefer to send people to the COCC fundraising page directly

https://www.mygivinggroup.com/g599837/cocc-fundraising-page.html

On ya bike

Damian

Logistics for the Ride

Bike Pick Up – Monaco – Saturday 27th April

Vans will be on the Digue in the Port (Cruise Ship coach park) from 09.00 – 11.00 on Saturday to pick up the bikes.

Anyone wanting their bike transporting to St. Tropez needs to deliver it to the collection point in good time.

We take no responsibility for any damage to bikes.

Bike Pick Up – St Tropez

Bikes can be collected in the car park on the Port in St Tropez from 17.00 – 17.45 on Saturday and 07.00 – 07.30 on Sunday.

Luggage

Small bags can be transported back from St Tropez in the vans and should be dropped off on Sunday Morning.

Note: It is your responsibility to collect your own luggage promptly on arrival at Stars N Bars as we need to return the vans.

Lunch

There will be a snack lunch provided at one of the stops on the Sunday - anyone with specific dietary requirements will need to provide their own.

Regards

Damian