Read Marika’s blog at - http://www.marikastourdefrance.blogspot.com/
On Marika’s site you will find a number of things that have been omitted from Damian’s site (mainly full of Damian’s foibles and faux pas – such as going straight through a red light when we rode with Simon Gerrans in Monaco and crumbling at the knees like a teenage girl during the Beatles heyday when Lance Armstrong rode past at the Giro)
Nickname: Mazzy, Mouse, Strawbs, Marikes, Streaks
Age: 28
Lives: Melbourne
Occupation: Industrial/Product Designer
Bike’s Name: Piaf Enchante (”Piaf” after Edith Piaf, the French Singer who wrote “No Regrets”. “Enchante” as a tribute to the Flight of the Conchords hilarious “Je suis enchante!”)
Looking Forward to:
- Riding through Champes-Elysees
- The French countryside
- The experience
- Not looking forward to: Riding through Champes-Elysees (negotiating the roundabout)
- The hills
- The saddle soreness
Nervous about: The logistics of the tour!
Strengths:
- Determination
- Extremely naive about this whole thing
Weaknesses:
- She took up cycling six months ago
- She’s yet to start training properly
- She still thinks bonjour means thank you
Likes:
- Riding slowly
- Eating!..a lot.
- Travelling
- Sleeping
Dislikes:
- Training
- Rain
- Headwinds
Why are you involved?: “It’s supporting a great cause. I also got sick of my boyfriend going off on training rides and leaving me behind so I decided to join him for a few rides and before I knew it I’d somehow decided to ride the tour as well”.
Favourite rider: Eddie Merckx
Cycling background:
- Great Victorian Bike Ride 1997 (12 years ago)
- … That’s it.
Marika says:
“Je suis enchante.” (Who knew that meant “pleased to meet you” instead of “I am enchanting!”)
“I can do it.”
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