Page 13 - Demo

May 2026 | Gazette Life | 13professional cycling. An Australian friend who I%u2019d cycled alongside in Belgium had opened a cycle shop, De Ver Cycles in Streatham, and kept asking me if I wanted to take it over. So, finally, that%u2019s what I did. When you%u2019re running a business it%u2019s hard to take time off, so I bought a timeshare on Lanzarote, which forced me to organise two weeks holiday a year. That was the first time I came to Lanzarote, and we later bought a property here. Do you think the island has improved for cycling over the years?Definitely. I remember when the roads were a nightmare, but now they%u2019re wellmade and often resurfaced. Roads like the ascent to Tabayesco are great, a really good workout. One thing that I wish they hadn%u2019t done is ban cyclists from the climb to Fem%u00e9s from Playa Blanca. I miss not being able to do that. What are your favourite routes on Lanzarote? That depends on the wind, but I love riding down to Puerto del Carmen and Puerto Calero, then riding up the %u201cdonkey trail%u201d (Camino Hoya Limpia) to T%u00edas. The other day I was taking a rest while riding near Costa Teguise when I met a couple who recognised me %u2013 they turned out to be the parents of Lucy van der Haar, who raced alongside my son Germain a few years ago. Have you ever had any bad accidents on the island?Just one. It was 29th March, 2008 %u2013 I remember because it%u2019s the day before my wedding anniversary. I was riding up from Famara when a local driver who%u2019d had a few to drink came up behind me with the sun in his eyes. He knocked me two metres into the air. Luckily, I was riding with Dr Miguel Medina, so I got the best of attention. I was airlifted to Gran Canaria with a broken back and a nasty head injury, and I%u2019ve still got a big lump there now.I think Lanzarote is pretty good for cycling, though. Drivers are usually patient and give you the 1.5 metres space when passing. It can get hairy when they%u2019re passing a group of riders and a car comes in the other direction, but accidents are rare. Britain%u2019s had great success in cycling in recent years. Do you ever think you were born too early?No. I%u2019m 70 years old now, and have spent almost 60 of them in the saddle. I was there right from the beginning, and those days in Belgium and Europe were the best of times. I gave it my best shot. Maurice with members of his Cycle Camp.