Worksop duo take on French Alps Triathlon race

Based in the Bourg d’Oisans region of France the event starts with a 2.2km swim in Lac du Verney then it’s a 118 km cycle which finishes with a climb up Alp d’Huez.

This is a climb that has made and broken many professional cyclists in the Tour de France.

Over its 13.8km climb the cyclists have to deal with 21 hairpin bends as they ascend a total of 1,118m.

Finally, there is a 20km run in the ski hills around the Alp d’Huez village.

On finishing the event in a time of 8 hours and 47 minutes Gaz said: “It’s the most beautiful, yet brutal triathlon you can do.

“The swim was in the best lake I’ve ever swam in, with huge support lining the banking.

“Personally I’ve had a really good build up to it and felt really strong all day, resulting in probably the closest thing I’ll get to a perfect race. I was really proud of how I performed.”

Gav, who has done the event before but was not deterred, finished with a time of 11 hours and 7 minutes.

He said “I didn’t train enough and struggled on the bike. Apart from that I loved it and highly recommend it.”