By James Lomuscio
Geographically, it is all downhill, admits Lucas Fortini, director of cycling for Sherpa Fitness at Westport’s 1555 Post Road East.
In Westport, Team Sherpa members taking part in this weekend’s CT Challenge are (l to r) Lucas Fortini, Brett Jones and Jean Desrosiers, owner of Sherpa Fitness on Post Road East. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) James Lomuscio for WestportNow.com
Still, that doesn’t mean Friday’s 85-mile trek from Lakeville in Litchfield County to the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport will be a breeze. He expects a lot of pedaling, pumping and uphill climbs.
“We roll out of Lakeville at 7:30, and everybody should be reaching the Hunt Club by noon,” Fortini said about the 10th annual CT Challenge Bike Ride taking place Friday and Saturday, raising funds to support programs for cancer survivors.
On Saturday, Fortini plans to be back on his light weight, full carbon racing bike at 7:30 a.m. to complete a 100-mile loop from the Hunt Club through northern Fairfield County and back.
He is one of 21 Sherpa employees and customers—Team Sherpa—who have signed up to participate this year’s event again sponsored by the Southport-based CT Challenge Center for Survivorship.
The center’s programs aim at helping survivors live longer, healthier lives through lifestyle, nutrition and exercise programs long after hospital visits.
“Right now we have 90 teams registered, and by the time we get to Saturday we’ll have more than 1,000 cyclists registered,” said Tom Chipetta, spokesman for CT Challenge.
Since the event began, CT Challenge has raised more than $10 million, with last year’s $1.65 million the most raised in one event, Chipetta said.
He hopes this year will be even better. If Team Sherpa is any indicator, it might be.
According to Brett Jones, Sherpa’s director of training and coaching, the company raised $16,400 last year, “and as of today we’re at $16,600.”
Jones noted that registered cyclists can ride as little as 10 miles all the way up to 100 miles on Saturday.
“For some people, the 25-mile ride will be tougher than the 100-mile ride will be for others,” he said. “We have riders will varying abilities and distances.”
Jones, who will be riding 75 miles on Saturday, said the youngest rider on his team is 8-year-old Liam Yim.
Jean Paul Derosiers, owner of Sherpa Fitness, said that he plans to ride 50 miles on Saturday.
“We have a considerable client base here, and some of them have been stricken by the disease, and they are survivors,” he said.
“We’re doing this to support them and the cause,” Derosiers added. “It’s a healthy approach. It’s a reason for hope.”
