Pulse Director takes on Cycle to MIPIM Challenge
Final preparations underway for Cycle to MIPIM 2025
Pulse Director, Lee Cantrill, is taking part in this year’s Cycle to MIPIM as part of the Club Peloton team and headline sponsors Knight Frank.
The peloton leaves London on 6th March and will cover over 1,400km through France, arriving in Cannes on Tuesday 11th. Combined, the Cycle to MIPIM riders will be aiming to raise £200,000 for three inspiring charities.
We sat down with Lee to get some insights into the challenge, what he is (and isn't!) looking forward to, and how the charities will benefit from the fundraising.
Tell us about yourself and what you’re working on right now.
I'm a Board Director of Pulse Consult and our Arts, Culture & Heritage Sector lead. As well as supporting the board with their growth strategy, I currently provide consultancy to number of theatres and museums and help lead the teams that deliver their capital projects.
Right now, I’m working with The V&A Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe Trust and Pitlochry Festival Theatre, which means splitting my time between our Birmingham office, London and Scotland.
How did you get involved in Cycle to MIPIM?
I’ve wanted to do Cycle to MIPIM for a few years. This year’s ride coincides with a milestone birthday for me and so it felt like an ideal time to do some fundraising and to take on a personal challenge. I talked to a few industry peers who were all very generous with their advice, and so I committed and signed up.
How long have you been cycling, and how did you first get into it?
I loved cycling as a young teenager, but it’s not something I continued into adulthood. I borrowed a bike in 2019 and very quickly rediscovered that passion for it. Of course, lockdown provided the opportunity to improve my cycling fitness and once hooked, I upgraded to a carbon bike, subscribed to an indoor training platform (Zwift) and learnt to ride track at Derby Velodrome.
It’s been my main hobby ever since and I’ve completed numerous cycling adventures (such as Coast 2 Coast, LEJOG) and sportives at home and abroad. And, I’ve roped my wife into it too, although that might be a case of “it you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!” I bought a Brompton from a colleague as well, which I use for my commute and zipping across London.
How many times have you attended MIPIM?
Pulse have been attending MIPIM since 2017 and I’ve been on 3 occasions. After the 2020 event was cancelled because of Covid I still travelled and spent a week in Cannes with my wife, taking the opportunity to do some cycling on the Cote d’Azur. That visit also sowed the seed about doing Cycle to MIPIM.
So, this will be the first occasion I’ve been since 2019 and it will be interesting to see how MIPIM compares to back then. I’m told it’s smaller with more equality and diversity as well and, to be honest, as an event it probably needed a refresh and change of image too.
What are you most looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to joining and getting to know a group of like-minded participants and riding in the peloton, being a team player. And (hopefully) seeing a bit of sunshine too!
Is there anything you're dreading?
Rain and freezing conditions. Club Peloton have gone to great lengths to prepare us newbies with tales of headwinds, crosswinds and torrential rain from previous years’ events. The amount of research I have put into winter weatherproof gloves and overshoes has been quite consuming!
How have you approached training?
I’ve adopted the mantra of the great Eddy Merckx… “Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But ride.”
In practice, I’ve supplemented commuting and regular indoor riding with running and longer weekend rides up and around the Peak District, seeking out as many hills as I can find and testing all the new kit. Basically, lots of early starts, riding in the dark and cold, wet weather. Snow, sleet and fog often obscuring any views up in the Peaks. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail, right?
What would you most like to get out of the event?
Making new friends in the industry, sharing a great adventure and helping raise funds for worthwhile causes.
What does the fundraising mean to you?
We’ve met representatives from all the charities we’re supporting. It really helps to know about the projects and where the donations will make a difference. For instance, the money raised will fund 20 adoption activity days, 20 specially adapted trikes for children living with cancer and help more than 800 disadvantaged young people.
Pulse Consult have already pledged £2,000 towards my fundraising target. This kind of support and such worthwhile causes really will help us conquer the hills and any adverse weather!
What changes does your business expect to see over the next year?
Well it’s quite well known what challenges the arts sector is currently facing; funding cuts, financial uncertainty, declining audiences due to cost of living, pressures due to diversity and inclusion, compliance and sustainability and skills shortages. But despite this, the sector remains resilient and innovative, often finding new ways to adapt through partnerships and digital strategies.
Some of those pressures are felt across other sectors too but it’s exciting being at the forefront of helping our clients find the solutions needed to create extraordinary places that inspire generations to come.
To support Lee and the charities involved, you can sponsor him here:
Lee Cantrill is fundraising for Club Peloton
Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM 2025 aims to raise £200,000 for three of Club Peloton's supported projects, transforming the lives of young people by helping them find their forever home (Coram Adoption), by getting them pedalling on their road to recovery (Cyclists Fighting Cancer), or by helping disadvantaged young people in Central London realise the potential of their own lives (Tom ap Rhys Pryce Memorial Trust).
