Ex-England international footballer and cancer survivor Geoff Thomas has raised millions of pounds for charity by completing the route of the Tour De France on five separate occasions. To commemorate our renewed partnership with 'The Tour 21', we have commissioned this spectacular Alumni Limited Edition of our fastest aero bike ever - the Ultra SL R.
The bond between man and machine is intangible. To some, a bike may simply be a mode of transport. But to many, it’s a thing of aesthetic beauty and an extension fo your personal style of your personal style. The Ribble Ultra SL R Alumni Edition is much more than the sum of its parts. It’s a celebration of life, a symbol of one man's battle to beat the odds and repay those heroes to whom he owes his very survival.
Geoff Thomas has been lucky enough to enjoy a football career that most young children can only dream of. Over a 20-year playing career, Geoff reached the exalted heights of playing at the highest level, reaching an FA Cup Final and collecting nine England caps along the way. But, just one year after retiring from the beautiful game, he receievd the life-altering news that he had blood cancer.
Diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, geoff was given just three months to live. Only a stem cell transplant from sister Kate and the expertise of Professor Charlie Craddock CBE and his team saved his life. In 2005, Geoff received the news he was aching to hear, he was in remission. But like many survivors, he felt he owed a debt of gratitude to the medical team responsible for saving his life.
Stuck for ideas, it was a friends chance suggestion that sparked the beginings of a frankly bonkers idea. This suggestion was to ride the Tour de France, either a day in before or after the actual race. The rest, as they say, is history. Geoff has ridden the Tour de France multiple times and raised millions for Cure Leukaemia.
The Tour 21
Since 2005, Geoff has completed the Tour de France five times and his efforts have led to the creation of 'The Tour 21'. Each year a team ofamateur cyclists take on the challenge of completing the world's most gruelling endurance event. Riding one week ahead of the actual TdF, each rider will follow the exact route that the pro's face. Over 21 days, they will cycle over 3500km, with the aim of raising £1,000,000 for Cure Leukaemia, the official charity partner of the Tour de France.
Ribble was proud to become an event partner in 2022. Each ride captain was provided with a top spec Ribble bike to ride thoughou omce a su
The Tour 21 Alumni Edition Ultra SL R
With the Alumni edition, we've created a bike worthy of any Grand Tour. Centred around a bike that was designed to be the fastest aero road bike in the world, this Ultra SL R is equipped with top-tier components that regularly feature on World Tour superbikes.
Ultra SL R Frameset
Every element of the frameset has been dissected, analysed, profiled and tested in the pursit of aerodynamic performance. When benchmarked against the aerodynamically optimised Endurance SL R, the Ultra demonstrated real world savings of 75.1 seconds over 40km at 22mph. Though built for speed, comfort is not overlooked, and the dropped seat stays introduce vertical compliance to reduce the vibrations from road buzz.
The exclusive Alumni Edition Ultra SL R gets a custom colour design that pays homage to Geoff's footballing past. The framesets blue colourway is a nod to Geoff's time at Crystal Palace, while 24-carat gold leaf detailing and intricately detailed Tour 21 and Cure Leukaemia logos complete this decadent ensemble.
Dura-Ace Groupset
Shimano's top-spec groupset was developed in conjunction with pro riders. It represents the Japanese brands first foray into wireless electronic shifting, melding that super-slick Shimano shifting performance with the rapid response and unmatched customisation that electronic gear systems bring. Every component has been designed to deliver the best on-bike experience, whether that's sprinting to victory on the Champs-Élysées or conquering iconic TdF climbs like Mont Ventoux.
ZIPP Wheels
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