Riding for a Cure: Taking on the Tour de France One Week Ahead of the Pros
Hayden Groves takes us inside his legendary ride, raising important funds for Cure Leukemia
When most people dream of the Tour de France, they picture the pros. Hayden Groves, however, lives it, pedal stroke for pedal stroke, one week ahead of the peloton, all in the name of charity.
By day, Hayden is a sought-after F&B consultant, juggling the pressures of high-profile hospitality projects and the ever-changing demands of the industry. He’s also a former National Chef of the Year, no stranger to intense competition and long hours. Yet, despite the challenges of his professional life, Hayden has turned his passion for cycling into a force for good, conquering his ninth Grand Tour Route to raise funds for Cure Leukaemia.
This year, Vires Velo proudly supported Hayden’s journey with a Factor MONZA.
Photography by Joolze Dymond
The Cure Leukaemia Challenge
Hayden’s involvement with Cure Leukaemia dates back to 2015 when he rode the Tour de France route one day ahead of the pros alongside ex-England footballer, Geoff Thomas. The experience was life-changing, reigniting Hayden’s passion for cycling from his racing days in his teens and 20s. That year, he raised an impressive £63,000 for the charity.
In 2017, Hayden took on the ultimate challenge: riding all three Grand Tours (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España) one day before the pros. The gruelling feat served as the basis for his award-winning book, which raised over £100,000 for Cure Leukaemia.
As a charity, Cure Leukaemia is funding world-leading networks that are changing how blood cancer patients – both adults and children – can access cutting-edge treatments through clinical trials.
The 2025 Tour 21 Challenge
Fast forward to 2025, and the Cure Leukaemia challenge, now rebranded as Tour 21, continues to inspire riders to push their limits for a worthy cause. This year’s edition covered approximately 3,650 km over 21 stages, with two rest days thrown in, just like the pros. The route traversed iconic climbs like Mont Ventoux, Hautacam and Col de la Loze, testing riders’ physical and mental fortitude.
As a ride leader on this year’s event, Hayden’s role is to support and motivate the fundraising riders, many of whom are taking on the challenge for the first time. “It’s not about being the fastest, it’s about getting everyone across the line together,” Hayden shares. “There are tough moments for everyone, but you remind yourself and others why you’re riding. The mental side is just as important as the physical; you break it down, focus on the next climb or the next town, and keep each other going.”
The Preparation: Bike Fit and Training
For a challenge as demanding as the Tour 21, Hayden knew that preparation was everything. Before even turning a pedal in France, he underwent a comprehensive idmatch bike fitting session at Vires Velo. The idmatch system uses advanced motion capture to analyse a rider’s biomechanics, ensuring the perfect alignment between body and machine. Hayden describes the process as “transformative,” noting that the fit not only maximised his comfort for long days in the saddle but also helped prevent fatigue and injury over the 3,650 km route.
“Having a bike that’s dialled in to your exact measurements is a game-changer,” Hayden explains. “The idmatch fit gave me confidence that every watt of effort was going into the pedals, not being lost to discomfort or poor positioning.”
The Perfect Partner: Factor Monza
For this year’s challenge, Hayden reached out to Vires Velo to find a suitable bike for the ride. The obvious choice was the MONZA, Factor’s latest aero road bike.
Just as the Tour 21 offers passionate amateurs the chance to experience the challenge and camaraderie of the Tour de France, the Factor MONZA brings WorldTour-level engineering to dedicated riders outside the pro peloton. The MONZA is the direct descendant of the OSTRO VAM, Factor’s flagship, WorldTour-proven aero bike, designed for elite competition and ridden by the fastest in the sport. While the OSTRO VAM is built for the demands of professional racing, the MONZA channels that same race-bred DNA into a package tailored for real-world riders. It delivers cutting-edge performance and technology, but with a focus on versatility and practicality. This makes it the perfect companion for those chasing their own epic goals, whether that’s a grand tour charity ride, local crit or sportive.
Hayden’s bike was personalised with the idmatch bike fit, ensuring he had the optimal saddle choice, saddle height/position, bar width, stem length and stack height. Hayden found the hidden down tube storage and shallow drop of the HB05 handlebars invaluable during the long days in the saddle, allowing Hayden to carry essentials and maintain comfort on varied terrain.
Before the event, Hayden had the chance to put the Monza through its paces on local roads. From the very first ride, he was struck by the bike’s responsive handling and smooth power transfer. “It felt immediately familiar, like it was built just for me,” Hayden recalls. The combination of the precise idmatch fit and the Monza’s balanced geometry gave him instant confidence, confirming he’d found the ideal partner for the journey ahead.
“I loved the bike,” Hayden said. “It was comfortable, compliant, and fast. When you get it up to speed, it really does want to take off. It’s stable and does everything really well.” The attention to detail in both the bike’s design and the fitting process meant Hayden could focus on supporting his fellow riders and the cause, rather than worrying about aches or mechanical niggles.
The Power of Perseverance
This year’s Tour 21 was a true test of resilience, with unpredictable weather, relentless climbs, and long days that pushed every rider to their limits. Hayden recalls battling fierce headwinds across the exposed plains and the camaraderie that formed as riders worked together to conquer notorious ascents like Mont Ventoux. “There were moments when the group was stretched thin, but the shared sense of purpose kept us moving,” he says. Mechanical hiccups and fatigue were inevitable, but the reliability of the Monza and the support from fellow participants made all the difference.
For Hayden, the standout moment of each Tour is rolling into Paris and seeing the riders reunite with their families. “Apart from, obviously, you’ve got people absolutely amazed that they’ve made it to the top of the Ventoux or those individual climbs, but they’re just stepping stones. I think Paris is… tick, it’s done,” he reflects.
Hayden’s message to aspiring Tour 21 participants is one of perseverance and purpose. “If you’re looking to tick off a bucket list, then I would urge you to strongly consider it,” he says. “There are a few places left for 2026. Do go on the socials and look at who you could be riding with.”
With unwavering dedication, Hayden Groves continues to inspire others to ride for a cure, one pedal stroke at a time.
