MIPIM, described as the Global Urban Festival, is the world’s leading property trade show held annually in Cannes in March. A major event for the property industry it attracts attendees and exhibitors from all sectors of the property industry – architects, engineers, contractors, local authorities, developers, investors…

Held against a backdrop of spring sunshine, private parties on yachts moored off Le Croisette, bars on the quai side, bursting early-afternoon, with Champagne quaffing deal-makers (nobody cares it’s 5 o’clock somewhere), late lunches that extend to dinner, big gold watches and air kisses.  It’s social media curated glamour, experienced in real time, at an event often criticised for excess.

Imagine the sight then of sixty, somewhat bedraggled, cyclists, rolling into Cannes, having ridden 100 miles earlier that day through the foothills of the Haute-Provence Alps, and spent the previous 5 cycling from London. Many of these sixty swap their Lycra for suits, to join colleagues who’ve taken a few hours to fly to the Cote d’Azur.

This year, I was one of the sixty who had just completed the 2026 Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM. Cycling from London to Cannes via Portsmouth, Caen, Blois, Grenoble and Greoux-les-Bains.  The entire distance of 1372km with 16000m of climb, completed in 6 days.

Cycle to MIPIM began in 2006 when Peter Murray (a face in the London property scene), with a dozen or so other cyclists, decided to pedal to Cannes as a more sustainable way of getting to MIPIM, and raising funds for charity in the process.  From that inauspicious start, the ride has morphed into Club Peloton, a grant-making organisation that arranges property-industry connected fundraising cycle events, which has raised over £5m for charities in twenty years.

I rode the event in 2007 and again in 2012, and have had a longstanding relationship with the event and the organisation since its inception.  Only 5 weeks ago I mentioned to Nick, Club Peloton’s Chief Executive, that I was a bit sad not to be able to join the 20th anniversary ride.  He replied there’s one space left.  I didn’t really need to think about it overnight. I did but I was in.

5 March 2026, 9:30 am, Battersea Power Station. The start of a 6-day challenge to cycle to the Mediterranean.

Participants range from club cyclists to commuters to those who started cycling just to take part. The ride itself takes the form of a relay.  3 teams, each with its own industry sponsor, must complete a minimum of 2 legs, about 120km, per day. Some choose to ride more, and a significant number ride the entire distance. Many ride well beyond their expectations (and perceived capabilities), buoyed by the encouragement and camaraderie of their team-mates; for the challenge, to test themselves and to fulfil their sponsorship.  The distance and the ascent are not the only tests. Early starts and late finishes mean long days in the saddle. Conditions ranged from freezing rain to t-shirt weather, often in the same day.  The climbs are stacked towards the 2nd half of the week, with some climbs taking riders over 1000m.

Cycle to MIPIM is an incredible event.

With the benefit of a lead car and a motorcycle escort, there is no stopping at junctions, red lights or roundabouts.  Mechanical and medical assistance follow the group on the road.  Riders are well looked after at feed stops, with sports therapists to help with niggles. Hotels are excellent.  The only thing you need to do as a rider is make sure your bag is on the coach and you’re ready to ride when the next leg starts. It doesn’t take a small leap of imagination to think this must be just a little like riding the Tour De France!

During those low moments – cold, wet, early mornings, free-wheeling into the unrelenting spray of the rider in front, are not my thing – I reminded myself how fortunate I was to be able to spend 6 days riding my bike with absolutely nothing else to do.  Not a dad, partner, business owner, contractor, or colleague – 6 days with no other responsibility than to ride a bike, look out for the rider behind and generally keep spirits up, especially when others were clearly struggling.

Bon courage, a construction worker on the dam at the bottom of the spectacular Gorge du Verdun – think of helicopter footage from the Tour – as he made sure our passage through the roadworks was safe and unhindered. Bon courage, a leathery-faced old man – think moody Rouleur photography – shouted and waved as we sped past through a small village of cobbled streets tightly flanked by sand-walled houses. Bon courage, late-night al fresco revellers –  think friendly inebriated rugby fans or those who have spent the entire day drinking at the side of the road for the peloton to pass in a second – who cheered us through the winding streets of Blois as the motorcycle outriders showed incredible skill and bravery, speeding to the next junction so we could continue unhindered.

Bon courage roughly translates to good luck but it has a different meaning.  Bonne chance translates directly to good luck – good fortune in a situation beyond your control.  In German, the expression is Viel Erfolg – wishing you success.  It’s less emotional than the equivalent French but both languages have an expression that leaves out the element of chance implied by the English ‘good luck.’

It seems to me a shame that in English we lack an expression of encouragement for those who are taking on a challenge for which they have trained and prepared, which tests their capabilities, pushing them to realise new ones.   Those who have cycled from London to Cannes over the last 20 years have not relied on luck. Whether they rode their allotted relay legs or more or the entire distance, they completed the challenge through preparation, dedication, training and at times, grit and determination.

Our arrival in Cannes was certainly a spectacle but I’m not sure anyone sipping Champagne in a bar on Le Croisette would appreciate just quite what those 60 riders had achieved – individually and as a group.  Nor the significance of their contribution to Club Peloton.  Over £130,000 this year and counting, to fund the ongoing work of Coram, Cyclists Fighting Cancer and The Tom ap Rhys Pryce Memorial Fund, to transform the lives of young people.  But in front of the bus parked on the promenade as we all huddled in a little bit more to be in shot for the publicity photo, we all knew the courage of the previous 6 days, and how raising sponsorship and awareness changes lives. Not just of those who benefit from the work of Club Peloton but for all of us who have been involved and cycled to MIPIM at any point over the last 20 years.