Greenwich's Yellow Jersey Cycle Shop Team Ready for CT Challenge

By Abby Howe.

When Max Lippolis first heard about the CT Challenge, he knew right away he needed to figure out a way to help. As the owner of the Yellow Jersey Cycle Shop in Greenwich, as well as the Traveling Bike Shop, he gathered his co-workers and clients to form Yellow Jersey Cycle team to ride in the Challenge's 10th anniversary bike ride on Saturday in Westport.

Lippolis’ first year team is composed of 11 people, who will each be riding 75 miles Saturday. His efforts have quickly blossomed from his initial dinner meeting with the Challenge's co-founder Jeff Keith and other members of the cycling community to discuss how they would best be able to assist with the Challenge.

“After seeing the extent of the people involved and how big an event it is, it became clear that the best way for me to help would be involve my team and raise as much money as possible,” said Lippolis.

And Yellow Jersey Cycle has been doing just that. They had set a goal of $15,000 and have already surpassed that so they set a new one for $20,000. They are just about there, so the new goal is $25,000. For a first year team it's one of the top fundraising amounts this year.

Lippolis is closely tied to the community through his riding and racing, as well as through his business. His clients are mainly in Greenwich and he felt like it was important to find a way to give back to the community through cycling. He has participated in many bike races and was attracted to the CT Challenge because it is a local, community-based event. It also gives him an opportunity to ride for a good cause.

“A number of friends of our clients are currently fighting cancer, which personalized the cause. It gave the team more of a meaning and really helped light a fire under everyone,” Lippolis said.

The Yellow Jersey Cycle team is made up primarily of clients of Lippolis’ bike shop. The clients are recreational cyclists and they ride together two or three times a week. Mr. Lippolis is a racer and does not ride with them as often.

When asked what he is most looking forward to about the Challenge, Lippolis said: “The camaraderie. The whole group gets to meet up and take pictures together. We have varying fitness levels in the group, but the idea is to try to ride together for as long as possible. It’s all about encouraging the teammates and bonding”.

“Between the Challenge and the Center for Survivorship, so many people are involved. So many people are touched by the Challenge and by cancer. It’s really like giving Connecticut one big hug. The guys do a great job.”

Registration for this weekend’s bike ride is still open for new riders and teams. Over 975 riders and more than 90 teams have already been registered.  A 100-mile ride on Friday starts the proceedings in Lakeville, CT and ending in Westport at the Fairfield County Hunt Club.

Close to 100 survivors will be among those riding in The Challenge’s signature event on Saturday, which is preceded by opening ceremonies and a survivor tribute.

The ride raised $1.65 million last year. To donate to a rider in this year’s CT Challenge Bike event, visit http://2014ctchallenge.kintera.org and click “sponsor participant.