Actor Enzo Cilenti, 43, who plays Yezzan zo Qaggaz in Game of Thrones is in a reflective mood. “One of my earliest memories is of being taken to the Whitaker & Mapplebeck cycle shop in our home town of Bradford to pick up my mum’s birthday gift to my dad, a new bike,”
“I was about four at the time and I remember the shop as an Aladdin’s cave of wheels, frames and parts, the smell of oil and gleaming new bikes. From that moment I was completely hooked and have cycled when I can ever since.”
Almost forty years later Enzo and his father Pietro, who has Parkinson’s, are taking part in the Deloitte Ride Across Britain to raise awareness of the disease, taking to their trusty tandem for the nine-day cycle trek from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
“We’ve done several tandem rides in aid of research into Parkinson’s disease,” explains Pietro, 66. “We rode a 100km around London at night and also Mount Ventoux (the legendary Tour de France stage climb) on the tandem - but this one will be very special. It’s always been a dream of mine to ride through this great country and it’ll probably be the last time we get to do something like this.”
Enzo and Pietro during the London night ride
For Enzo, who is married to Resident Evil actress Sienna Guillory, cycling has always played a major role in his relationship with his father and they rediscovered cycling together when Enzo’s mum bought them both places on a cycling Tour of the Alps.
“That was in 2001, before my diagnosis,” says Pietro. “Cycling through those amazing mountains on 30km long climbs was a real eye-opener. We really got to know one another well. You’d end each day with a lovely meal and sense of achievement.”
“There’s that distinctly male thing about not opening up with your peers or with your family in this case,” says Enzo. “But when you put two blokes side by side, as opposed to looking at each other across a dinner table, and suddenly stuff comes out. It’s a moment of communion, you’re breathing in a particular way because of the demands of the ride and whilst I don’t what to get too Zen about it - it’s a wonderful thing for any human to be doing to share such experiences with one of the most important people in your life.”
Enzo with his wife, the actress Sienna Guillory
Riding on a tandem however, especially on the challenge of Mount Ventoux, does test a relationship as Pietro reveals; “It can put much more pressure on both, especially if one of you feels the other isn’t doing the right thing. I used to ride a tandem with my wife – there’s a saying that any marriage that can survive the stress and pressure of riding a tandem is destined to last!”
When the pair took to the two-seater for the Nightrider around the capital they found the experience altogether very different; “Mount Ventoux was the hardest ride I’ve done to date,” says Enzo. “But the night ride was an amazing ride for us both. I’ve lived in London for over twenty years but saw the place in a very different light that night. Just a couple of miles into it we were cycling through Piccadilly with all these boy racers in Lamborghinis looking at us two idiots on a tandem, but it was a brilliant event.”
The pair also rode the BOXCAM event from Bristol, through Oxford to Cambridge for the charity and as Pietro’s condition becomes more challenging he’s thankful for the efforts being made by them.
“We’ve got some hard days coming up but Parkinson’s UK are working hard to help us. It’s so frustrating when you see things moving in the wrong direction, in terms of the condition, but they are looking to find treatments that bring hope and relief in the short term as well as a cure in the future.”
When you put two blokes side by side, as opposed to looking at each other across a dinner table, suddenly stuff comes out.Enzo Cilenti
Enzo knows that the task – riding their 50kg tandem for nine days in a row, averaging 100 miles a day - will be tough, but he’s keen to reassure his father that they’re going to give it their best shot. “The offer to do this ride came at a perfect time. I was looking to get into better shape because a role I’d got required me to be naked. I figured that if I was going to inflict that upon possibly several million viewers I’d better get fit! Over the winter I got on an indoor bike trainer every day and I get out now several times a week slowly ramping up the mileage.”
“This disease is absolutely horrible, but it’s great that something both dad and I have a passion for can bring him some relief too,” says Enzo. “So often something half decent comes out of adversity and these rides with dad have been wonderful for both of us.”
The Deloitte Ride Across Britain takes place from the 8-16th September: www.rideacrossbritain.com.
There is a full list of spaces available via Parkinson’s UK at www.parkinsons.org.uk/cycling
To support Enzo & Pietro visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/PeterandEnzoCilentiTeamTandem
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/enzo-cilenti-bike-bonds-father-parkinsons-sufferer/
No comments:
Post a Comment