The AGS Great Divide
7 AGS beneficiaries will be taking on a time trial of the Great Divide mountain biking route from the 15th June2024. This is a 2700 mile off pavement mountain bike route from Banff in Alberta, Canada south through British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico to Antelope Wells at Mexican border. Our team will climb almost 200,000ft of accumulated ascent.
We will be the first disabled team to complete this epic journey.
The AGS Tour Divide
AGS member Terry Bryne will be racing the tour divide unsupported bike race
he Tour Divide challenge is simple: Race the rooftop of North America by mountain bike; travel self-supported along all 2,745 miles of Adventure Cycling Association's Great Divide mountain bike route. With an average time-to-completion of three weeks in the saddle, Tour Divide is the longest–arguably most challenging–mountain bike time trial on the planet. It is a challenge for the ultra-fit, but only if ultra-prepared for myriad contingencies of back country biking.
Terry Byrne A former member of the parachute regiment, Terry made an incredibly quick transition into Paralympic sport after an IED left him a below-knee amputee in 2008. He joined the GB Cycling Team and soon broke a track world record and won gold at the 2011 Para-Cycling Track World Championships. Terry has successfully summited Mt Elbrus, Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Aconcagua with AGS.
The AGS Great Divide team
Stephan van Niekerk – In 2009 Stephan sustained life changing injuries after stepping on an explosive device while serving with the Rifles regiment. The explosion resulted in the loss of both legs, one above and one below the knee, some fingers and other parts. Having been a keen cyclist for most of his life, Stephan took to cycling again post injury having completed routes such as the King Alfreds Cycleway and the Battlefield Bike Ride. For a bit of fun, he also hurls himself downhill on a mountain bike.
Martin Hewitt
AGS founder Martin Hewitt served eight years as a commissioned officer with the Parachute Regiment. In 2007 Martin received two gun-shot wounds, one through the right shoulder rendering his right arm paralysed and one to the foot. Post injury, Martin has lead expeditions on every continent of the globe and this will be his first significant bike ride with the use of one arm
Jordan Creeney served as a Gunner with the RAF Regiment for five years. In June of 2013, he sustained severe lower limb injuries in Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of his left leg below the knee, and subsequent medical discharge.
Jordan has always been an active individual, with sports and physical activity playing a major role in his lifestyle both before, and after injury. He is an avid motorcyclist on both road and racetrack, and enjoys the challenge of adapting bikes and prosthetics to suit his Injuries.
Peter Edwards Peter suffered a spinal injury aged 17, bringing a premature end to A levels, sport and career aspirations.
The rehabilitation programme at Rookwood hospital was intense but short, before discharge into mainstream life with significant changes to mobility, prospects, and outlook. With no support network to help to deal with the mental and physical impacts of a life changing injury it really was a case of getting on with things. Peter has worked hard to not let his injury dictate his future and to be a good role model to his family.
Bernie Shrosbree is a world class athlete and a highly respected international high performance coach and team building expert. He has taken endurance athletes, Olympic Gold medallists and F1 drivers to their physical peak. A former member of the Royal Marine’s elite Special Boat Service (SBS) he is the teams performance director. Bernie suffered a stroke in 2022 and has played an inspirational role for our AGS brain injury beneficiaries.
James served in the Royal Marines and SBS until he was shot 5 times in Afghanistan.
Rick served with the Parachute Regiment until he was medically discharged after his vehicle was hit by a IED in Afghanistan.