Roko Sinovcic Treks 300 Miles in Atos Tour
New York – September 22, 2023 – Biking is in Roko Sinovcic’s blood. It started as a childhood hobby for the global strategic sales team member for Atos based out of New York. Since then, it has transcended into a lifelong passion. “In my 20s, I got into road biking. I started doing various triathlons and road races. I did a benefit tour for MS in New York, that was a cool tour—so that got me going,” he says.
While Roko is no stranger to long rides, it’s nothing compared to what he accomplished this September with the Atos Tour. “It’s 300 miles over two days. The distance is also challenging, obviously, but you get into it, and you get swept up with it,” he says. “It’s a charity-based event, with 70 riders representing various countries raises money for cancer research.”
Cancer is a disease that impacts far too many people. “Unfortunately, cancer is one of those things where it’s rare to find someone who hasn’t been affected by it, whether it’s a friend or a family member,” Roko says. Roko opted to raise money for the Cancer Research Institute which focuses on research and cures for many cancers including rare forms of the disease. Knowing he’d help make a difference was a key reason Roko opted to embark on the 300-mile bike.
A beautiful ride
The ride started in France and ended in the Netherlands with an overnight stay in Belgium. “You’re in a beautiful setting, riding through Europe. It’s kind of dreamy if you’re a cyclist to do something like this,” Roko says.
The ride wasn’t about being first to cross the finish line, it was about camaraderie and coming together for a common goal. “Everyone rides as a group and goes at the same pace. Everyone had a great attitude. A few people had their bikes breakdown to the point that they couldn’t even ride them. Other tour riders offered their bikes so they could continue the tour. Everyone was very selfless–looking out for each other. If someone was getting tired and falling behind, the team would push them along,” he says.
Difficulties along the way
The hardest part for Roko wasn’t just the time spent riding, but the times he had to spend away from the other cyclists. “I was having some light bike issues with my rental. My bike broke down a few times. I spent a little bit of the tour in the mechanics van, which was difficult because I wanted to be doing the ride,” Roko says.
It took cyclists nearly 20 hours to finish, burning around 10,000 calories along the way. “You go between 15 and 17 miles an hour. You take a bunch of breaks. Every rest stop you get a local French baguette sandwich. I didn’t think I could down them at each rest stop. But you’re just burning energy, so you need that food,” he says.
A taste of home
Riders representing 15 different countries came together raising than $30,000 in the fight against cancer. “I’m originally from Croatia. I was one of the first people to arrive at the team hotel. There was a group of four guys in the lobby waiting for everyone else to arrive– and I heard them speak in Croatian. So, I spoke to them in Croatian. They were frozen because I don’t think they were expecting to find others speaking Croatian. We started chatting and then they kind of adopted me as a fifth Croatian team member. Everyone is super warm and friendly on the tour,” says Roko.
Just the beginning
While this was the final Atos tour, it won’t be Roko’s last long ride. “I’ve been researching similar events and maybe even longer events that I can do. I kind of caught the bug for it, it was a great experience,” he says.
