Lionel Poggio

Dear friends and supporters,

After a few adventures away from Switzerland, I am thrilled to be back to my first ultracycling love: the TORTOUR. On August 13, the race will kick off in Schaffhausen and take me on a challenging 1000-kilometer journey all around Switzerland. It is a grueling test of endurance, but I can fully count on the support of my friendly and experienced crew to help me get back to Schaffhausen in approximately 40 hours.

However, this massive challenge is about much more than just pushing my physical limits. For the third time, it is a magnificent opportunity to support my friend Gilbert and his foundation, Summits4Hope. Knowing that every pedal stroke translates into real hope for children in Mozambique is what truly drives me to face this ultra-distance once again.

Visible Successes That Drive Our Mission: Thanks to your incredible support over the past years, we have already achieved extraordinary milestones. Together with the partner WATER FOR WATER, the foundation successfully completed four large sanitary blocks just last year. Today, more than 21,000 children benefit from clean drinking water, safe toilets, and essential hygiene education. Seeing these projects fundamentally transform daily life on the ground gives me the ultimate motivation to go all out on the road.

Our Strategy for 2026: Our mission for this year is as clear as it is ambitious: we want to rescue another 20,000 children from their daily sanitary nightmare. To ensure this impact lasts, the foundation focuses heavily on long-term sustainability:

• Professional Maintenance: Two specially trained maintenance teams are deployed to provide rapid repairs and keep all existing school facilities fully operational.

• Vocational Education: In cooperation with a local trade school, we fund the training of young local plumbers. This powerful combination of immediate aid and education ensures that our help remains self-sustaining.

Your Support Goes 100% Direct: Gilbert Fisch pays all cost out of his own pocket and guarantees that 100% of every single donation goes directly to the project. By supporting my ride, you provide these children with health, dignity, and a real chance at education. At the same time, your generosity gives me the mental strength to fight through the night and conquer the kilometers ahead. For Swiss taxpayers, your contribution is also fully tax-deductible.

Let’s prove once again that we are a powerful community. We never ride alone – neither on the road nor in life.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining and supporting me on this unforgettable journey!

Warmly, Lionel