Lottering’s inspiring story began on Sunday, 21 July 2013 during a 140km world championship preparation race in Trento, Italy. He started the day racing to win, and ended the day fighting to live, when he entered a wet corner at over 60 km/h and crashed straight into a rock embankment. His heart had stopped beating and he was unconscious by the time the medical team arrived.

After being airlifted to hospital in Trento, medics discovered the extent of Lottering’s injuries: collapsed lungs and thorax, 12 rib fractures, compound fractures of his lumber and cervical spine, two fractures of his right femur, multiple fractures of his scapula and clavicle, a crushed shoulder, a fractured sternum, extensive internal bleeding to his abdomen and spleen, ruptured arteries in his neck and right arm, acute respiratory failure… and the list goes on. 

Lottering was lucky to be alive, but he promised himself that this accident would not beat him. In the Santa Chiara Emergency Hospital, he decided that he would be back in one year to finish the race he had started, the race that nearly took his life. He would show people that the human spirit can triumph over adversity and that the “impossible” is merely a limit set by others.

Back in South Africa, after 20 days in ICU and high care in Italy, Lottering spent four months recovering, undergoing no fewer than six surgeries and 83 rehabilitation sessions. Although his recovery isn’t over and he still needs more bone graft surgery to his shoulder, he rode the first of his annual Im’possible Tours in July 2014, titled 'From Death to the Top of the Alps in One Year’; defying his medical prognosis, accomplishing the “impossible”, and raising over R150 000 for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, an organisation that educates less privileged youngsters through the power of sport. 

Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa chairperson, Morné du Plessis, comments, “Grant Lottering’s values and goals are strongly aligned with those of Laureus. We are delighted to have him as an official fund raiser and look forward to working hand in hand during his Im’Possible Tour II to give young people the skills and opportunities to reach their potential through sport.” 

The 2014 Im’possible Tour film is a hit on YouTube and Lottering’s story was also shown on national TV, and featured in mainstream cycling media. With the support of his official partners, Universal Healthcare, Cando Advertising and French Alps Sports Tourism (FAST), Lottering continues to ride for a purpose and address audiences at events, functions and conferences resulting in the Im’possible Tour story being seen by over 100 000 people to date. 

In 2015, Lottering’s ‘Taking a Second Chance at Life to the Limit and Beyond’ Im’possible Tour in August will see him becoming the first South African to attempt to complete a solo, non-stop, 414km ultra-endurance ride through the French Alps in 24 hours. He will cycle over eight alpine mountains and climb 1000 metres higher than Mount Everest in one day, finishing at the Les Saisies Ski Resort at an altitude of 1657m. 

As if this were not already a challenging enough feat, Lottering still has two metal pins in his right leg and hip, as well as a still-fractured right clavicle held in place with plates and screws.

But Lottering is no stranger to overcoming obstacles, and as he prepares to attempt his second Im’possible Tour, it is clear that he, and the Laureus youth he is fundraising for, are already winners. “We are all able to achieve greatness and overcome incredible odds, but it’s up to each of us to believe and take action,” says Lottering. 

A support crew will be following Lottering during his attempt, including a camera and photography crew to film the Im’possible Tour II video. 

For more information on the Im’possible Tours or to watch the Im’possible Tour film, visit www.im-possibletour.com. Alternatively, connect with Grant Lottering on Facebook or on Twitter.