Please get generously behind Evan, Gareth, Harry, Jon, Michael, Nick & Toby - AKA Team Opportunity – as they tackle the incredible physical challenge of Trois Etapes.

Your gallant heroes will be donning their finest lycra (no pictures please) and heading out to the Pyrenees to tackle some of the toughest climbs of the Tour de France. All for a very good cause.

In total each member of Team Opportunity will climb 8,529 vertical metres in just three days on their bike (Everest’s peak is 8,848 metres  above sea level!). Days one and two sees the team ascend 5,613 metres. On day three – as the body is nearing shut-down the riders race up the legendary Col du Tourmalet (17kms of climbing at average 7.4% gradient). To set that in context Box Hill is 4% and only 4km in length.

And it will be hot.

So please show your appreciation for their Herculean effort by sponsoring the team's chosen charity Opportunity International.

Opportunity International works in some of the poorest communities in the world providing micro loans, savings and insurances to develop small businesses and create jobs. A job means someone has the dignity of 'making their own way' and a sustainable income to pay for their family's schooling, medicines and food.

Please show your support for the team:    

• £50 could fund training sessions for a group of women who are starting their own businesses.
  
  
• £70 could fund a poor woman’s first ever business loan which will be repaid and reloaned.
  
  
• £127 (that’s 10p for every vertical metre of Col du Tourmalet – the final climb on the final day) could fund training sessions in basic business skills for 10 women.
  
  
• £885 (that’s 10p for every vertical metre each rider will climb) could fund a young Ghanaian’s 2-year apprenticeship so he or she can learn a trade and set-up in business.
  
  
• £1,268 (that's £1 for every metre of the Col du Tourmalet climb) can provide 10 farmers with loans to each buy the tools, seeds and fertilizers to increase their crop yield three-fold. After 6 months loans are repaid and re-loaned.
  
  
• £2,633 (£1 for every metre climbed on day one) could fund a loan to community school so they can build classrooms, toilet blocks, libraries, etc. After 24 months the loan is repaid and re-loaned.
  
  
• £8,848 (that’s a pound for every vertical metre each person will climb in 3 days) could fund 60 business loans and 30 farmer loans.

Please show your support for Evan, Gareth, Harry, Jon, Michael, Nick & Toby and donate generously.