On 27th June I will be setting off from Barcelona with 12 other cyclists to ride the full 2026 Tour de France route - 1 week ahead of the pros. The goal, once again, is to try and collectively raise £1million for Cure Leukaemia. Since completing the challenge in 2024 I have seen first hand the results of the work that the charity does and have met many who have benefitted from the trials programs and the drugs themselves. One of the riders from 2024 is now in full remission having been successfully treated and 4 riders this year are similarly now fit enough to tackle this Herculean challenge.

The ride is tackled under identical conditions to the pros. We do the full route over the same 21 day period. There is one key difference....it just takes us much longer each day to cover the distance...so while the pros get to rest up and recharge us mortals are grinding it out for many hours longer.

All costs of doing the event are covered by the riders themselves.

I will be doing it in the memory of my wonderful father in law Bob Collier. Had his illness been diagnosed now it would be likely for him to still be here - such is the impressive progress in the effectiveness of the drugs.

With only weeks to go I have now done most of the training. Endless hours on the bike over a painfully wet winter and now long endurance rides back to back to get used to the relentlessness of the Tour de France route.

Any donation would be hugely welcome. I can assure you that your support will quite simply, save lives.

Thank you.