*STOP THE PRESSES!* Thanks to your amazing support, CPT's Raid Local has already exceeded the original fundraising target of £150,000 and the total is climbing every day - just like our riders on those challenging ascents in training!

We'll continue to raise the target to match their extraordinary efforts over the weekend, and together we'll drive forward the quest to find a cure for Parkinson's.

Following the incredible success of last year's Raid Pyrenean event, 44 supporters of The Cure Parkinson's Trust (CPT) were due to take on the next extreme cycling challenge in the CPT Raid series: the legendary Raid Alpine. They would attempt 800km and 19,000m vertical ascent in 6 days, starting on Sunday 28 June.

With that event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and led by Rugby World Cup winner Mike Tindall MBE, CPT Patron, an incredible team of true sporting icons and wonderful CPT supporters have united to take on the latest and only socially-distanced challenge in the Raid Series - Raid Local.

The challenge? Cover a gruelling 137km in distance and an extraordinary 3,700m of ascent - either in your local area or at home on the virtual cycling platform Zwift, where the distance will be broken down into three stages. Our Grand Depart around the country and on Zwift, led by Mike and Sir Chris Hoy, will be 8am BST on Sunday 28 June.

While Mike and others will tackle the Raid on their local hills around the UK, France and beyond, his team of celebrity stars will lead the virtual Raid Local on Zwift, and you can ride alongside them. The team includes:

*Olympic and World Champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy (leading stage 1, 08.00am)

*Ex-English Rugby International and leading Zwift athlete Austin Healey (leading stage 2, 11.00am)

*Ex-Welsh Rugby International and World Rugby Player of the Year 2008 Shane Williams MBE (leading stage 3, 15.00pm)

*Rugby World Cup winner Iain Balshaw MBE (sweeper across all 3 stages)

The team will also be joined by:

*Olympic skeleton racing Gold Medallist 2010 Amy Williams MBE

*Professional golfer and seven-time Ryder Cup winner Lee Westwood OBE

*TV and radio broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher

To join the Raid Local challenge, you will need to either create your own route on your local roads and join our dedicated Club on the trusted Strava App to record your performance, or join the unique star-studded Raid Local event on Zwift via this link:

www.zwiftinsider.com/raid-local/

Participants on Zwift will be able to ask the celebrity lead riders questions via the in-event messaging facility.

In these COVID-19 times, CPT needs donations more than ever. We receive no government funding and rely on our challenge events to support our cutting-edge research. In 2020, 95% of our events have been cancelled, so your support during these uncertain times matters more than ever.

By riding and fundraising for Raid Local, you will help CPT to fund research with potential to slow, stop or reverse Parkinson's. Thank you.

For more information please contact Jessica@cureparkinsons.org.uk

Photo taken in 2019: 4 CPT Raid Pyrenean riders are relieved to reach the top of the brutal Col de Jau in the Pyrenees, at the end of 11 hours of riding and their hardest day. They had climbed 3400m in vertical ascent.