This year, five amateur cyclists have embarked on the greatest challenge of their lives. Dubbed the “Three Tours Challenge”, this epic feat of endurance will see each cyclist ride all of cycling's three, three week, Grand Tours - The Giro D’Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España - one day ahead of the professional events in May, July and August 2017. Only 39 professional cyclists have ever completed all three events in one year. No amateur team has done so.

It is a monumental challenge. The team will cycle a total of 10,504km in only 63 days of cycling. That equates to travelling from Birmingham to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, although far from being flat, it will encompass various mountain ranges - the Apennines, Dolomites, Alps, Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada. Why are they doing it? To raise £1m to help blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia fully fund the expansion of the internationally renowned Centre for Clinical Haematology. The expanded centre not only will save more lives, but also hasten global progress towards eradicating all forms of blood cancer, a goal Professor Charlie Craddock CBE, founder of the clinic, believes feasible within a generation.

The team has already received great support, not only from Crystal Palace Football Club and Farr Vintners wine merchants, which together have provided sufficient sponsorship to facilitate the event, meaning all monies raised go to the charity, but also the current England football manager Gareth Southgate, who said:

"As a former teammate of Geoff’s I know what a brave and committed player he was and these qualities will have no doubt helped him through his own battle with blood cancer. His fundraising since he beat the disease has not only raised millions but also inspired so many people in the process. I am in no doubt that Geoff and the team will complete this monumental cycling challenge and raise considerable funds towards Cure Leukaemia’s £1m Appeal. I hope the football community will unite behind this wonderful cause.”

Please give what you can because every single penny will go towards a charity that can help cure the third biggest cancer killer in the UK. Please help Cure Leukaemia.

Thank you.

For more information, visit: www.3tourschallenge.com

Cure Leukaemia's website: www.cureleukaemia.co.uk

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