This summer, 43 Blazing Saddles cyclists will bid ‘Au revoir’ to Ireland and ‘Bonjour’ to France as they cycle 6 stages of the route of the Tour De France to raise funds for the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI).

Preparations are well under way as the 41 men and 2 women train for this most gruelling of tasks which will see them, led by Irish cycling hero Sean Kelly, complete this most demanding of challenges. Cycling 140 miles per day, for up to 12 hours each day, the Tour De Tour will put the group through their paces for six of the nine days from the 22nd - 31st August.

Training for this event will be as arduous as the event itself, say Sean Kelly, Tour Leader. In training, each participant will have to cycle 350-400 miles per week on demanding hilly terrain, with early starts and strict regimes the norm. Only the créam de la créam can take this Challenge on!

Each of the participants must also raise a minimum of €2,000 to compete in the Tour De Tour, all proceeds of which will go to the National Council for the Blind of Ireland's National Talking Book and Tape Library Services.

According to Des Kenny, Chief Executive of the NCBI, this Tour De Tour is of great significance to the organisation and the rapidly expanding talking book and tape library service which now has over 3,000 avid readers. "On this, the 100th Anniversary of the first Tour De France, we are delighted to be associated with such a prestigious event and wish our cyclists well on their way! Many of them have completed our 10th Anniversary Coast to Coast Tour from the west to east coast of America, and are therefore aware of the trials they will face on this trip. I hope you will lend your support to this great event and to the National Council for the Blind of Ireland.

Places for the Tour De Tour are filled, but if anyone is interested in participating in future NCBI fundraising events which may not be as demanding please contact NCBI on 1850 33 43 53 for a copy of their fundraising brochure.

For Further Information or a map of the route please contact:

Sarah Gahan - 01 8307033 or 087 6846088