A BUSINESSMAN has fulfilled every cyclists' dream by taking part in a race over a stage of this year's Tour de France.
Keen cyclist Ian Wilson is the managing director of Nelson-based engineering company Fort Vale. He took part in the Etape du Tour.
The race is an annual event organized by the Velo Club of France.
They take a stage of the Tour de France and use it for an amateur race a couple of days before the professional event.
Entry is by application only and limited to 8,500 people.
This year the organisers chose the longest stage in the tour - from Limoges in central France to Saint Flour - a distance of 238 kilometres.
It has a series of climbs totalling 14,000 ft.
Ian said: "Not many people can say they have raced over a stage of the Tour de France.
"I suppose it's every cyclists' dream and I was delighted to get the chance to take part in the Etape du Tour this year.
"It was a very long, very tough day, but it is one that I will never forget.
"The atmosphere among the other racers and spectators along the route made it very special.
Ian, who lives near Gisburn added: "I had trained for about five months prior the race and during that time I rode some 3500kms, so I was well prepared."
Competitors were given a time limit of 12 hours and 30 minutes to complete the course and 6,500 of the starters managed it.
Ian finished the course in a time of 9 hours 56 minutes. Three days later, when the official Tour raced the stage, it was won by French rider Richard Virenque in a fraction over 6 hours.
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