Mountain to climb for cycling fans

Rowan Boon, science teacher Gavin Mulholland, Jacob Burton and John Horner from Calder High School preparing for the Alpe D'Cragg challenge.

The challenge will be accompanied by a chalkboard tally and real-time lego tower being constructed outside the Robin Hood pub, with each successful climb adding a brick to the collection.

Cyclists are invited to ride as many times as they like, with 27 climbs being the equivalent to the height of Mount Everest.

Students from Calder High School will also be taking part in a similar challenge on the afternoon of June 20 before the 24-hour event starts at 6pm.

Organiser Jonathan Emberton, of local mobile cycle maintenance service Craggvelo, who are sponsoring the event, said: “The whole bid for the Yorkshire leg of the Tour was audacious so we wanted to respond with an audacious idea of our own.

“The theme of the Longest Hill on the Longest Day has really captured the imagination of riders both locally and from further afield.

“The use of social media to promote the idea has had a fantastic response.

“Of the expected 50 plus riders, some will be people challenging themselves to ride just once up the iconic climb while others see how many they can do in a full 24 hours of cycling.

“Many people have said how excited they are about doing a climb at sunrise, around 4am on the longest day.

“We will have 27 Calder High students doing their own Everest in a curtain raising event on the afternoon of Friday the 20th and it would be great if they then came back for the main event and brought their parents.”

For more information or to join in the challenge, call 07792 900971 or email [email protected].