Ian McMahon is taking on all 21 stages of the world-famous Tour de France route in 2024 to raise money for Cure Leukaemia.
GCMA member Ian McMahon is jumping on his bike to take on one of the most gruelling physical challenges to help raise funds for national blood cancer charity Cure Leukaemia.
Ian, who served as Managing Secretary at Filton and General Manager at Winter Hill before retiring in 2022, is riding in the charity’s ‘The Tour 21’ event, which will take place from June 22 to July 14 and see a team of 25 amateur cyclists taking on all 21 stages of the Tour de France with the aim of raising over £1,000,000 for the charity.
Starting in picturesque Florence in Northern Italy, the team will follow the same route as the world-famous race and ride close to 3,500km in just 21 days, finishing in Nice three weeks later.
It is the first time that the Tour de France has started in Italy and the first time it finishes in Nice, to
avoid the preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which begin just weeks later.
“Participating in The Tour 21 is more than just a personal challenge; it’s a commitment to make a
real difference,” said Ian. “Every pedal stroke through the 3,492 kilometres is a testament to our collective effort to fight blood cancer. I’m riding not only for myself but for those who are battling this disease every day.”
Money raised will be invested in the national Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP), which has been
solely funded by Cure Leukaemia – the UK Charity partner of the Tour de France since January 2020.
TAP is a network of specialist research nurses at 15 blood cancer centres located in the UK’s biggest
cities. This network enables accelerated setup and delivery of potentially life-saving blood cancer
clinical trials to run, giving patients from a UK catchment area of over 30 million people access to
treatments not currently available through standard care.
Ian has been busy training and fundraising for one of the world’s most gruelling sporting challenges,
which will see the team tackle over 52,300 metres of elevation across the 21 stages – the equivalent
of cycling up Mount Everest six times. He recently spent a week out in Mallorca with the team as
they tackled the mountainous terrain similar to what they experience on the Tour.
“This ride isn’t just about enduring one of the world’s most gruelling cycling challenges; it’s about
embodying the spirit of resilience and hope that we want to pass on to every individual affected by
blood cancer. It’s a daunting task, but the cause makes every hill climb and every mile worth it.
“Every pound we raise through The Tour 21 goes directly towards life-saving clinical trials and
research. Knowing that our efforts are contributing to potentially ground-breaking advancements in
blood cancer treatment is a powerful motivator. We’re not just riders; we’re part of a larger
movement to cure leukaemia.
“I am continually inspired by the support and stories of the community rallying behind The Tour 21.
It’s heartwarming to see how sports can bring people together for a cause that’s bigger than any
individual achievement.”
