After 30 years spent out of the saddle, a Peel man has taken on the challenge to ride two challenging cycling courses, all in the name of charity.

Mike Bibby, 62, has decided to take on the challenge of riding both the Manx Gran Fondo course, which will be part of the forthcoming Isle of Man Cyclefest, based at Milntown, Lezayre on Sunday week, April 22, and the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire two weeks later on Sunday, May 6.

Each course is more than 80 miles in length, and Mike faces the task of climbing more than 13,000ft of punishing hills both on the island and through the Yorkshire countryside.

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He is calling his campaign ’Wheel Overcome’, a reference to a charity he campaigns for, called ’We Shall Overcome’, which raises money for socially-minded causes.

Mike will donate money raised to the Isle of Man Foodbank and Housing Matters.

’The first event I am riding, the Gran Fondo course in the island, is a total of 82 miles, with 6,500 feet of climbing, which will be horrendous,’ said Mike.

’I’m not looking forward to that at all! The worst bit is going to be going up through Baldwin valley, past Injebreck, which is almost impossible for me at the best of times.

’But after doing 60-odd miles, including some other big climbs, it isn’t something that I am looking forward to at all. I’ll be glad when that bit is over with.

The Tour de Yorkshire ride takes place during a four-day cycle championship, which should feature some of the biggest names in road-racing, including Mark Cavendish, fitness permitting.

’They will have one day when they open part of the course for anybody to ride. That is also around 80 miles, with about 7,000ft of climbing, and it will be even harder. We finish in Leeds and I will hopefully be finishing before Cav!’

Mike said that he has been cycling seriously for only a year, after not having sat on on a bike for quite a while.

’I was actually very nervous starting cycling again. I haven’t been on the back of a bike for about 30 years, so I thought I would give myself a bit of a challenge. It was my son who got me started. He’d been trying to persuade me to give it a go, and a year ago, I thought "Why not"?

’I got myself a bike, and started off with a six-mile ride to St John’s and back and I haven’t looked back since.

’I really enjoy it. Or at least I did until I started the training for the Gran Fondo.’

Mike has a ’Wheel Overcome’ Justgiving crowd funding page which you can donate money to.