Firefighters back on their bikes

Photo: Tim Bradley

Oldham Fire Station Firefighters preparing for 1,300 mile cycle challenge.

Blazing Saddles to tackle a twin town trek

‘It will be our biggest challenge to date, the Alps will be tough’

A CREW of fundraising firefighters are training for their hardest challenge yet — a 1,300-mile cycle ride from Slovenia to Oldham in aid of five charities.

The firefighters, based at Oldham Fire Station in Lees Road, will set off from Oldham’s twin town of Kranj in Slovenia on June 1, crossing the Alps and seven other countries to make it back to Oldham just 10 days later.

Known as Blazing Saddles, the group has already raised almost £30,000 for various charities with two previous challenges.

The determined group’s first event, in 2013, saw them cycle to all 41 fire stations in Greater Manchester in one day, covering a staggering 176 miles

Bigger

For Blazing Saddles 2 last year, the group were not content with simply climbing each of the UK’s three highest peaks, and instead opted to also cycle the 500 miles between each of the mountains.

Organiser Lee Cooper said that for this year’s attempt, they knew they had to go even bigger.

The 42-year-old firefighter said: “We were thinking about what we could do for Blazing Saddles 3 and we had the idea to go to Oldham’s twin towns.

“A lot of the riders were up for a European event and wanted to cycle on the continent so it just grew from there.

“It will be our biggest challenge to date as every day will be different and involve different terrain.

“Cycling through the Alps will be particularly tough.

“But we are determined to get there and it’s important that we get the training in.”

The riders are hoping to sleep in local fire stations along the way, as well as a few village hotels, and will also visit Oldham’s German twin town of Lansberg on their journey.

Lee added: “We’ve also got a few firefighters from Slovenia interested in starting the ride along with us.

“We’ll be taking some gifts from Oldham over there and hope to bring back something from our twin towns as well.”

The firefighters are now looking for sponsorship and donations to help them with their fundraising, with all the money raised going to Macmillan Cancer, Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity), Teenage Diabetes, Manchester Eye Hospital and the Firefighters Charity.

Hearts

Lee continued: “These are all charities that are close to our hearts and it means a lot to be able to fundraise to help them.

“We are asking for sponsors to help us with the challenge and for donations for the charities.”

To sponsor Blazing Saddles contact Lee on 0796-7962298 or visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/blazingsaddlesoldham.