Sheffield dad rides the height of Mont Blanc

Roger Gibbon, aged 40, cycled up 23 ascents of the gruelling Mam-Nick road-climb in the Peak District last month, which is equivalent to scaling all 4809 metres of Mont Blanc, in France.

After completing the challenge, Roger has raised £1,093 for Qhubeka, a charity that provides bomb-proof bicycles to people in rural Africa who would otherwise need to walk long distances to access education, healthcare, shops and community services.

Roger, of Whirlow, said: “I’m delighted to have raised so much money for a truly amazing cause.

“This money will be enough for seven new bikes, which will make a huge difference to the lives of some of the poorest families in Africa.”

Roger said the hardest part of the challenge was overcoming the psychological barriers.

He said: “About the 17th time up, it was getting incredibly hard and I was having to battle it in my mind.

“Luckily I got a second wind shortly after that, though, which allowed me to finish on a high note.

“It was very tough. The weather didn’t help either – it was very windy and kept throwing it down with rain intermittently.

“No pain, no game, though. It was about as tough as I predicted, but worth every bit of effort.”

Roger, who works as an IT consultant, is a seasoned road cyclist and takes his fitness very seriously.