A BUSINESSMAN has fulfilled every cyclists' dream by taking part in a race over a stage of this year's Tour de France.

Keen cyclist Ian Wilson is the managing director of Nelson-based engineering company Fort Vale. He took part in the Etape du Tour.

The race is an annual event organized by the Velo Club of France.

They take a stage of the Tour de France and use it for an amateur race a couple of days before the professional event.

Entry is by application only and limited to 8,500 people.

This year the organisers chose the longest stage in the tour - from Limoges in central France to Saint Flour - a distance of 238 kilometres.

It has a series of climbs totalling 14,000 ft.

Ian said: "Not many people can say they have raced over a stage of the Tour de France.

"I suppose it's every cyclists' dream and I was delighted to get the chance to take part in the Etape du Tour this year.

"It was a very long, very tough day, but it is one that I will never forget.

"The atmosphere among the other racers and spectators along the route made it very special.

Ian, who lives near Gisburn added: "I had trained for about five months prior the race and during that time I rode some 3500kms, so I was well prepared."

Competitors were given a time limit of 12 hours and 30 minutes to complete the course and 6,500 of the starters managed it.

Ian finished the course in a time of 9 hours 56 minutes. Three days later, when the official Tour raced the stage, it was won by French rider Richard Virenque in a fraction over 6 hours.