A FORMER Blackburn Rovers player is to tackle one of the toughest rides on the Tour de France circuit to raise money for Clarets legend Gary Parkinson.
Stuart Ripley, who won the Premiership with Blackburn Rovers in 1995, will ride the infamous “La Marmotte” cyclosportive in the French Alps on July 2.
The route is 108 miles long and features more than 5,180 metres of climbing.
The event goes over the Col du Glandon, Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier and finishes at the top of one the most famous Tour de France climbs, Alpe d’Huez.
It is generally considered to be the toughest one day sportive ride in the world.
Former England international Ripley and “Parky” were team-mates at Middlesborough in the 1980s before they went their separate ways.
Stuart, who lives in the Ribble Valley, also played in a charity match at the Riverside Stadium in aid of the Gary Parkinson Trust which will help pay for the former Claret star's care and recovery.
Gary, 42, suffered a massive stroke in September last year and has been left with locked-in syndrome, which means he can currently only communicate using his eyes to spell out words.
His son, Luke, has established a website, garyparky.co.uk, which provides updates on the former player’s progress.
Luke said: “We are hoping to buy a new vehicle with wheelchair access so that Gary can have visits home and out into the community much more often.
“Thanks to the generosity of all you people supporting all the events.”
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