Cycling legend and Tour de France TV presenter Chris Boardman lined up alongside 5,250 cyclists on Sunday at the Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Caledonia. Eight weeks before the 2014 Tour starts in Yorkshire, Boardman, who has two Olympic medals to his name, tackled the 81 mile closed road cycling event and chatted to participants along the route.

The event, which starts and finishes in the Highland Perthshire town of Pitlochry, is widely regarded as one of the most stunning in the UK and gives cyclists a chance to ride in pelotons on safe, closed roads (read our report on the 2014 Etape Caledonia here).

The ride gives participants a great chance to experience pelotons, descents and hill climbing on the infamous 'Schiehallion'. Chris had the opportunity to speak to the enthusiastic spectators and participants, who range from novice to club athletes, while completing the event in a time of 3h 49m 43s.

The five times Tour de France competitor commented afterwards:

"It was great. The weather really helped - we always prepare for the worst and hope for the best when it comes to the weather in the Northern Hemisphere and this was as good as it gets. Great roads, lots of people looking after each other and working together - a much more pleasurable ride than the Tour de France, I'll definitely be back next year."

The sports presenter was joined by former rugby union player and Scotland International, Rob Wainwright, who rode alongside a team of 24 riders, many of whom were fundraising for Official Charity Partner, Marie Curie Cancer Care.

He said: "I did the event last year and really enjoyed it so I had to come back with the team. The scenery in this part of the world is incredible and it's an amazing ride when you get a little luck with the weather. Lots of the guys are raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care and it's great to see so many people contributing to such a great cause."

Now in its eighth year, the Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Caledonia was the first closed road cycling event in the UK and has been immensely popular in recent years with general entries selling out in as little as eight hours as over 5000 riders race to gain their spot on the start line.

James Robinson, Managing Director at IMG Challenger World, said: "We are absolutely delighted with how well the eighth edition of Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Caledonia went this weekend. The event continues to be immensely popular amongst cyclists from all over the world, and you can see why with the stunning scenery on the route and the festival atmosphere at the finish line in Pitlochry. It was fantastic to see a cycling legend like Chris Boardman enjoying the unique opportunity to ride on traffic free roads and I'm sure other cyclists relished the opportunity to speak with him during the course of the day."

Register today for 2015 Etape Caledonia

Prospective participants for the 2015 Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Caledonia can now register their interest. Those who register will get an exclusive 24 hour window to enter the event when places go on sale later this year. With general entries selling out in just 8 hours this year, the head start will make all the difference for anyone hoping to tackle the 81 mile cycling challenge.

Visit www.etapecaledonia.co.uk to register your interest.

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