Gosselin is one of the six Velo Club riders taking part

Six Guernsey cyclists will take part in the 2008 Etape du Tour through the Pyrenees on Sunday 6 July.

Velo Club riders Rob Smart, Stuart Le Tissier, Josh Gosselin, Danny Shaw, Jon Osborn and Jamie Burtenshaw are all tackling the 162 kilometre course.

The mountainous amateur race follows stage ten of the Tour de France.

And Gosselin said: "Unless you ride the mountains on a regular basis nothing can prepare us for what we are going to put our bodies through."

The riders have been preparing locally and off-island for the event with long training rides of up to six hours.

I'm looking forward to the climbs but I'm not so keen on the thought of the 60 or so miles to get there Danny Shaw

They will compete on their standard road bikes but have had to alter their gearing to cope with long climbs.

The stage begins in the town of Pau and includes an ascent up Col du Tourmalet, a 23.4km climb with a maximum gradient of 10%.

Once at the top the riders are faced with a dangerous 32km descent, as there are no road barriers.

Talking about the challenge Danny Shaw added: "I'm looking forward to the climbs but I'm not so keen on the thought of the 60 or so miles to get there."

At 169km long and over two mountains the riders are hoping for a finishing time between five and a half and six hours.