Riding to the finish line next to the Eiffel Tower

Stacy Harper, head of customer contact at Leeds-based Sky Betting and Gaming, on her passion for cycling.

I STARTED cycling in January 2011 when myself and a few colleagues put our names down for the chance to cycle the ninth stage of the Tour de France, the Central Massif stage, with the support of Sky Cycling.

I had never taken on a cycling challenge before, let alone a stage in the world-famous Tour de France, so I was terrified when I received news that I’d been successful in gaining a place on the programme.

I thought I would never be able to achieve the level of fitness required to complete a 130-mile ride through tough terrain.

While I was training there were a lot of tough moments, including being overtaken by a man on a mountain bike in a Hawaiian shirt and cycling into the back of a Jeep!

I had some very nice bruises and scars from falling off several times but it was all worth it.

In the run-up to the race I completed a total of 22 weeks’ training and in the weeks before the event I was cycling for about 14 hours a week. I was definitely the fittest I’ve ever been.

Unfortunately, the Central Massif stage of the Tour de France didn’t go to plan.

The weather on the day was unseasonably horrendous, but everyone was wearing their summer cycling gear.

I, along with many other riders, was ill-equipped to deal with harsh weather conditions so I was only able to complete half the ride.

There were tales of riders being wrapped in silver foil blankets at the top of one of the main hills, and in the end the officials decided to close the route for safety reasons.

I was disappointed with how things had turned out at the Tour de France but had been bitten by the cycling bug and continued riding and taking part in various cycling events. I got back in the saddle for a Sky Ride event in Ireland in August 2011, riding 80 miles on closed roads with some stunning scenery to help me along.

Last year I completed the London to Paris Bike Ride, which involves cycling 300 miles over three days.

Riding to the finish line next to the Eiffel Tower with an amazing group of people was fantastic, as was watching Bradley Wiggins’ triumph in the Tour de France from ‘Brit Corner’ on the Champs Elysee the following day. Through some of the cycling events I’ve participated in I’ve had some unforgettable experiences and have even been lucky enough to get snapped with some of Britain’s cycling stars, including Bradley Wiggins and Victoria Pendleton.

I can honestly say I think I will always love being on the bike and I’ve already signed up to be a Tour Maker for the Tour de France 2014. The Sky Cycling programme for this year is now out so I’m just working on what the challenge will be for 2013!