With another unsuccessful treatment for the incurable Myeloma blood cancer under his belt, Bob’s enforced sofa residence in the summer of 2012 was an unlikely genesis for his dream to buy a road bike and get fit enough to cycle through France in a peloton. But having watched every minute of Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France victory that year, he was inspired to launch Myeloma UK’s first ever mass participation cycle, a 4 Day, London to Paris Grand Tour – ‘Pro Ride For Amateurs’ Fundraiser in 2016.

Escorted by motorcycle outriders, creating a rolling roadblock, and with full mechanical and physio support, 125 cyclists including his own team of 45 family and friends, experienced the thrill of cycling through the French countryside before sweeping along the Champs Elysees, past the Arc de Triomphe, in a peloton, to the Eiffel Tower. A now annual event raising millions for the charity.

In 2023, having worked tirelessly as a fundraiser and patient advocate, and survived 11 years, against all the odds, Bob launched his 2nd Charity Grand Tour Cycle from Pisa to Rome for Myeloma UK. Same professional peloton ride adventure from the Tower of Pisa, through Siena and the spectacular, and very hilly, Tuscan scenery to the Vatican City and a gladiatorial finish at the Colosseum.

Another awe-inspiring experience for the riders and dramatic response and engagement from supporters and sponsors.

With little in house expertise, most charities entrust the organisation of their cycling events to commercial ‘charity event companies’ who offer a suite of cycling, running, walking, climbing etc. trips to numerous exotic locations all over the world, right up to the iconic London to Paris Cycle.

This delegation necessitates covering the heavy overheads of these multi-event companies, as well as your own charity’s expenses, and dilutes the passion and focus required for recruitment and engagement of your supporters.

The resulting poor ‘Return on Investment’ and minimal participation levels understandably leads to the charities’ further neglect of what can, and should, be an inspirational, lucrative and impactful mass participation event for you, in the right hands. Just saying.

As both passionate cyclists and ‘skin in the game’ charity fundraisers, we use our committed and specialised experience of organising groups of, circa 50-100 charity supporters per trip, on just 3 iconic and aspirational cycle routes – Pisa-Rome, London-Paris & Mallorca 360. Our Grand Tours.

We organise and oversee every aspect of your event and, crucially, manage costs in a way that everyone would hope their chosen Charity would do, utilising your own charity’s supporters and volunteers and their skills and generosity. This ultra efficient model will boost your Return On Investment off the scale.

But here’s the best bit, our incredible events – cycling with motorcycle escorts and rolling road blocks, supported by mechanics and physios, as you cruise in a peloton through incredible scenery on the way to our iconic finishes at the Arc de Triomphe / Eiffel Tower or The Vatican / Colosseum, in the Charity’s team kit, is the closest any of us will get to ‘riding like a pro’. These aspirational events galvanise your charity’s supporters and key stakeholders (including medical professionals and related commercial company sponsors and staff) into huge participation, engagement and inspiration to fundraise. Giving them the experience of a lifetime and your charity the funds and awareness to do your valuable work.

We also offer bespoke guided and supported events for smaller groups whether you’re fundraising for your charity, team building as a company, need a fresh route for your club or just because cycling with your mates somewhere new is fun.

In addition to our Grand Tour routes (Pisa-Rome, London-Paris, Mallorca360), we are packed and ready to go for LEJOG’s of any duration, Coast to Coasts across the UK and Europe, Iconic Peaks combinations featured in the Pro Grand Tours, to suggest just a few.

In every case, our attention to detail and our quest for the most cycle friendly and beautiful routes, sets us apart.

If you have an idea, or are looking for ideas, contact us at or 07977 557734, and let’s start the conversation.

We provide full financial protection for our events, by way of a bond held by ABTOT. The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Grand Tour Cycling Ltd (membership no. 5668) and in the event of their insolvency.

Whether you’re relatively new to cycling or a keen club cyclist, these rides are tailored to your ability with different speed groups and climbing metres to suit everyone.

“Having recovered sufficiently (see Story above), in 2014 I’d bought my first road bike and by 2016, I’d organised Myeloma UK’s first ‘Pro Ride For Amateurs London to Paris Fundraiser. Cycling had already become my physical salvation, helping me to stay fit as I endured constant cancer drug treatment, and now it starred in the dream I had when I was prone on the sofa watching every minute of the Tour de France victories of Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.

The detailed organisation meant that the 125 riders of our peloton would get the closest experience possible to that of the pro teams. Team kit, full mechanical, physio and nutritional support and, crucially, professional motorcycle escorts who provide a rolling road block all through the French countryside and the streets of Paris, round the Arc de Triomphe, to our destination at the Eiffel Tower.

Like the big kid I am, I’d pictured myself (in the TV helicopter shot), sweeping down hills in a peloton and waving to the crowds on the Champs Elysees. And here I was doing just that. The combination of this dreamlike scenario and completing a tough 4 days of cycling with family, friends and a group of new friends bonded by the mission to raise funds for the charity, left most of us in tears. Truly the experience of a lifetime.

The annual Myeloma UK London Paris has since raised over £1.5 million but with Paris veterans looking for the same Pro-Rider experience in another location, in 2023, I put together Pisa to Rome in exactly the same format, but with Italian support. A step up in terms of the hills to be climbed, but also in the scenery you get to see as you glide through the heart of Tuscany and onto The Vatican and the Colosseum. And this time with the drone footage that featured in my dream!”.

:Bob Munro