Cyclist James Maltin is joining former England footballer Geoff Thomas to tackle the Tour de France route in aid of Cure Leukaemia.

The 39-year-old from Aldbourne has been announced as the sixth cyclist joining Mr Thomas, a leukaemia survivor, on the 3,344km ride.

Le Tour – One Day Ahead takes place in July with cyclists completing the route under full rolling road closures just 24 hours in front of the peloton, with the target of raising £1m.

Mr Maltin, an investment director for Rathbones in London, said the 21-stage ride will be the biggest physical challenge of his life.

In the past Mr Maltin has cycled part of the Great Wall of China for Mencap and last summer he rode from London to Paris for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

It was during this challenge that he met Mr Thomas and was inspired to take on the arduous challenge of the entire Tour route.

Mr Thomas was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2003 and was given less than three months to live.

After treatment from Cure Leukaemia, including a bone marrow transplant from his sister, he has been in remission since January 2005.

Mr Maltin said: “I am very excited and a little nervous about joining the team. It is going to be hard work and my initial tests with Wattbike show just how far I have to go.

“I am hugely inspired by Geoff’s story, however, and by the idea of supporting Cure Leukaemia.”

To register for one of the final 15 places on the ride, visit www.beforethetour.com