Three brothers fundraising cycle ride from Cupar to Italy
The 32 day long voyage is in memory of Pete Cura who died of myelofibrosis after a nine year battle
Last updated 10th Jun 2022
Later this month three brothers will begin a 32 day long cycle ride taking them from Cupar to their original family home in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.
The voyage is to raise money for the charity Blood Cancer UK in memory of their brother Pete Cura who died of myelofibrosis after a nine year battle.
The trio have already raised over five thousand pounds and have received support from their entire family to take on their epic journey.
Setting off from Pete's art gallery in their home town of Cuapr on the 25th June the trio will make their way to Newcastle in stages where they will catch a ferry to The Netherlands and begin their journey through mainland Europe.
The Tour d'Milt will culminate in the trio's arrival in Buzzo, which they call Pete's 'ancestral and spiritual home' and his brother in-law Graham Laing says they have something special planed for when they arrive. He said: "Hopefully, the whole family, they're going to be flying out and they're going to meet us there.
"That's Pete's mum and dad, all the siblings, brothers and sisters and all of their families so grandchildren and all of the great grandchildren as well. We're hoping to have just a wee kind of memorial ceremony with the family and Pete's Italian friends."
One of Pete's brothers, David Cura says the challenge means a lot to him: "It's about getting Pete's memory from Cupar to Buzzo, you know, that's what it's all about and if we can make a bucket load of money to try and help fund the research into this disease then all the better."
Graham added: "When we go over the Alps and we're cycling down into Italy, for me personally, that will be the most emotional point of the whole trip. So it does, it means a whole lot. On various different levels it means an awful lot."
The trio have been putting in the hours to train for their mammoth task as they travelled to Yorkshire to test themselves on hills like the ones they'll be facing on their route.
David says it will be a tough challenge, saying: "Mike (Pete's other brother taking part) was a PE teacher so he was very active, fit. Graham, you know, a marathon man and myself, nothing. So for me it's a massive challenge. I class myself as relatively fit. I've got a bike that should be able to handle the journey now.
"So, you know, I'm very optimistic. My challenge, and we'll all have our own personal goals, my challenge is to go from the 25th (June) to the 3rd (August). Hills are no fun, I'll tell you that now, so we'll do what we can, It's not going to be easy.
"We're putting the miles in and doing what we can and I guess it's a bit crazy to have set ourselves this goal in such a short training window but, we will achieve it."