ONE year after setting a burpee world record at a village fete, a Watchfield man is attempting to hit new heights by riding the full 2015 Tour de France route.

Jeremy Redford, 42, of High Street in Watchfield, wants to ride all 2,000 miles of the race in the same three-week time span the likes of Chris Froome and Alberto Contador will complete it.

Last June Jeremy pushed out more than 8,000 burpees in 12 hours to set a world record, but will end this June with the start of his gruelling cycle.

“Some of the Alpine and Pyrenees climbs I’m really looking forward to,” he said.

“I have been doing a lot of training. I could struggle around now, but by the time the summer comes around I will be able to enjoy it.

“I rode up Mont Ventoux twice last year and it’s meant to be the hardest climb in the world, but I didn’t find it that bad.”

The Defence Academy executive officer has splashed out £3,000 to ride the Tour one week before the race itself with Tour De Force, an organisation which provides accommodation, food, transfers, medical and mechanical support.

Tour De Force raises money for William Wates Memorial Trust, a charity which keeps disadvantaged youths away from crime and violence, and Jeremy has pledged to raise £2,000.

He will start in Utrecht, Netherlands on June 27 and finish in the Champs d’Elysee on July 19 after cycling the distance between London and Cairo – but with mountains along the way.

The blogger, who posts at fitandforty.org, will also tackle Mont Ventoux, widely regarded as the toughest climb in world cycling with its summit at more than 6,000ft.

The married father-of-one’s confidence is not unfounded. He has been cycling much of his life, and when his wife asked to visit Cribbs Causeway at the weekend he agreed to meet her there on his bike.

Wife Alison, 42, a Wood Street dentist, and daughter Lucy, 12, a Faringdon Community College student, are used to Jeremy being away after a number of years working offshore.

Now in his office-based role at Shrivenham, with the blessing of his employer and family, Jeremy can finally attempt a lifetime ambition.

“I have always watched the race and been obsessed with it since 1989, almost religiously. I can’t wait to do it,” he said.

“My employer was able to give me the time off. My wife and daughter understand I always wanted to do this.

“It’s the way the stars have aligned. I have been getting all the training in over winter too.”

While the professionals will complete most stages in five to six hours, Jeremy expects he and his 40 Tour De Force companions to take eight.

His training is going well so far and he recently rode 100 miles in just six hours.