Peter Ruffhead, former manager of the Arctic Shorter Rochford racing team, is to ride the Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur in memory of rider Peter Bissell, who passed away in 2007.

Peter Bissell cheered on by Peter Ruffhead at the 2005 National Hill Climb Championships

The gruelling trek from Paris to Brest and back to Paris again is 1200 km and is completed within the space of 90 hours, with Ruffhead having had to qualify for the event by completing 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km rides across the UK.

Peter Bissell passed away on the 29 December 2007. The coroner's report was inconclusive and being at a loss for a cause, asthma was entered on the Death Certificate. Peter had never been diagnosed with asthma but had struggled for some time with breathlessness which was put down to sport induced asthma.

Paying tribute to Bissell, Ruffhead said: "Back in 2004 I met Peter, that year he had received the Chris Boardman Trophy that year, came joint first in the Junior National 10 Mile Time Trial Championships and the previous year had become the youngest cyclist to win the Welwyn Track League at the Gosling Stadium, at the age of 17, so I knew he had the potential to go far in the sport. As I was looking for good riders to add to Arctic Shorter Rochford, the Racing Team that I was at that time managing, I took Peter on.

"During the three years that Pete was with the team he won the National Junior Hill Climb Championships in 2004 for Arctic, helped us win the National Hill Climb Team Championship in 2005, won the British National Espoirs (under 23) Road Race Champion, riding in Team Arctic Shorter Rochford colours in 2006 and again in 2007 assisted Arctic Shorter in gaining the National Hill Climb Team Championship. Between 2005 and 2007 Peter was also riding as a semi-professional racing cyclist in France, winning many races."

CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) has been chosen to benefit from this event. CRY was founded in 1995 to raise awareness of conditions that can lead to Young Sudden Cardiac Death and Sudden Death Syndrome and exists to provide research, a bereavement service and heart screening for those at risk.

To support Peter in his race, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Peter4petecry.