Postman Melvyn Yeo will ride 123km part of Tour de Yorkshire

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https://www.theargus.co.uk/resources/images/9777426?type=responsive-gallery-fullscreenA POSTMAN will be getting on his bike and riding a route fit for professionals.

Melvyn Yeo, 53, from Hove, will be tackling the amateur version of the gruelling Tour de Yorkshire Ride on Sunday.

Mel, who rides a bike for his job, will take on a mammoth 123km cycle loop of Leeds along with other amateur cyclists ahead of the professionals.

Mel said: “It’s going to be an incredible challenge.

“I hope I’ll be able to hold my own on the route but more than anything it’s a fun way to get involved in this well-known race and raise some money for a good cause.”


The amateur group will follow a slightly different route to the professional Tour de Yorkshire cyclists.

Melvyn and his fellow riders will ride a course that starts and ends in Leeds, and is also some 50km shorter than the route the professionals ride.

The pros – who include the likes of four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome – will take on a 175km path that will start in Halifax and have the same end in Leeds.

To ensure there is no issue with crossover, the amateurs will be heading off at about 8am.

The professionals will leave Halifax at about 2pm and will likely finish three hours later at 5pm.

Mel will be riding to raise money for Sussex Homeless Support.

It is an address Mel delivers to on his round and a cause close to his heart as he sees for himself many homeless people on his deliveries.

He hopes to raise £1,000.

Mel was encouraged to sign up to the race by Brighton-based artist Mackenzie Thorpe, someone else he delivers to on his round.

Middlesbrough-born Mackenzie was chosen to be the official artist of this year’s Tour de Yorkshire.

Mackenzie regularly receives packages from Mel and says that he is delighted his postman will have a role to play in this year’s tour.

He said: “Everyone at my studio loves Mel, he’s really friendly and nothing is too much trouble for him, the perfect postman really.

“When he heard about my involvement with the race and saw some of the bits and pieces we were working on, and as a keen cyclist you could see he was interested.


“It’s a really long way for him to travel to the race, he normally just takes part in races in the South East but he didn’t need that much encouragement when we told him about how fantastic the scenery is in Yorkshire.”

To donate to Mel’s cause visit http://www.everyclick.com/melyorkshireride/info" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;