A CYCLIST is gearing up to ride up a 10,000ft-high mountain pass in the Alps – to raise money for an Oxford hospital ward.

David Smith, 46, from Bicester, plans to tackle the 27.4km (15-mile) climb up the Stelvio Pass between Italy and Switzerland – one of the steepest roads in the Alps.

It will be the second time he has ridden the route, but this time he aims to raise £2,500 to buy monitoring equipment for the stroke ward at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington.

The engineer has two reasons to thank the ward. Firstly, staff helped his friend Peter Jeffrey, of North Leigh, near Witney, recover after a stroke.

And secondly he met his girlfriend, nurse Haydee Tinamisan, originally from the Philippines, there.

Mr Smith, of Elm Close, Bicester, said: “Peter has always been physically fit and never complained of illness. As a former builder, he was also very big and strong.

“He’s my fly-fishing partner and we enjoyed fishing together each weekend at Farmoor reservoir.”

Last October, Mr Jeffrey suffered a stroke and was treated on ward 5B at the hospital, where he stayed for several months.

Mr Smith said: “His stay on 5B was invaluable and the hard work and support by the nursing staff helped him regain his ability to walk and use his left arm.”

Mr Smith decided to raise cash to help other stroke patients by taking on the cycle challenge.

He said: “It’s the second highest road in Europe. It’s a 27.4km climb. There’s no downhill section – it’s uphill all the way.

“The road is shut to traffic for one day. Lots of international cycle teams use it for mountain climbing training, people go up on in-line skates, bikes, carts with children in.

“It was featured on Top Gear when it was voted the best road for driving. I invited Jeremy Clarkson, but he declined.

“As soon as you go out of the village of Prato, that’s the base of the Stelvio Pass.

“It’s not your normal Sunday afternoon bike ride.”

Mr Smith has been training for the event, in August, by cycling to and from work, and every day rides up and down the road to Brill three times, which is a 1,000m climb.

Mr Smith added: “It’s getting me used to that slogging climb.

“I did it in two hours, 42 minutes last time. It’s not something you can race.”