The pens, the stethoscopes, the pitchforks and the tools of the trade from seven Shropshire businessmen and women will be cast aside this weekend – as they take on one of the toughest endurance races in the cycling calendar.

A nine-person team including Mike Jones, of Shrewsbury’s Stan’s Cycles, farmer Matthew Davies, Doctor Mike Guildford, property management brothers Chris and Tom Pook, engineer Dave Griffiths and policewoman Victoria Grimmer will take part in the Haute Route Pyrenees 2015 event.

The riders, all members of the Shropshire-based Paramount Cycle Race Team, will leave the country for the European mountains on Thursday.

Backed by Shrewsbury businesses, estate agents Cooper Green Pooks and Stan’s Cycles based on Wyle Cop, the team hope they will be standing on the podium at the close of the seven day challenge.

Chris Pook said: “Everyone works full time so we have spent the past nine months fitting in 10 to 15 hours of training every week to get ready for the event.

“We will be up against a high quality field of amateur endurance riders from all over the world with up to 60 countries represented year on year.

“It is a seven-day timed race through the Pyrenees with podium and prizes after each stage. When we completed the event in 2012 we were the first overall UK team and the fourth team overall in the event.

“This year we are aiming for the podium and also to put one or two individuals high up in the general classification.”

The event involves seven stages, over seven days – August 15 to 21 – and covers 802km of riding over some of the most iconic mountain passes in the Pyrenees.

Described as the most challenging and prestigious course in the history of the Haute route Pyrenees, the 2015 route will begin in Biarritz and make its way in an Eastwards direction to finish for the first time in France’s fourth biggest city, Toulouse.

Paramount Cycle Racing Team manager Ben Lawrence said: “This is a really great event to be doing and we hope we can retain our title of top British team.”