OLYMPIC gold medallist Bradley Wiggins has accepted the challenge of Ramsbottom's gruelling Rake hill climb.

The 27-year-old track and road cyclist has signed up to enter the punishing annual race from Carr Street to Holcombe Village on October 14.

Wiggins has four Olympic medals, including gold for the 4km individual pursuit at Athens 2004. He will be attempting to retain gold in the same discipline at the World Road Championships in Stuttgart this weekend.

The athlete, who received an OBE in 2005, is known as a track and road rider but he accepted the chance to show that he can adjust to any challenge when he was approached by Lancashire Road Club organisers about his year's Rake climb.

The average gradient of the 947-yard course via Rawson's Rake is 1 in 8.8, with a maximum gradient of 1 in 4.8.

It's not the first time that a big name cyclist has signed up to compete. National and international title winners Malcolm Elliot, Graeme Obree and Chris Boardman, have all taken on the challenge in the past.

Organiser Peter Graham said: "We've never been short of a crowd but a big name always raises the profile even further. This will give Bradley's fans a chance to see him in action - and in slow motion.

"There will also be cyclists who weren't sure whether to enter but who will put themselves forward now because they will want the chance to try to beat Bradley.

"Obviously this is a very different type of race to what he is used to but cyclists of this class tend to be very adaptable. We'll have to see how he gets on against the specialists."

Wiggins is a club-mate of six-time Rake winner Jim Henderson, of Southport Road Club, although he will represent his professional team, Cofidis, at Ramsbottom.

Mr Graham said: "We won't know until the day how serious Bradley's going to take it but I should imagine he will want to try to beat his club-mate."

The first race will start at noon on Sunday October 14. The deadline for entries is October 3.