Cyclists ride 5,000 kilometres. For breakfast (6 photos)

Five men and two women are cycling 5,000 kilometres in eight days and nights.

For someone else's breakfast.

Seven folk from Apropur, a Quebec-based dairy marketing cooperative, are cycling from Victoria, British Columbia to St-Hubert, Quebec to raise money for Breakfast Clubs of Canada.

They're calling the ride, Cycling for Kids.

The team is made up of management and sales people from Agropur, which produces dairy products such as Yoplait and Natrel.

The team members all work in Agropur's fine cheese division.

They stopped in Sault Ste. Marie yesterday and brought along their three-person team of trainers from Esprit de Corps as well as a really big pink van they are living in for the duration of the continuous eight-day trip.

Breakfast Clubs of Canada sponsors nutrition programs in schools across the country and cyclist Franco DiLiberatore (shown) says Agropur is a natural fit as a fundraising organization for the charity.

"Agropur is in the dairy business and it's a health-conscious organization," he says. "What better way to help than to ensure more children start their day with a healthy breakfast and make sure that they have the opportunity to have that healthy head start to their day."

DiLiberatore, 49, is the second oldest member of the team, which ranges in age from 40 to 53.

"We've been together for 10 years and we wanted to something to celebrate that and build the team synergy," he said during a stop outside Sault Ste. Marie City Hall. "We thought it would be an experience we'd never forget or repeat."

Team members take turns cycling 40-kilometre legs of the relay at least once each day, sometimes twice, and also take turns navigating or driving the van.

They've been sleeping, eating, driving, navigating and cycling continuously together since June 24 and are on schedule to arrive in St-Hubert tomorrow.

DiLiberatore said he and the other six team members began training for the relay in August 2007 and have benefited greatly from the attentions of their trainers.

For more information, check out the Cycling for Kids website.