How to Ride the Entire Tour de France Route for a Certain Year

If you are truly passionate about the Tour de France and you are fit and healthy
(and can get a month off of work), you may wish to consider riding the entire Tour de France route. While the route varies from year to year, there are many companies offering to take you along the race route while the race is going on. Usually, these companies will guide you through either right before or right after the race. Some will have you start riding well in advance of the racers, have you pull over while the race goes by and then carry on behind them. This type of vacation is a great way for a bicycling enthusiast to spend a month.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Decide if you want to have a professional group take you through the current year’s Tour or if you want to ride a favorite route of a past year. There are some companies that offer tours of past routes or offer customized tours. You may also go it on your own.

2. If you are riding the current year’s route, the task of planning your trip becomes much simpler. The logistics of food, supplies, and accommodations are generally left up to the tour company. All you have to do is book the tour, get in shape and get to the starting point.

3. If you are planning to ride the tour route of a past year, you will have to find a map, arrange for accommodations, food and a method of transporting your supplies. Have a contingency plan in case something bad or unforeseen happens. Plan for leg massages; you will need them.

4. Get to the starting point. You should probably use your own bike for an undertaking like this, so make certain that your bike is in good working order and that you have made shipping arrangements for it. Transport your bike in a proper bicycle carrying case.

5. Ride the route! If you do it alone, plan on achieving a Zen-like transcendence as you ride over 3,000 kilometers. If you are riding with a group, be prepared to become unbelievably close to these people. Be prepared to return a changed person once you achieve the goal of riding an entire Tour de France,

6. Be prepared for the shocked reactions of your friends and family at how different you look after you ride the route of the Tour de France. The professionals may lose up to ten pounds over the course of the race. You may lose significantly more.

Tips & Warnings

• Eat plenty to keep your strength up.
• Be prepared for all kinds of weather.
• If you are planning your own timetable, be certain you build in rest days. Go for a short, easy spin on these days.
• If you are riding on your own and without the support of a tour company, you will need to bring a trailer.
• Remember, you will need to use other forms of transportation to go from the end of some stages to the beginning of the next. For the most part, you will be able to use the rail system.
• Plan your trip thoroughly. It is no small undertaking.

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