The Tour de France is the most famous cycling event in the world and takes primacy for many pro cyclists in the UCI world tour. Sports Tours International is an official VIP Tour Operator of the Tour de France and we have unrivalled experience of the Tour as we have been operating trips to the Tour de France for over twenty years.
We know exactly where to take you and how to get the very best out of your Tour experience. This is a cycling holiday with a difference!
With many of our Tour de France trips, we offer the chance for you to ride on some of the roads used in the stage that day on some of the most famous climbs in cycling history. For cycling spectators, we will take you to strategic points on the stage, so that you can get the best view of the action!
The Tour de France was created in 1903 by the struggling French newspaper, L’Auto, in an attempt to sell more copies. To say that the rather drastic measure worked would be an understatement as the Tour de France quickly became and still is, one of the most watched sporting events in the world!
There are several races taking place within the Tour which makes it a fascinating spectacle. The leader and subsequent overall winner wears the Yellow Jersey (le maillot jaune). Other prizes on offer are: the daily stage victories, intermediate sprints for the green points jersey and the mountain points for the red polka-dot climber’s jersey. Another classifications is the white jersey for the best rider under 25. The arrival of the riders of the Tour on the Champs-Elysées in Paris is always a massive cheering event where thousands of spectators gather to cheer on the riders.
The overall winner of the Tour de France is virtually always decided by the final Sunday. The start of the race on this day takes palce in relaxed circumstances with beer and Champagne being shared around amongst the riders. The race has resulted in a mass sprint on the Champs Elysees for the last few years and winning in Paris is a sprinter’s dream
Imagine riding your bike on the same roads as the most famous cyclists in cycling history, over some of the battlegrounds of famous duels involving heroes of Tour de France history. With any luck you may even bump into some of the cycling legends as we work our way around France or meet some of the current top pros at the stage starts or finishes.
If you want to ride a full stage of the Tour de France, you can enter L'Etape du Tour, the stage which anyone can enter.
You can find details of travel insurance partners at http://www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk/?p=2119
