Our Insane Attempt to Ride the 2007 Tour de France Route
In and around France
Andy Wilton and Neville Giles planned to visit and watch the 2008 Tour de France. The original concept was to ride part of some of the stages and watch key parts of the famous event. However, on reading an account of a fat journalists attempt to ride the whole thing, the germ of an idea was planted. Then following numerous Fosters at the Australian Grand Prix, the fatal words were uttered "Why dont we ride the whole thing ?". And so was set in motion our own personal 'Everest'. To ride the 2007 Tour De France route.
Starting in May 2008, Andy and I will ride all the stages except the Time Trials and stage in the UK. Around 3000km in 32 days. This is a record of that journey. Our stage names of Julian and Thor refer to team Credit Agricole who rode the 2007 Tour. Thor Hushvold is the teams main sprinter and he is led out by Julian Dean, the only NZer to ride the 2007 Tour. Their pairing describes ours, with Nev leading the way only for Andy to power ahead and grab all the glory !
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler Julian and Thor
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1
We're off !
On Saturday, Andy and Neville (under the stage names of Thor and Julian) will fly out to embark on their own personal Everest. To ride the 2007 Tou... Continue reading »
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2
Starting with the sea at our backs and wind in our faces!
We arrived in port city of Dunkerque around 4pm on Monday 19th having driven up from Paris (an adventure in itself). Wind is blowing very strong... Continue reading » -
3
Another day, another country.
Wahoo! We have successfully riden a full stage of the tour de france. Dunkerque, France to Gent, Belgium was stage 3 of last years tour. Approx 1... Continue reading » -
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Back into France and heading south
Day two dawned quickly and we saddled up to resume our adventure (or torment perhaps). Spectacular summer day for our second stage from Waregem to Lan... Continue reading » -
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Rolling along in the rolling hills
What a great ride today. Wind had dropped but still slightly behind us. Decided to ride from Cambrai rather than backtrack to Landrecies. Started out... Continue reading » -
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Who eats all this food?
Another sensational day greeted the boys as we saddled up again. Our ride today was from the town of Villers-Cotterets to the river side town of Nogen... Continue reading » -
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The perfect road
We have found the perfect cycle road. About 15km into our ride this morning, we came around a bend to see an extremely long straight road ahead of... Continue reading »
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8
Who put the hills at the end?
A torrential thunderstorm erupted in Joigny overnight and so we faced the prospect of a wet day on the road for the last stage of our first week. Howe... Continue reading » -
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Here comes the rain
Our luck with the weather had to change and sure enough it did. Awoke to rain on the campervan roof and didnt really let up all day. We must be gettin... Continue reading » -
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The only way is up
As cycling commentators endlessly opine, the tour only really starts once you reach the mountains. The first week is for the glory boy sprinters, wher... Continue reading » -
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Run to the hills
The mountains apparently sort out the men from the boys. Well, we are now men! We completed stage 7 of TdF 2007 with our day including three clim... Continue reading » -
12
Ferme = Closed
Le Grand Bornand to Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Today we were scheduled to ride the first half of stage 8 of Tour de France 2007. Stage 8 was a beast... Continue reading »
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13
Wow. WOW. All I can say is Wow !
Today was a short but incredibly intense ride. Starting from Bourg-Ste-Maurice, we were required to ride up the 15km Category 1 climb to Montee d’H... Continue reading »
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14
Taming L'Alpe d' Huez
There are known climbs, famous climbs and then there is Alpe d'Huez. It is the most famous and notorious cycling climb and has long been a lan... Continue reading »
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15
Whats that orange blob in the sky giving off heat?
A thunderstorm overnight relented by morning and we were treated to a beautiful day which was a terrific change after rain every day in the Alps. T... Continue reading »
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16
From sea to shining sea !
Yet another thunderstorm overnight but again cleared by morning allowing us fine weather to continue our determined surge south in search of the se... Continue reading »
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17
Where's a Peloton when you need one?
The Tour de France cyclists have it pretty tough but one major advantage over us mortals following them is that they ride the majority of the... Continue reading »
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18
Against the wind.
Sometimes, it seems like your Ipod just knows what you are doing. Today we rode Stage 12 of last years tour from Montpellier to Castres. The rough... Continue reading »
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19
Heading into the Pyrenees
The Tour de France always visits the two great mountain chains that border France to the Southeast (Alps) and Southwest (Pyrenees). We have riden t... Continue reading »
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20
Up, up, up and more up !
Today was without doubt the toughest we had faced so far. The 100km to finish Stage 14 consisted of not one but two HC category climbs. A 16.8km cl... Continue reading »
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21
Why does it always rain on me?
The last mountain stage we would ride was Stage 15 of the 2007 Tour which took the riders from the quiet Midi-Pyrenees town of Foix, over a gut-bustin... Continue reading » -
22
Saving the big ones for last
After an unscheduled rest day to dry our bodies, clothes, bike and spirits, we returned to Aspet to resume Stage 15. Saving the best for last, the... Continue reading »
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24
Descending out of the mountains
After a few tough days in the mountains of the Pyrenees, it was great to start todays stage with only a handful of lowish Category four climbs on t... Continue reading »
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25
Pedalling towards Paris
Well, we are at the beginning of the end now. Today saw Team Kiwi Cycling ride the first half of the penultimate stage of last years tour from Caho... Continue reading »
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26
The joys of Summer
Summer in the south of France conjures up images of sultry sun drenched days and so it was quite a disappointment to awake to rain on the roo... Continue reading »
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27
And so it ends where it begins...Paris
We did it! Today we rode into Paris thus completing our mission to ride the route of the Tour de France 2007.
On a perfect early summers day... Continue reading »
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