Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

by **briztoon** » Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:54 am

Hey guys and girls,

Well my "family" won a Tour de France package for two people to this years Tour de France. Thanks Subaru, GreenEdge, Cycling Australia and SBS

It's the Cycling Australia tour with SBS. Still some discussion as who gets to go as three doesn't go in to two

We're trying to find out if there is a place left on the tour to buy.

Has anyone here been on one of the SBS tours in the past?

I am thinking of seeing if I can upgrade to the ride the tour package. But, I am unsure about riding up them big Alps hills :shock:

As some one who is crap at climbing, I don't know if the tour allows for participants to hitch a ride in the support vehicles.

by **BNA** » Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:00 am

by **cyclotaur** » Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:00 am

You.Lucky.Bastard. :lol:

TIP : 3 into 2 doesn't go ? I sent my wife and daughter to Barcelona when I did a trip to TdF in 2011. :wink:

Have fun !!

by **roller** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:25 am

briztoon wrote:But, I am unsure about riding up them big Alps hills As some one who is crap at climbing, I don't know if the tour allows for participants to hitch a ride in the support vehicles.

congratulations! insanely jealous.

re: hills

just take it really slow & steady and you'll be ok.

could be worth putting in a few weeks of hills training between now and then though.

by **briztoon** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 6:05 pm

Thanks guys. I can't explain how excited and happy I am.

Well, provided there is a place left on the tour, we'll be buying a third package. I'm still undecided about whether to go as a spectator or participant.

I plan on getting in as much riding as possible, but I still worry I won't be in any condition to seriously do any of the climbs in the tour package.

I started a new job two months ago and have been working two jobs. Pretty much the only riding I've done is commute to work on the days it hasn't looked like rain. A grand total or 26km return.

I'm also not sure what I'll need to take. I've never traveled before, so am totally clueless about everything.

by **cyclotaur** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 6:17 pm

Take the riding option - they'll support you if it gets too hard at any point, and you'll regret it if you don't. See if you can commute every day and do a few longer weekend rides, try to drop a few kgs if you need to, and you'll be right.

by **briztoon** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 6:22 pm

I love the Australian mindset. "You'll be right mate". :lol:

Pretty much what I've been thinking, but I don't want to let down the other riders on the tour, being the person at the back holding the group back.

by **cyclotaur** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 6:49 pm

For the money they're charging I'm tipping you won't be the oldest/fattest/slowest/least fit rider on the trip .... just an inkling I have. :wink:

You have 30 days to improve your general fitness and riding and then a fully supported tour.

by **roller** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:43 pm

briztoon wrote:I love the Australian mindset. "You'll be right mate".

Pretty much what I've been thinking, but I don't want to let down the other riders on the tour, being the person at the back holding the group back.

you won't be, in my experience (which is 2 overseas cycling trips now, old hand i am) within every group there's always people of wildly varying abilities, the really fast strong ones, the slower ones and then the even slower ones, i have no doubt you'll find someone to cycle with who is around your ability.

also, if you go to the tour de france on a guided all expenses tour with rider support. . . going over all these famous climbs and cols and wot not. .and you don't cycle, you will absolutely KICK yourself for years to come.

in the following years when the tour goes over the roads, cols, mountains that you could have cycled over, instead of sitting there in front of the telly thinking "i remember the day i rode that mountain" you'll be thinking "i remember the day i could have ridden than but i didn't because. . . ."

by **thecaptn** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:47 pm

Do the ride! Ole ole go go!!

by **toolonglegs** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:18 pm

Ride it!... as long as your reasonably fit you will be fine. Tours usually have different ride options and plenty of time to cover them. I have done tours where guys and girls can only manage a few hundred meters without stopping and then only ride at 4kms per hour ... they still get to where they want to go... sometimes with a little helping push.