2019 TOUR DE FRANCE RIDE PYRENEES TOUR 10-DAY CYCLING TOUR ITINERARY JULY 12 – 21 CONTENT. 4. BONJOUR TOUR DESCRIPTION 5. DAYS 1 – 4 6. DAYS 5 - 8 7. DAYS 9 – 10 PACKAGE INCLUSIONS & PRICE 8. BIKE HIRE 9. OUR ACCOMMODATION BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON 10. OUR ACCOMMODATION LOURDES 11. THE FOOD BREAKFASTS & RESTAURANTS Bonjour. Welcome to the Velo Tours Ride Pyrenees 10-day tour to the 2019 Tour de France. On this fully supported tour with guides and vans, you will enjoy the challenge of riding some of the most famous climbs in world cycling including, Col de Portet d’Aspet, Port de Bales, Col de Peyresourde and the legendary Col du Tourmalet. To top it off we will view 3 key stages of the Tour de France up close, including the Time Trial in Pau. There’s no daily grind of changing hotels and transporting from stage to stage. You unpack for the week and live like a local in an incredible 18th century French chalet right in the heart of Bagneres-de-Luchon. Cafes, restaurants, Billy’s Bar and the best cycling in the world is literally at our front door. This year Le Tour will ride through Luchon during Stage 12 and we’ll stay two nights in Lourdes while viewing stages 13 and 14. And let’s not forget the added pleasure of hanging out with legendary Australian pro cyclist, funny-man and 2- time Tour de France rider, Henk Vogels. We look forward to meeting you and taking care of you in France on this truly memorable cycling experience. Daily rides, dinners and one on one with cycling legend Henk Vogels Featuring 3 Tour de France stage viewings and the option to ride these climbs: Col du Peyresourde Col du Tourmalet Col du Soulor* Col d’Aubisque* Col du Portillon Col de Portet d’Aspet Col de Mente Superbagneres Port de Bales and more… *Routes & distances subject to change pending road closures etc. 1 2019 Velo Tours RIDE PYRENEES Tour. Bookings Being Taken Now. Email [email protected] FRIDAY JULY 12, 2019 SATURDAY JULY 13, 2019 DAY 1 BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON DAY 2 BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON Velo Tours staff will meet you in the arrivals area of Toulouse- Our first ride day of the tour will be a loop over into Spain via the Blagnac Airport by 11:00am for the 90 minute transfer to our Col du Portillon. This climb is a short 10km but it’s pleasantly accommodation on the main street in Bagneres-de-Luchon. tough and after we descend into Bossost we will make our way up the valley to Viehla for a coffee and then it’s back down to Bossost Once you are settled into your room staff will help put your bike for the ride back up the Portillon home to Luchon. together ready for a short ride through the valley to get the legs moving. Dinner will be three courses at one of our local restaurants. The rest of the day is yours to explore the town that will be our Short option: Forego the climb back up the Portillon by jumping homebase for the week before dinner. in the van. No short option. 40 KILOMETRES 75 KILOMETRES 0 CLIMBS COL DU PORTILLON I COL DU PORTILLON SUNDAY JULY 14, 2019 MONDAY JULY 15, 2019 DAY 3 BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON DAY 4 BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON Today’s ride features a large section that appears regularly in the We provide 2 ride options today. We summit our favourite climb of TDF and has been the undoing of many a rider over the years. the Pyrenees, the stunningly beautiful Superbagneres to have a coffee and marvel at the view and then on the way down you can We head down the valley for a lovely warm up before approaching choose to tackle “Hamstring du Hospice” the steep Hospice de our first of 3 climbs across the day. We will stop for some of the France. best baguettes in the region for lunch then it’s back home for a soak in the creek and to watch the tour stage on the television Dinner will again be an amazing 3 courses at another of our before dinner. favourite restaurants in town. Short option: Omit any of the 3 summits and use the van support Short options: Forego the Hospice de France. at any stage of the ride 105 KILOMETRES 65 KILOMETRES COLD DES ARES I COL DE PORTET D’ASPET SUPERBAGNERES I HOSPICE DE I COL DE MENTE FRANCE 2 2019 Velo Tours RIDE PYRENEES Tour. Bookings Being Taken Now. Email [email protected] TUESDAY JULY 16, 2019 WEDNESDAY JULY 17, 2019 DAY 5 BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON DAY 6 BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON Today is a rest day of Le Tour so we will take a rest from the This morning we ride another couple of the big climbs of the mountains and appreciate a little more of what the Pyrenees has Barousse Valley, the mighty Port de Bales and Col de to offer. We will head out on a wonderful ride through beautiful Peyresourde. green fields and under lush tree canopies on our way to Saint Bertrand de Comminge for coffee and crepes. After the summit photos we will descend down the Peyresourde into town in time for lunch and a relaxed day in the garden or the This is a stunning day on the bike and lovely way to finish off our cafes in town or we have the option to transfer to Toulouse to riding campaign in the Barousse Valley. watch the finish of stage 11. Dinner will be our usual 3 courses in town. Dinner will be a walk to another of the local restaurants in town Short Option: Use the support van at any stage of the ride Short option: Van support at all stages of the ride. 80 KILOMETRES 70 KILOMETRES PORT DE BALES I COL DE PEYRESOURDE N/A THURSDAY JULY 18, 2019 FRIDAY JULY 19, 2019 DAY 7 BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON DAY 8 LOURDES Today will be a well earned rest day and our first viewing day of Today we pack the van and begin our day early with a transfer the Le Tour. Take the morning to enjoy a sleep in or a swim at the over to the next valley where we will jump on the bikes and ride thermal baths before we head up the road to wait for the Tour the mighty Tourmalet. We will head straight to our hotel in Caravan and peloton go through. Once the carnival is over we will Lourdes then transfer to Pau for the Time Trial from there, just in settle in to watch the rest of the stage on the television before time to watch the top GC riders battle it out over the 27km course. heading out to dinner. We will pack up our gear ready to depart for Pau tomorrow to see Short option: Use the van at any stage of the ride. the Time Trial and then onto our accommodation in Lourdes. 0 KILOMETRES 75 KILOMETRES OPTIONAL SHORT RIDE OFFERED COL DU TOURMALET 3 2019 Velo Tours RIDE PYRENEES Tour. Bookings Being Taken Now. Email [email protected] SATURDAY JULY 20, 2019 SUNDAY JULY 21, 2019 DAY 9 LOURDES DAY 10 DEPARTURE Our final ride day of the tour will be to another Tour de France This morning we will have our final breakfast together before stage. We have the option to ride early to the summit of the Col transferring the 2 hours to Toulouse Airport. du Soulor and Aubisque before the peloton arrives, or, we can transfer to Tarbes to see the stage start. We can then transfer to Required flight times to and from the tour will be advised a location on the course somewhere to see the riders again on upon booking. their approach to the finish on the Tourmalet. Our final dinner together of the tour will be a celebration of an amazing 10 days riding and experiencing the biggest cycling spectacle on the planet. 60* KILOMETRES 0 KILOMETRES COL DU SOULOR I COL D’AUBISQUE N/A BOOKINGS TOUR PRICE To secure your spot for the 2019 RIDE Pyrenees Tour de France tour, please contact Kerry & Kim AUD $4,650* Stubbs at Velo Tours Australia. [email protected] TOUR INCLUSIONS: +61 433 096 657 ✓ Daily rides and dinner with Henk Vogels 9 nights share chalet and hotel accommodation All ground transfers ✓ Fully escorted tour with crew and support vans ✓ Experienced ride captains and domestiques ✓ Breakfast daily ✓ 3 course dinner every night ✓ Farewell dinner with fun presentations ✓ Tour photographer and digital image pack ✓ Viewing of 3 live stages of Le Tour. ✓ Velo Tours Cycling Kit inc jersey, knicks & musette ✓ Velo tours merchandise inc t-shirt, cap, bottle, backpack Electrolyte, gels, spare tubes etc included Terms and Conditions. Tour is subject to change. Prices are per person, shared room. Single share levies apply. Price includes everything EXCEPT flights, train trips, travel insurance, bike hire, lunches and alcohol. 4 2019 Velo Tours RIDE PYRENEES Tour. Bookings Being Taken Now. Email [email protected] Bike Hire. Specifications & Hiring Details. • Frame – Full Carbon Composite Bike rental is available but sizes are limited so you will need to let us • Fork - Carbon know ASAP. Please email us with the following details: • Group set – Shimano Ultergra • Length of top tube from centre of seat post to centre of head stem • Cassette – 11/32 • Your current bike size and model • Compact Crank • Your height and inner leg length • Bottom Bracket – Shimano BB86 • Pedals – Bring your own Our bikes are Willier, Bianchi and a Rose.