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This
year’s Tour de France, as always, will be very exciting. With
the retirement of Lance Armstrong, there are no clear
favorites. However there will be plenty of strong challengers
for victory in Paris like Jan Ullrich, Andreas Klöden, Ivan
Basso, Damiano Cunego, Alex Vinokourov, and Yaroslav Popovich.
To ride the roads that have contributed to the history of the
“Tour” and to see the action in person will be an unforgettable
experience. Not only will we climb some of the major Alps climbs
of this and past year’s tours, we will have the opportunity to
watch the peloton on the last day in the Alps, stage 17 to
Morzine. We will be on the Col de la Colombiere, the 3rd
climb of the day where the attacks should be fast and furious,
as it will be the last day for the climbers to make up lost time
on the leader.
The Tour de France and 'les Alpes'; it is
impossible to think of one without the other. The great climbs
of the Alps often determine the champion, and this year our tour
will be able to climb most of the epic Alps passes on the 2005
Tour de France. Riding in the Alps is heaven for the serious
cyclist, but only a dream for the average rider. But dreams do
come true. We will not only ride up the famous Tour de France
mountain top finish of Alpe d’Huez, but we will conquer the
famous Col de la Madeleine, and tackle the beautiful Cormet de
Roselend, both on this years Tour de France route.
Our “Petite Alpes” tour is designed for
intermediate single bike riders and experienced tandem teams. We
will experience the beauty, grandeur, and excitement of riding
in the French Alps without having to tackle all the “out of
category” climbs and ultra miles of our more serious Alps tours.
True, there are big mountains and epic climbs in the Alps, but
much of the scenic riding is elsewhere, over the little passes,
along the rivers and valleys, up gorges with towering cliffs,
through beautiful flower decked villages and down roads chiseled
into vertical faces. You'll savor descents through forests on
winding lanes, rolling past lush meadow covered hills, and
experience the never-ending delights of cycling in the French
countryside.
This tour is not just about riding; when you
climb off your bike, the adventure continues. The abundance of
boulangeries and patisseries will quickly help you forget the
need for power bars and energy drinks. The small restaurants
serving typical French lunches are a gastronomic delight. From
rustic hotels in alpine villages, to country inns famous for
excellent meals, from a four-star lakeside hotel, to a cycling
specific hotel in a cycling oriented village, our choice of
lodging will greatly enhance the French experience. Food and
wine will be plentiful, and of course, very French! We
welcome the more serious cyclists, especially if they are
accompanying a less serious cyclist; each day will have longer,
more challenging route options similar to our “Classic” Tour de
France tour.
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