Blogs

It was one of those elaborately simple transactions.

First started in 2010, Tour de Force is a unique event for those people that have ever wanted to ride the entire route of the Tour de France (without needing a pro contract!).

Riding the 3497km route one week ahead of the race, the riders will roll up the Champs Elysees on 15 July. Lead cyclist Phil Deeker (who also organises the Rapha Cent Cols Challenge), is sending us daily blogs from each stage, which will service as a interesting preview of the stages before the pros ride them a week later.

First started in 2010, Tour de Force is a unique event for those people that have ever wanted to ride the entire route of the Tour de France (without needing a pro contract!).

Riding the 3497km route one week ahead of the race, the riders will roll up the Champs Elysees on 15 July. Lead cyclist Phil Deeker (who also organises the Rapha Cent Cols Challenge), is sending us daily blogs from each stage, which will service as a interesting preview of the stages before the pros ride them a week later.

So it’s all over and the dust has settled. I’ve even been back to work!

I’m pretty sure that when Fabian Cancellara finishes a stage race nobody asks him to clean out a deep fat fryer the next morning! But that is the life I’ve chosen (I am a history graduate, so a job in the service industry was automatically assigned to me upon completion of my studies). Mediocre bike racer by day, miserable kitchen staff by night... I am officially the worst super hero concept in history.

First started in 2010, Tour de Force is a unique event for those people that have ever wanted to ride the entire route of the Tour de France (without needing a pro contract!).

First started in 2010, Tour de Force is a unique event for those people that have ever wanted to ride the entire route of the Tour de France (without needing a pro contract!).

Riding the 3497km route one week ahead of the race, the riders will roll up the Champs Elysees on 15 July. Lead cyclist Phil Deeker (who also organises the Rapha Cent Cols Challenge), is sending us daily blogs from each stage, which will service as a interesting preview of the stages before the pros ride them a week later.

First started in 2010, Tour de Force is a unique event for those people that have ever wanted to ride the entire route of the Tour de France (without needing a pro contract!).

I would like to begin today’s report with an apology. I had hoped that I’d be filling these posts with tales of epic racing and brutal attacking. I’m sure that is happening in the race, but I haven’t seen any. The racing I have seen has been all about survival, about finishing without the offer of any reward. No yellow jersey or applause. Just tired legs and a sore arse.

Today was a big day in the race. Two back to back stages and a whole load of pain!

It was an early rise, followed by an early breakfast and early drive into the Brecon Beacons for the race start. We got there with plenty of time to spare, just as it was starting to rain, again. Wales should invest in an umbrella!

Walking my kids to school, we pause at the traffic lights at the foot of our road until the green man appears. Stepping out into the road, I notice a fast moving object in my peripheral vision. Just in time, I realize that the cyclist who’s just gone through the red light with a little kid perched on his top tube has no intention of stopping so I pull my daughter out of harm’s way and warn a mum with a buggy who’s about to step into his path. I shout at him as he cycles past. He ignores me.