It’s not every day you get to ride the Tour de France Femmes route and stay in the same hotel as the pros. This weekend I got to do exactly that, completing stage 1 and stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (TdFFaZ) with The Route and Cure Leukaemia, totalling 206.5km of riding, 2,863m of elevation and 8 hours 25 minutes of riding time.
I joined The Route, which is a team of female amateur cyclists riding all nine stages of the TdFFaZ one day ahead of the pros. The project raises funds for Cure Leukaemia, the official UK charity partner of the TdFFaZ.
I rode the first two of these nine stages with them, which fortunately (for me), were the flatter two of the week.
Stage 1 started in Vannes and finished in Plumelec – 78.8km with 926m of climbing. On paper, relatively short. In reality? Spicy. We rode a slightly longer version at 85.5km and nearly 1,000m elevation, and even with a steady pace, the legs felt it. Brittany doesn’t do gentle rollers – the terrain is punchy and saps the legs early.
The final circuits included the Côte de Cadoudal, a 1.7km climb averaging 6.2%, with pitches up to 9%. The pros averaged 41.8km/h this day and it was a fast, tactical and relentless route.
Fun side note: we even stayed in the same hotel as the Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team and Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto.
Between stage 1 and stage 2, we had a two-hour transfer which is the same as what the pros faced, giving a real taste of what it’s like to move from town to town mid-Tour. Just like a pro setup, we had great support: a team bus, support cars following us on the road, a medical team on hand, nutrition team, and post-ride sports massage.
Stage 2 (Brest to Quimper) was initially billed as flat… until the organisers reclassified it as hilly the day before. They weren’t wrong. We covered 121km with 1,875m of elevation (compared to the pro route’s 110.4km/1,651m) and were met with drizzle, slick roads, and plenty of short climbs to sting the legs. I ended up doing long turns on the front, channelling my inner domestique and trying not to slide out on the greasy corners.
The longest climb, Menez Quelerc’h, was 3km at 6.2% and came halfway through. Not long enough to break people, but just long enough to chip away at the legs. The last kilometres were particularly demanding, with a 500m ramp at 7.5% leading up to the finish line.
I rode the Ribble Ultra-Race, which sits somewhere between pure aero and ultra-lightweight race models, and it was ideal for the two stages that I rode. It climbed well, held speed on the flats, and felt responsive without being harsh. Stu’s working on a full review of the bike, so check back soon to get his full verdict.
It was a great weekend – tough, rewarding, and I’m full of admiration for what the pros are doing just 24 hours behind us. Two stages were more than enough to remind me how relentless even a ‘short’ Grand Tour stage can feel.
The weekend finished, for me, with an uncut margarita pizza after rushing across town to catch the end of Stage 1. The crowd lining the finish, the buzz around the women’s race, and the energy in the town made it feel like a true Tour moment.
I’ll be cheering The Route team on from afar for the remaining stages – and if you want to support their ride for Cure Leukaemia, you can donate here. You can also read more about The Route and how to join next year’s team here.
If you want to push further, there’s also The Tour 21 where riders take on all 21 stages of the men’s race, one week ahead of the pros. It’s open to both men and women and like The Route, it raises money for Cure Leukaemia and offers a fully supported experience.
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