The Jelli 1910 Tour Challenge 18th – 21st June 2015 – Powered by LeisureLakesBikes.com

1910 Tour Challenge powered by LeisureLakesBikes.com

£999.00

Overview

The 1910 tour challenge is likely to be the single hardest day you’ll ever do! And as featured in Cycling Plus magazine’s “Top Ten Events 2015″ it’s not one to miss!

Based on the route first ridden by the riders of the 1910 Tour de France, 330 km, 6 Summits & over 5500 meters of climbing!

The route runs between Bagneres de Luchon heading west towards the Atlantic Ocean originally finishing at Bayonne. It tackles the infamous Cols of the Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet, Solour and Aubisque before heading for the relative respite of the Atlantic coast with a couple of small bonus climbs. This was the first Tour de France stage to be ridden through the Pyrenees and over the high mountains. For those familiar with Tourmalet and the Geant statue, which honours Octave Lapize that you see at the top of this harrowing climb, Lapize uttered the words for which he would become famous after conquering Aubisque on this famous stage back on 21st July 1910: “Vous êtes des assassins!” – “You are murderers!”. This challenge is for advanced amateur level riders looking for the toughest challenge.

For 2015 Jelli have teamed up with LeisureLakesBikes.com. The team at Leisure Lakes will be offering 1910 Tour Challenge riders exclusive product packages as well as Membership to their VIP club which offers a wide range of benefits and great savings too.

The 1910 Tour challenge will be run from the 18th to the 21st of June 2015.

Details
18th – 21st June 2015 £999

Optional Extras

Hire Bike (2015 Scott Addict 20) £100 (based on 4 days).
Additional Massages.
Rates are based on 2 people sharing a twin room, signal occupancy can be arranged at an additional cost. Airport transfers are included.

Massage costs are cost per massage and are based on a half hour massage. The cost for this will be £25.00 and massages are provided by a fully qualified massage therapist. Please notify us prior to your trip if this service would be of interest to you, however massages can be arranged as and when during your stay.

History

The courses of the Tour de France in 1907, 1908 and 1909 had been nearly identical. In 1910, the Pyrenees were included, an initiative from Adolphe Steinès, who had drawn the course for the Tour de France since the first Tour in 1903. Compared to the 1907, 1908 and 1909 Tours, the stages Nîmes-Toulouse and Toulouse-Bayonne were replaced by three stages, Nîmes–Perpignan, Perpignan–Luchon and Luchon–Bayonne. Tour organizer Henri Desgrange at first refused the inclusion of the Pyrenees, but later conceded and sent Steinès to the Pyrenees to assess if it were possible to send cyclists up the mountains. Steinès encountered many difficulties. He went there on the 27 January 1910, and asked an innkeeper for directions over the Tourmalet. The innkeeper replied that it is barely passable in July, so practically impossible in January. Steinès hired a car anyway and rode up the mountain. Close to the top, there was so much snow that the car could not go further, and he continued on foot. Steinès walked during the night, and fell down a ravine. At 3 a.m. he was found by a search party. He quickly got some food and a hot bath. The next morning, he sent a positive telegram to Desgrange: “Have crossed the Tourmalet on foot STOP Road passable to vehicles STOP No snow STOP”. When it was announced that the Pyrenees were included in the race, 136 cyclists had entered the race. After the news of the route, 26 cyclists removed themselves from the starting list. Other newspapers reacted to the Tour’s route as “dangerous” and “bizarre”.

Also new in 1910 was the broom wagon, to pick up the cyclists that abandoned during the race. This was a reaction of the Tour organizers to the criticism of the cyclists on the difficult mountains. In the tenth stage, over the four mountains in the Pyrenees, cyclists were allowed to finish the stage in the broom wagon and still start the next stage.

Further Information

Jelli provide a full professional cycling experience where you have a support vehicle available to you along the route with food, drinks, your day bag and other essentials so you can enjoy the climbs without having to think about the extra kit that you’ll want to have on hand for the descents or at any other point.

Jelli experiences are fully catered by our exceptional chefs so you can just enjoy your cycling just the way a professional cyclist would expect it. We take great pride in the catering that is provided on our trips as we realize just how important fantastic nutrition is to your ride. Especially when taking on a challenge such as this one! You will start the day with a strong breakfast and then lunch will be provided for you on the road during a day at a breath-taking beauty spot. In the evening we will indulge in a hearty dinner with a few glasses of wine as you sit back and relax.

Logistics

There is no need to worry about the small stuff as Jelli have all your logistics worked out for you. All you need to do is come and enjoy the pleasure of riding half way across the Pyrenees in one day.

We will be at the airport to meet you and we will return you to your airport for your journey home. Further details of the planned day to day logistics can be found in the itinerary below.

Hire Bikes

Hire bikes are available at a cost of £100 for the duration of the trip this service is subject to availability so please reserve these early if required. Bike sizes range from 49cm – 58cm. The rental bikes are 2015 Scott Scott Solace 30’s which are absolutely ideal for riding in the mountains – light, responsive and fitted with compact chainsets to help you conquer the cols. For full specification of these bikes please take a look at our hire bike page here.

Accommodation

The accommodation on this trip will be made up of two parts to enable you to have the best possible cycling experience. The first part of the trip will be based in Bagnères-de-Luchon the town in which we will start the 1910 challenge. The second phase of the accommodation will be situated close to our finishing point on the Atlantic Coast. Jelli will transfer all of your luggage to the accommodation at the finish of the 1910.

All accommodation is on a per person sharing basis, single occupancy can be arranged if required. If you would like further information on accommodation please don’t hesitate to ask.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Thursday 18th June

Airport transfers from Toulouse (TLS) to Bagnères-de-Luchon.
Check in and settle down in hotel.
Unpack/Set up bikes.
Relaxed evening.
Day 2 – Friday 19th June

Head out for a small, local ride.
Enjoy a hearty lunch.
Rider briefing for the 1910 Tour challenge.
Afternoon massage available.
Grab an early night before a very early start.
Day 3 – Saturday 20th June

Its the big one!
Simple objective today = ride the 330km to the Atlantic Coast.
Day 4 – Sunday 21st June

A relaxed morning after a massive day on the bike.
Pack and prep for the return journey home.
Airport transfers to Biarritz airport for a late afternoon flight.
What’s included:

LeisureLakesBikes.com VIP club membership for a year
All your accommodation for the duration of the trip (twin occupancy).
Fully supported cycling experience in the Pyrenees.
Guided riding.
All meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner.
1 x complimentary massage.
Jelli ‘Welcome Pack’.
Nutrition on the bike.
Airport transfers for you and your bike.
Trip photography.
What’s not included:

Flights.
Travel Insurance (recommended).
Additional alcoholic drinks to what is supplied with the evening meal.

http://jelli.eu/product/1910-tour-challenge/