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An E-Bike Tour During Tour de France Can Be the Most Epic Experience

By Martin Atanasov

The grandest of all cycling races, the Tour de France, is finally here. Well, not really, as there is some time until July 1, but if you are planning on making your dreams come true and visiting this epic event, it’s time to start planning. There is no greater feeling for a cycling enthusiast than seeing all the best riders in the world competing for the yellow jersey, especially in the race’s closing stages. One can never forget the epic moments when legends were forged in battle with their peers.

However, what if we said there is an even better way to experience the Tour de France? Seeing one stage final is incredible but seeing several or all is even better. And since most of us are not professional cyclists, getting through the intense riding the Tour de France participants go through would probably break us physically and mentally. So there is no better way to experience the Tour than with the help of an e-bike.

Why can a Tour de France e-bike tour be the highlight of your year?

Tour de France is a genuine celebration of cycling and bike riding. Naturally, a casual rider or even a cycling enthusiast will hardly go the long and soul-crushing distances the Tour riders go through but still experience a fraction of the excitement, conquering some of the tallest peaks in cycling. Furthermore, following the footsteps of great riders like Charly Gaul, Mark Cavendish, Greg LeMond, and others is an impossible dream for millions of riders worldwide. So, being blessed to live in Europe opens many doors to making this collective dream come true.

What’s even more enticing is the chance to literally touch some legends in the making. An e-bike tour will help you enjoy your favorite pastime while simultaneously granting you the opportunity to follow the Tour on its way. This will make such a tour not only the highlight of your year but will certainly qualify as one of the best moments of your life.

Doing an e-bike tour on your own

That’s a good idea if you can organize yourself and make sure you can transfer along the route of the Tour de France. The route of the Tour is already well known and this year, it will start in the Basque region of Spain. Only in the first few days, you will have to be able to organize your transfers from Bilbao to Vitoria Gasteiz and from San Sebastian to Amorebieta-Etxano. However, the logistics are not as easy as you might think. So, if you want to follow the entire Tour de France, being on your own is a bit complicated. You will need someone to support you along the way, which I can guarantee is not how they’d prefer to spend their vacation.

Organized tours across the Cols

Nothing is more thrilling than the mountain stages. This is where the leaders separate from the pack, and this is where true legends are born. Naturally, we can’t even dream of climbing a Col at such speeds as professional cyclists, but even if we are not in top form, we can still experience this thrill thanks to an organized vacation. There are some perks and downsides to being part of a group of unfamiliar riders. On the one hand, you can enjoy a pretty cool time with like-minded people and expand your network of rider buddies from around the world. On the other hand, that’s a great way to find new placesto ride and, more importantly, people who can show you the hidden gems in their countries.

Col du Tourmalet
The infamous Col du Tourmalet © Profimedia, Polaris

Furthermore, there is the draft. Many would tell you that the draft is not that important while climbing. They obviously never climbed in a cross or headwind. Regardless of the speed, you reduce your power input when you are sheltered, giving you the boost needed to climb to the top.

The obvious downside, however, is that you will need to key to the slowest rider of the group. This is not a race, and you can’t just drop riders along the way. Many tour guides offer such experiences, but most usually deliver a single-day trip to a specific col. What we recommend is using one of Tour de France’s official tour guides. They have great packages, and you can choose whatever feels best based on your experience, preferences, and current physical form.

Memorable experiences come at a price

It’s not surprising that these magnificent tours are not coming cheap. Still, the memories of sharing the Tour de France with the best riders in the world and having the chance to mingle with some of your idols can not be measured in money. This experience will imprint itself into your memories, so instead of thinking if it is worth it, a better way to spend your time would be to think about what you should take on this amazing adventure.