300 mile charity challenge to set out from Tours after the finish of Tour de France stage 12
Right to Play has released the details of its 2013 charity bike ride, which will set out from a stage of the Tour de France once again. The 300-mile (~500km) route will buck the trend for Tour-based charity challenges for a second year, and ride from the Tour to London, rather than vice versa.
Last year’s course set out from the prologue start in Liège, Belgium, but, with so much of the Tour’s parcours based in the southern half of the country, the 2013 Right to Play event will wait until stage 12 on July 11th. Having ridden the first time trial of the race to the island monastery of Mont Saint Michel on the north Breton coast, the Tour peloton will begin the journey to the Alps with a 218km stage from Fougères to Tours; having watched what will likely be a sprint finish in the Loire city, the Right to Play peloton will begin its own journey north.
Riders will take two days to reach the Normandy port of Caen, before taking an overnight ferry to Portsmouth; the final day of the ride will see the peloton complete the journey to London.
Last year’s event was launched by then World champion Mark Cavendish (Team Sky), whose fellow Right to Play ambassadors include Leigh Howard (Orica-GreenEdge), Chloe Hosking (Specialized-lululemon) [and the rest of the Specialized-lululemon team - ed], and Irish champion Matt Brammeier and Andy Fenn (both Omega Pharma-Quick Step).
A quiet race schedule at the time allowed Fenn to join the ride for the first day, while TV presenter - and Right to Play ambassador - Tim Lovejoy completed the three day event. Once again the event will be supported by Specialized, and will also will have additional support from bike shop chain Cycle Surgery.
Registration for the even will cost £150, with an optional travel supplement of £100 to cover transport - via Eurostar and coach - to Tours. All riders will receive a goody bag from Specialized and those who meet their fundraising target of £1000 will be entered into a draw to win a Specialized road bike.
Entries to the event are now open, while more details can be found at www.righttoplay.com/tourtolondon.
Itinerary Right To Play’s 2013 Bike Ride - the Tour to London
Day 1 (July 11th): Eurostar to Paris with travel connection to Tours provided. Experience the excitement of watching the Tour de France stage
Day 2 (July 12th): First full day cycling from Tours through beautiful Northern France
Day 3 (July 13th): Second full day cycling ending in Caen, taking overnight ferry to Portsmouth
Day 4 (July 14th): Final day cycling finishing in London, with celebration party for all riders and their families