Cycling, Wine and Cultural Tours in the Dordogne, Pyrenees and Southwest of France.
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Conquer the Pyrenees
Chateau de Pitray
Ride Across the French Pyrenees - Coast to Coast - and Back !
1000 miles, 94000 ft climbing, 12 days riding + 2 rest days
August 27th to September 11th - Yearly.
As you might have guessed this cycling trip in the Pyrenees requires a high level of fitness, both in strength and endurance. This is not a bike tour for inexperienced riders or people who aren't fit. You must be accustomed to riding centuries and climbing hills, you must be capable of riding 5 to 6 hours for multiple days in a row. In essence you need to be a biking junky, someone who trembles and drools with excitement at the thought of this bike trip. If this is you, then this trip is for you. This isn't a race, you will need to pace yourself, but don't even think about it if a 50 mile bike ride is what you consider a long ride. Bottom line you need to be an experienced and fit cyclists, and you need to know what it's like to suffer.
The Kiwi, Krystal and Scott get ready to descend the east side of the Col d'Aspin.
I have planned each day to be challenging but not insane. The climbs are long, 8 to 14 miles, sometimes more, and they average 7 to 10 percent grades. There are multiple climbs in a day. The average ride per day in the mountains is 74 miles and 8,423 feet of climbing; that's a lot when you have eight days in the Pyrenees, and more then enough when you consider that the return trip averages 111 miles and 7,208 feet for the first 3 of 4 days. Believe me, no one who has done this tour lobbied for longer rides. Furthermore, you will want to have some time left in your day to enjoy the towns that we stay in.
Ron Sweet - the man has no limitations, 72 years old and still flyin'.
Everyday you will be riding from hotel to hotel. The support van is used to carry your luggage, the food for the rides, and any other extras necessary for support. It will not have the capacity to seat and carry more than 3 riders and their bikes when filled with all the luggage...therefore don't plan on being able to automatically bail into the van when the going gets tough. If everyone starts thinking this way simultaneously it will cause problems, for me and you. Then again if you sign up for this trip you are the kind of rider who won't settle for anything less than completing every ride. The van should be your last resort.
