Missed out on a place for next year's Etape du Tour? Entries for 2019 sold out in record time, but you still have options. And one option is riding three Alpine stages of the Tour de France - including the Etape, fully supported - with Le Loop.
From the rolling vistas of the sunny south-west to the legendary climbs of the Alps and Pyrenees, Le Loop offers amateur cyclists a unique taste of the world's greatest bike race.
The ultimate option is to ride the full Tour de France - all 21 stages of it - with a package called the "Grand Loop".
But if the full Tour sounds like a tall order, you can choose from shorter Loops of 2-10 stages instead.
The Alps and Alps Lite packages include three stages packed with stunning Alpine climbs, starting with stages 18 and 19 and finishing with the Etape du Tour stage from Albertville to Val Thorens.
You'll be supported all the way by the team at Le Loop, whose hospitality is legendary. We speak from experience here: our reporter Ben was lucky enough to sample Le Loop at first hand in 2018, riding three stages of the Tour with virtually no training.
You can read how he got on here:
- Le Loop: Ben parachutes into the Alps for a crack at Le Tour
- Le Loop: Ben vs L'Etape du Tour
- Le Loop: Bravado, beer and Brexit on Stage 11 of the Tour de France
- Le Loop: Smashed crabs and saddle sores on Stage 12 of Le Tour de France
Up for the challenge? Read on to find out more...
What is Le Loop?
Le Loop is a fully supported cycling challenge that follows the route of the Tour de France a week ahead of the pros. Think of it in terms of the hugely popular Etape du Tour sportive; except that where Etape riders test themselves on a single stage of the Tour, Le Loop riders can take on every stage.
The event supports the William Wates Memorial Trust, helping the UK's most disadvantaged young people to avoid a life of crime and violence and fulfil their potential. Riders commit to fundraising a minimum target depending on which Loop they choose. For the majority, this will be £1,200. To date, the Tour de Force/Le Loop has raised over £3 million. Their goal is to raise £400,000 a year.
The 2019 Route
The 2019 Tour de France will start in Brussels in tribute to the legendary Eddy Merckx, and so of course Le Loop will do the same. Le Loop begins on Saturday 29th June and will end 21 stages and around 3,300km later in Paris on Sunday 21st July.
For 2019, Le Loop are offering 11 Loop options. These range in duration from two to all 21 stages of Le Tour; some packed with iconic climbs in the Alps or Pyrenees, stages in the Massif Central, and some taking in a little of everything as next year's Tour explores some lesser known gems.
Check out the full list of options here: rideleloop.org/the-ride/the-loops.
I want to ride the Tour de France! How do I enter?
Entries for Le Loop are now open, but you'll have to be fast - places sell out quickly each year. Entries for the full 2019 Tour - the Grand Loop - have already been snapped up, but there's a waiting list, and you can currently still enter any of the other Loops.
For more details and to book your place, visit rideleloop.org.
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