Category: World Tour Racing

As the summer sweeps in, we know what is coming… the TOUR!  The biggest race in the world, the three week epic journey around France, the race of history, glory, and defeat, from the cobbles of the north to the highest pyrenees in the south, and of course a breathtaking final lap around Paris- loving cycling means you love the Tour.  And what is better than it being on our doorstep…

Tour de France: 2022 Route Overview

The 2022 Tour de France Grand Depart starts in Copenhagen, the gorgeous Scandinavian capital  of in Denmark. An individual time trial kicks off the three weeks – so the GC competition will begin from the gun.  In these early stages of the general classification battles, some will survive, and we might not have a winner but even in these early days, expect some to suffer losses they can’t bring back. Expect to see Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič putting in fierce fights these first days, against the time trial specialists like Ganna and Dennis.

As we depart the ‘Depart’ the race sails on from Denmark swiftly to Northern France, for a little taste of the cobbles of Paris Roubaix, deep in the trenches of the Arenberg Forest. Whereas Paris Roubaix, the one day classic is fought by the harder, bigger riders, when it’s part of the Tour, the general classification battle lives on and our lightweight climbers will have to fight to stay in the race that day, on terrain foreign to many of their likings.

Of course, the first week is chock full of sprint stages, where we are likely to see Wout Van Aert and Mathieu Van Der Poel continue their lively rivalry for the green jersey (points classification.) But it’s not just winning sprints that wins that jersey- it’s intermediate time bonuses, and surviving the three weeks til Paris.  The dreamers dare and the darers dream when it comes to this jersey, and often as it’s said, fortune favours the bold.  The likes of Michael Matthews and Fabio Jakobsen could put a damper on the “vans duo” aspirations…

The Tour de France in the French Alps

And of course, as week two comes in, the race moves forward into the Alps. The Télégraphe and  Galibier and a summit finish on Alpe d’Huez stand out as spectacular places to watch, whether on TV or in person. For a lesser known summit, watch out for the decisive 2,413-metre Col du Granon on stage 11. As the general classification rolls on, the climbers will blossom here, and the Polka Dot (climbers) jersey competition will begin to be contested.  Will the breakaways win?  Will the loyal lieutenants take their chance at glory?  The second week of the Tour is often more unpredictable than the third- when the GC riders are more focused on not losing than winning, and the French riders fight furiously for victory on Bastille day.

Want to climb the Classic Cols of the Alps? Join one of our two Alps tours this summer!

Speaking of that Polka Dot jersey, will it be a year for the French riders as it so often is?  This jersey seems to hold a special place in the hearts of the countrymen, and it could be a showdown, Bardet vs. Barguil, Gaudu vs Martin.

The Tour de France in the High Mountains – the Pyrenees

Into the third week the race heads south west to the Pyrenees. Often overlooked for the Alps, The Pyrenees are the real testing grounds for the race this year.  For a day of experiencing tour atmosphere check out the festivities of the rest day in the fortress city of Carcassone.  The mountains in the Pyrenees come thick and fast.  On Stage 17, all in the second half of the 130 k stage the weary riders will take on the Col d’Aspin  the Hourquette d’Ancizan, and the Col d’Azet. Think that’s enough?  Well, not for the race organisers.  One more kick finishes the day on the  climb to Peyragudes altiport. If that wasn’t enough, the next day brings the same intensity. The final mountain stage of the race takes on the legendary Hautacam.  From the city of Lourdes, and with the  Col d’Aubisque and and the Col de Spandelles between the final brutal climb, this is one of the last true days to win the Tour. Who will be left standing after? 

See the action live: Ride with us on our Tour de France Pyrenees tour & spectate Stage 16 & 17.

And as the dust settles on the mountains, only an individual time trial and a flat stage stand between the peloton and Paris.  As the last Sunday light rolls in, the remaining contenders will put in their final fight, as they circle around the Arc de Triomphe, yet only one with be triumphant. 

Riders to watch out for in the 2022 Tour de France

The winners, the chancers, the characters.

Tadej Pogačar: Nothing like going in wearing number one… two wins in a row puts a lot of weight on the young Slovenians’ shoulders

Primož Roglič: Another Slovenian, this one with something to prove, and incredibly strong team behind him, Rog will have general classification in his crosshairs

Sepp Kuss: Riding in support of his team leader above, the talented American will still take his chances and dare to go for glory from breakaways, or reel back in danger for the good of the team. 

Richard Carapaz: Fresh off an Olympic win and a podium finish at last year’s tour, the Ineos rider from Ecuador will be tearing up the mountain stages.

Matej Mohorič: Winner of Milan Samremo this year, add Matej to the growing number of Slovenian riders on this list. He’s unstoppable on descents and isn’t scared to go all in. 

David Gaudu: An exciting French rider who could be a throw up for a great general classification or a stage win, or of course, the climbers jersey.

Jonas Vingegaard: Second last year, the young Danish rider will still be supporting Rog this year but will bring some fireworks of his own. 

Wout Van Aert: Mountains, Time Trials and Sprints, the Belgian rider can win on all terrains.

Mathieu Van der Poel: Another unstoppable powerhouse- watching MvdP race is nothing if not fun.

Michael Matthews: The Australian will take his chances on the green jersey and possibly try for wins from a breakaway.

Thomas De Gendt: No one, no one bosses a breakaway like TdG. 

Mark Cavendish: (We are all hoping he is there.  No description needed.)

Want to experience the atmosphere of the Tour de France?

Every year we head to the Pyrenees to watch the race as it hits the high mountains – you’re invited! Plus, standby for our next blog profiling the Womens’s Tour de France.

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We are loving watching the Tour de France peleton race it’s way around some of the most spectacular cycling regions in France, and it’s even sweeter to see the race unfold against the odds. We take a look at the bikes making the headlines in stage wins or in breakaways at the Tour de France.

Colnago V3Rs – Tadej Pogacar (Stage 9) & Alexander Kristoff (Stage 1), UAE Team Emirates

The V3Rs is Colnago’s version of the modern do-it-all racer, merging low weight and aerodynamic design. The V3R is the most popular bike selected by Pro Tour riders from the Colnago range. It is an all-round bike which excells on all terrain – up long climbs, on windy flats, in a breakaway. It’s no wonder this bike has clocked up two victories after 9 stages of racing.

Campagnolo still supplies its Super Record EPS 12-speed groupsets and tubular Bora wheels. Deda supplies the cockpits, Prologo handles the perches, and Vittoria looks afer the rubber.

Kristoff won Stage 1 on the disc brake version (which offers nicer cable instegration options), whilst Pogacar opted for the slightly lighter weight rim brake version when he took victory on Stage 9 after a mountain stage.

Shop the Colnago V3Rs

Want this bike without the pricetag? The Colnago V3 is a great shout!

Ridley Noah Fast – Caleb Ewan, Lotto Soudal, Stage 3 & Stage 11 Win

Ok, so it’s not a breakaway but a double stage win at the Tour de France from a bunch sprint is HUGE! In Stage 3 Caleb Ewan took the win with some seriously impressive bunch navigation, squeezing through a gap on the right which nobody else could see & putting on a super-human turn of speed to power past sprint powerhouse Sam Bennett to take the win on the line. The bike that got him there? The Ridley Noah Fast. Ewan doubled up taking the Stage 11 win in a similar fashion.

The Noah Fast has been a part of our rental fleet in 2020 & it is a head-turner. The cables are completely integrated & the Lotto Soudal team bikes are finished with a Campagnolo Super Record EPS Groupset.

Shop the Ridley Noah Fast

Cervélo S5 Disc – Marc Hirschi, Team Sunweb, Stage 9

The Cervélo S5 Disc is the aero superbike which carried Marc Hirschi to 3rd place after a long solo breakaway in the Pyrenees on the breathtaking Stage 9. Hirschi was caught with just a couple of kms to go by GC contenders Roglic, Pogacar & Bernal. Instead of giving up Hircschi licked his lips, tighted his shoes & focused on the sprint to the line.

Cervélo is a company with fast bikes in its blood – their first ever bike was a time trial bike, built for an Italian Pro in 1995. The S5 is Cervélo’s aero bike – it’s super stiff, aerodynamic & does not forget about comfort (pretty important for racing it 3,000 km around France!)

Full internal cable routing, a custom bar and stem, riding position, and special frame shapes work together to reduce drag and improve aerodynamics. The result: you go extremely fast. Frame lay-ups and tube shapes, along with clearance for tires up to 28mm wide, soak up road vibrations for a smoother ride.

Team Sunweb’s Cervélos are all fitted with Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets, Dura-Ace powermeters, and Shimano tubular wheels. Cervelo provides its own cockpits to the S5 bikes.

After a huge 80 km solo breakaway Hirschi lost the stage by inches to GC superstars Pogacar & Roglic, but gave his awesome machine some serious air time. We all share in Hirsche’s heartbreak at missing out of 1st place, but have a feeling he’ll be back at it at the earliest opportunity.

Love Cervélo but prefer an all-round road bike? Check out the new Cérvelo Caledonia-5, designed in response to the tough conditions of the Classics.

Ridley Helium SLX / Eddy Mercx Sotckeu69 – Stage 8

The Ridley Helium SLX is an understated favourite of the Eat Sleep Cycle team. The Helium SLX is a do-it-all race bike with aero elements. The frame has a classic, elegant geometry & the cables are all internally routed through the cockpit.

The bikes are finished with a Campagnolo Super Record EPS hydraulic disc groupsets, matching Campagnolo Bora tubular wheels, and a new 12-speed Campagnolo crankset with an SRM power meter spider.

The Ridley Helium SLX has a double in the Eddy Mercx Sotckeu69, a bike which Nan Peters of AG2R rode to a solo victory in Stage 8. Eddy Mercx & Ridley are both owned by Belgian Cycling Factory and are effectively the same bikes.

Shop the Ridley Helium SLX

Factor Ostro Aero Road Bike – Dan Martin & Andre Griepel, Israel Start Up Nation

The Factor Ostro made headlines on the first rest day of the 2020 Tour. It’s a bike which is the result of a quest for one bike which can fulfill many roles, without compromising any discipline. This is a bike that can fly up climbs, float over pavé & compete with the very best aero bikes in the world.

The Ostro follows the trend to allow wider tyres – meaning riders can benefit from lower rolling resistiance, superior handling, more secure braking & greater all-day riding comfort

Ostro riders benefit from the lower rolling resistance, superior handling, more secure braking and greater all-day riding comfort offered by higher-volume tyres. The bike is capable of rolling 32mm width tubeless tyres, seated on 21mm internal diameter rims. (Check out our blog on tyre pressures for more info!)

After yesterday’s release of the Ostro, we’re waiting with baited breath to see if Dan Martin can make it into a breakaway on his brand new Ostro.

Pre-order your Factor Ostro

Want to go to the Tour de France?

Every year we take a group to see the world’s greatest bike race hit the key stages in the Pyrenees. You can reserve your 2021 place now – check out our Tour de France tour page for more info..

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Back for its 75th edition in the summer of 2020 the Vuelta is set to bring thrilling racing to screens around the world. Placed at the end of the season, part of the Vuelta’s charm is its unpredictability. Who will make it to the start line? Who will focus on the Tour or on the Olympics instead? The Vuelta is truly the racers-race, with less pressure on teams to perform as in the Tour de France & more opportunities for the underdog to shine.

The 2020 Vuelta a España

The third & final Grand Tour on the racing calendar, the Vuelta a España is certain to produce fireworks on yet another explosive course. The 2020 route is an international affair with the race departing from the Netherlands before side-stepping into France (with a summit finish on the mythical Col du Tourmalet) & Portugal (for the first time since 1997) en route.

The tour departs on the 14th August in the Dutch city of Utrecht with the opening team time-trial. After 3,245 km & 21 stages of grueling racing, the race finishes in Madrid on the 6th September.

The 75th edition of the Vuelta includes seven steep climbs (one fewer than last year), as well as 11 stages that feature medium to high mountains in Spain and France.

A Brief History of the Vuelta

The race was first organized in 1935. 50 entrants faced a 3,411 km course in only 14 stages – a crazy average of over 240 km per stage. The race was inspired by the success of the Tours in France & Italy & was promoted by Juan Pujol of the daily Informaciones newspaper in a bid to increase its circulation. The race was suspended during the Spanish Civil War & World War II, but has since been held annually since 1955. As the Vuelta gained prestige and popularity the race was lengthened and its reach began to extend all around the globe.

In 1999 the course went up the Alto de L’Angliru in Asturias. Featuring an ungodly section of 23.6% (the Cueña les Cabres), the climb fast built a mythical reputation and secured its place in cycling legend as one of the steepest climbs in Europe: Over just 13 km the road shoots up 1,500 m. Credit for the discovery of this climb and its addition to the Vuelta goes to Miguel Prieto.

Spaniards have historically dominated the podium of the Vuelta, with Spanish nationals winning 30 out of the 66 editions of the race. Roberto Heras is particularly rampant, with wins in 2000, 2003, 2004 & 2005. France, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Colombia, Ireland, Russia, Kazakhstan, the United States and Great Britain have also had first-place finishers.

Riders to Watch – 2020 Vuelta a España

Fast forward to 2020 & Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic is the defending champion. The 21-year-old Tadej Pogacar, also of Slovenia, will be a focus of attention after winning three stages, the white jersey and finishing third overall on his breakout Vuelta last September.

Runner up veteran Spaniard Alejandro Valverde is likely to race the Tour de France and the Olympics in July before retiring.

2020 Vuelta a España – 5 Key Stages

Stage 4: First summit finish at the Sanctuary of Arrate
Stage 4 brings the first mountains to the peloton. The final 25 kms feature the succession of the Karabieta Mountain Pass (2nd category) and the Alto de Arrate (2nd category). Two climbs that, though not excessively difficult, will start to mark the first differences in the general classification.

Stage 9: Summit Finish on the Tourmalet
A high-mountain stage with constant climbs, descents & very little time to rest. Three important French mountain passes star in this stage: the Col du Portalet (1st category), the Col de l’Aubisque (HC) and the Col du Tourmalet (HC), where riders will fight for a prestigious victory and the GC contenders will have their first out & out battle for red.

Stage 11: The Alto de Moncalvillo 
The first, primarily flat, part will take place among the Logroño vineyards. The climb of the La Rasa mountain pass (2nd category) will wear the riders down, but the unprecedented finale will be decided in the Alto de Moncalvillo, an impressive, demanding mountain pass that is much harder than it looks: extensive, with inclinations between 8-9% and three final kilometres between 13-14%. At this point in La Vuelta any time lost could be crucial in the general classification.

Stage 15: Summit finish on El Angliru
A short but exceptionally hard stage with a brutal final section connecting La Mozqueta, El Cordal and L’Angliru. Until then, the leaders will try to control their rhythm and their strength. The Asturian colossus will, again, be the judge of La Vuelta, sentencing those who have a bad day and crowning those who continue to fight for the ultimate victory.

Stage 20: Final summit finish on La Covatilla
The peloton will ride through winding terrain to the Portillo de las Batuecas (1st category) that will enable a breakaway to take place. The unprecedented climb of La Garganta (2nd category), will precede the finale in La Covatilla, a HC mountain pass where leaders will use every inch of their strength in order to win La Vuelta.

Try Your Own La Vuelta Cycle Tour

Inspired to ride the roads of La Vuelta? Check out our Vuelta España itineraries  & witness this spectacular race first hand. Climb the key climbs, enjoy the best to the local region and follow in the pedal strokes of the pros! Give us a call now on +34 972 754 301 or contact us online!

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Riders might be hanging up their wheels for the off season right now but the pro cycling machine rumbles on with the reveal of the route for the 107th edition of the Tour de France having taken place on Tuesday.

2020 Tour de France Info

The first thing to note is that the 2020 Tour will start a week earlier than usual, on the 27th June, due to the Olympics, which start on the 24th July. The organisers of the race have striven to add novelty and excitement to the format in recent years, with the addition of the gridded start of stage 17 in 2018 and the inclusion of more punchy, short stages. For 2020, they’ve taken this ethos and run, or ridden, away with it.

2020 Tour de France Location

The tour takes place almost exclusively in the southern part of the country and is concentrated primarily in the Alps and the Pyrenees, hence the volume of climbing. The race is gruelling from the gun, with the second stage taking place in the southern Alps with two mountain passes that exceed 1,500m. Indeed, the first nine days of the race are possibly some of the hardest the race has ever seen in an opening week. The director of the race, Christian Prudhomme has said:

“It will be physically challenging throughout…Even the so-called flat stages will be very tough for the pure sprinters. There are traps everywhere along the route.”

TV-Ready Action

The difficulty of the course comes not from a multitude of classic mountain passes but from day-to-day relentless climbing which will no doubt make for relentlessly action-packed racing. Although the purists may bemoan the direction that the modern Tour de France is heading in and the sprinters may protest the lack of chances for them, it is a course which lends itself to TV-ready action and sport is, after all, designed for entertainment. Within the first nine days, the riders must traverse a series of tough stages throughout the Alps and onto the Massif Central and the Pyrenees. There are a few flatter stages, but the winds from the Atlantic may play a part in ensuring that they are still gruellingly tough. The race will of course finish in traditional style in Paris.

Only One Time Trial

Despite, or perhaps due to, the difficulty of this edition, everyone, including the riders but perhaps barring insomniacs will be pleased to learn that there is only one stage over 200 km long.

Also unusually, there is only one time trial, 36 km long and finishing at the summit (but before the gravel) of La Planche des Belles Filles (stage 20), a climb which has proven decisive in the past and the dynamic of an individual time trial could make things even more interesting, especially considering this is the only race against the clock included in the 2020 edition of the race.

Tour de France 2020 Contenders

Of course, this far out from the race it’s virtually impossible to predict who may perform well at the Tour but there are the obvious contenders to consider.

• Chris Froome: After missing out on the 2019 edition after suffering multiple fractures in a horrific crash at Criterium du Dauphine in June, Ineos rider Chris Froome will be looking for that elusive 5th Tour de France title. He has labeled the route ‘brutal’ but that is unlikely to deter him.
• Egan Bernal: Frome will, however, be up against team-mate and reigning champion Egan Bernal for leadership of Ineos. The 2020 route looks more or less made for the Colombian and he will almost certainly be the one to watch.
• Romain Bardet: has stated his intentions to contend the Tour having described the route as ‘beautiful’.
• Thibaut Pinot: a compatriot of Romain, Thibaut will also be a sure-fire favourite.
• Julian Alaphilippe: This is a course which will favour teams with multiple climbers such as Ineos, Jumbo Visma, AG2R La Mondiale, although there is also room for a tenacious individual such as France’s new prodigal son. Whatever the outcome, the 2020 Tour de France is guaranteed to be a dramatic affair.

Tour de France Cycle Tours

If you’d like to experience some of the famed cycling from the Tour de France route make sure you check out our Tour de France Cycle Tour and if you’ve any questions about it give us a call now on +34 972 754 301 or contact us online for more info.

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The whirlwind travelling circus that is the cycling season has all but come to an end, with just the small matter of the rainbow stripes to contend this coming weekend in Yorkshire. In the wake of the success of the 2014 Tour de France grand depart the county has enjoyed a rise in it’s cycling profile with a wealth of new events including the well-established Tour de Yorkshire men’s and women’s races, culminating in this year’s fight for the rainbow stripes. The gruelling terrain of rolling, punchy climbs and images of scores of roadside fans have put Yorkshire well and truly on the cycling map.

Famous Yorkshire Cyclists

Before 2014, however, Yorkshire had already established a rich cycling history. The UK may not appear to lend itself to cycling owing to its reputation for grey weather and bumpy roads, but that hasn’t stopped the country and in particular, Yorkshire from producing some world-class cyclists.

• Richmond 2015 world-championships winner Lizzie Deignan hails from Otley and will be looking to re-claim the title on home roads after returning to racing this year following the birth of her daughter.
• Barnsley-born Olympic gold-medalist on the track, Ed Clancy.
• Leeds legend, Beryl Burton – twice world champion and multiple time-trial record-holder.
• Team INEOS rider and current British national champion, Ben Swift from Rotheram.
• Former national champion Adam Blythe from Sheffield.
• Sally Boyden 10 x British champ from the village of North Ferriby.

2019 Yorkshire World Championships

Yorkshire 2019 will be the fourth UK world championships with previous editions having taken place in Liverpool 1922, Leicester 1970, Goodwood 1982. 2019 also sees the introduction of the new mixed relay event in the place of the popular team time trial event meaning that there are no events in which riders compete within their trade teams. Riders will compete for their nations in teams of three male and three female riders. The format being that the men set off first and the women replace them on the course as soon as the second man crosses the line, the second female rider’s time across the line will then be taken as the result.  Another first in Yorkshire will be a Para-cycling race that will take place with four races on Saturday September 21.

Yorkshire 2019 Cycling World Championship Programme

There are eleven events taking place over 8 days, starting on the 22nd September.

Sunday 22nd September: Mixed TTT 28km
Sunday 23rd September: Women’s Junior ITT 14km & Men’s Junior ITT 28km
Tuesday 24th September ITT: – Women 33km & U23 30km
Wednesday 25th September: ITT – Men 54km
Thursday 26th September: Men’s Junior Road Race 148km
Friday 27th September: Women’s Junior Road Race 86km & Men’s U23 Road Race 187km
Saturday 28th September Road Race – Women 149.5km
Sunday 29th September: Road Race – Men 284.5km

Yorkshire 2019 World Championships Preview

Gary Verity of Welcome to Yorkshire said of the Yorkshire 2019 courses: “We have produced a spectacular range of routes and we’re sure the world’s best riders will find them both challenging and exhilarating in equal measure.”

The Yorkshire 2019 course is characterised by relentless terrain and undulating hills that will gradually deplete energy and power, grippy surfaces and technical corners combine to create a course that will favour a punchy, resilient rider. World championship races always take place on a circuit and this year is no different, with the men’s race traversing a route from Leeds to Harrogate before completing 7 laps of the finishing circuit while the women will depart from Bradford and go on to complete 3 laps of the Harrogate circuit.

The weather is likely to play a big role in how the races pan out, and, it being the UK at the end of September, the chances of adverse conditions are pretty high. Cold, wind and rain could have a significant effect on the result.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the courses.

Yorkshire World Championships 2019 – Men’s Race

The men’s road race covers a whopping 285km and is a course that will favour classics-style riders with a fast finish from a reduced group.

Key Climbs:

• Kidstones Pass 3.5km avg of 4.7% pitching up to 13.8% this climb features at 60 km and could catch people out early on.
• Buttertubs, this climb comes at 90 km into the course, at just 2.2 km but with a savage 9% average gradient pitching up to 15% it is enough to sift through the peloton, anyone who struggles up this climb is unlikely to last the remaining 200 km.
• Grinton Moor 3 km at 6.7% average with maximum ramps of 13.5%, still plenty of the race left at this point but anyone who is still looking fresh at this point will be a strong contender for the win.

Yorkshire World Championships 2019 – Women’s Race

The elite women’s road race course spans just under 150 km. The peloton will follow a route from Bradford over 105km in the lead up to the final three laps around Harrogate town centre. The two main climbs on the course come relatively early on but there are consistent rolling hills throughout.

Key Climbs:

• The first significant climb on the course is Norwood Edge, 2 km at an average gradient of 9% but with pitches up to a painful 16%!
• Lofthouse 4.5km at an average gradient of 6% but maxing out at a leg-breaking 18.6% both climbs suit a punchier rider.

Time Trial: Cyclists To Watch at the 2019 Yorkshire World Championship

Men:

1. Rohan Dennis – Dennis goes into Yorkshire as the reigning world champion but has only one TT victory to his name in 2019. He also hasn’t raced since his abrupt and controversial departure from the Tour so his form remains to be seen.
2. Remco Evenepoel – the 19 year old Belgian is an outright favourite for the win.
3. Primož Roglič is another stand-out favourite, heading straight to worlds off the back of his Vuelta a España win which was largely thanks to his convincing time trial victory in Pau.

Women:

1. Annemiek Van Vleuten – the reigning champion and two-time winner of the TT title, Van Vleuten is an unstoppable force of time trialing prowess, seemingly regardless of the course and is a nailed-on favorite to win the title once again.
2. Chloe Dygert-Owen – the young American is an unbeatable pursuiter on the track, a skill which transfers to plenty of road time trial success (she was junior world champion in Richmond). Dygert-Owen will definitely be a podium contender in Yorkshire.
3. Lisa Brennauer – the German road race champion took the time trial in Ponferrada in 2014 but hasn’t managed to find her way back into those rainbow stripes since. Brennauer has had a successful 2019 after changing teams from Canyon SRAM to WNT Rotor and took the time trail and overall prize at the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta last weekend. Could this be her year

Road Race: Cyclists To Watch at the 2019 Yorkshire World Championship

Men:

1. The defending Champion is Alejandro Valverde, and while the Spaniard has had a successful season, even winning a stage of the Vuelta, his race will really have to come together for him to repeat last year’s victory in the face of some very tough competition, although nothing is impossible.
2. Mathieu Van der Poel – all eyes will be on this versatile rider who missed out on the cross country mountain bike world championships after cleaning up in the few World Cups he started, suggesting he is confident about his chances in Yorkshire. The 2019 Amstel Gold Race winner will be heading into Yorkshire having just stormed through the Tour of Britain winning three stages and the overall, proving that the British terrain suits him!
3. Julian Alaphilippe is a sure favourite, the French rider showed his versatility and tenacity in this year’s Tour leaving his climbing ability in no doubt, his aggressive racing style could suit the terrain and he’s proven to have a fast finish.

Notable Absences: Tour de France winner Egan Bernal and Giro second-placed Vincenzo Nibali won’t ride.

Women:

1. Team Netherlands will be the ones to beat once again this year with heavy hitters like Annemiek Van Vleuten, Marianne Vos alongside reigning champion Anna Van Der Breggen they have plenty of cards to play, young rider Demi Vollering could also be a dark horse but will it be a case of too many favourites?
2. Lizzie Deignan has been vocal about her desire to win this race since before the birth of her first child last year. Deignan has made relatively few appearances on the racing circuit in 2019 with her best result being a win of the overall at the OVO Women’s Tour of Britain, she also missed out on GP Plouay due to illness, so her form is something of an unknown. Will the home roads give her the extra push to take the rainbow bands for the second time?

Notable Absences: Leader of the UCI world ranking, Lorena Wiebes.

Must Watch Racing – Yorkshire World Championships 2019

Whatever the result, the annual spectacle of the world championships is always one to watch and this year will be no exception. With the fields stacked in every competition it’s sure to be thrilling racing to watch! Who do you fancy to win the most prestigious prize in cycling? Let us know in the comments below!

Yorkshire Cycling Tours

If watching Worlds gets you inspired to ride your bike in ‘God’s Own Country’ then stay tuned for our Tour of Yorkshire, NEW for 2020! If you have any questions then give us a call now on +34 972 649 131 or contact us online for more info!

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The Vuelta a España, the final grand tour of the 2019 cycling season, is nearly upon us. As our base is in Spain here at Eat Sleep Cycle we regard the Vuelta as our ‘home’ grand tour and last year we wrote about 10 reasons why we think the Vuelta is better than The Tour. Sure, we’re biased, but we think Spain is a unique and varied country which everyone should explore on two wheels and which also makes for some thrilling bike racing!

The 2019 Vuelta a España

2019 marks the 74th edition of the youngest grand tour and the riders will take on 3,272.2km of racing across 21 stages beginning with a team time trial which will take place in Alicante on 24th August. This year’s Vuelta a España also includes an individual time trial and eight uphill stage finishes of which five are new.

Explosive Racing

In a deviation from the script of the last few years, largely thanks to the absence of two of the biggest contenders, the Tour de France turned into an exciting battle for the yellow jersey. The Vuelta looks to be no different and sees the return of Giro d’Italia winner Richard Carapaz to racing across three weeks. Mitchelton-Scott have announced the absence of both Yates brothers instead opting to support Esteban Chaves. Fresh off the Tour de France Podium, Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk will also be starting alongside teammate Primož Roglič who placed third in the Giro. Astana’s Miguel Angel Lopez will also be one to watch.

2019 Vuelta a España – Stages to Look Out For

Stage 2: Benidorm to Calpe
Stage 2 is where the race begins in earnest following the opening TTT stage. The biggest challenge for the riders on this stage is the steep climb of Alto de Puig Llorença to Cumbre del Sol.

Stage 7: Onda to Mas de la Costa
Stage 7 from Onda to Mas de la Costa marks the first real challenge of the race with four categorised climbs and a summit finish on the first category Alto Mas de la Costa.

Stage 9: Andorra
Stage 9 is a short but gruelling outing into Andorra, only 95km in length but featuring a leg-destroying five categorised climbs which anyone who has ridden the La Purito Challenge will recognise!

Stage 11: France to Basque Country
Stage 11 sees the race begin in France before venturing back into Spain and the rolling terrain of the Basque country. The stage is likely to suit a breakaway as GC leaders conserve energy after the previous days’ time trial and ahead of the mountains.

Stage 12 & 13: Basque Country
Staying in the Basque country, stage 12 from Circuito de Navarra to Bilbao is characteristic of the up-and-down nature of the region’s roads with three climbs in the final 40km before a fast descent into Bilbao. Stage 13 is one of the toughest in the race with 7 categorised climbs including a tough summit finish to Alto de Los Machuchos.

Stage 20
If the GC is still to play for at this point then the penultimate day could be a spicy one. Five mountain passes stand between the riders and Madrid although the hardest of them, Puerto de Pena Negra, is potentially too far out and the finish is potentially not challenging enough to cause too much upset.

Try Your Own La Vuelta Cycle Tour

Inspired to ride the roads of La Vuelta? Check out our Spanish Cycling Vacations and follow in the pedal strokes of the pros! Give us a call now on +34 972 754 301 or contact us online!

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This year will mark the 106th edition of the Tour de France during which the race will celebrate two landmarks events: the 100th anniversary of the Maillot Jaune and the 50th anniversary of legedary Belgian Eddy Merckx’s first Tour victory, with the grand depart fittingly taking place on the 6th July in Brussels.

Tour de France 2019 Stages

The race comprises seven flat, sprinter’s stages, five medium ‘hilly’ stages and seven mountain stages including five mountain top finishes and several climbs which exceed 2,000m of elevation. There are fewer time trial kilometres in this year’s race in comparison to previous years, stage two in Brussels is a 27km team time trial and stage 13 in Pau will be a 27km individual time trial on Friday the 19th of July, the date which marks the 100th anniversary of the Yellow Jersey. The total distance of this year’s edition is 3,460km and the startlist will include 22 teams of eight riders therefore there will be 176 riders on the road.

What Type of Rider Does this Year’s Tour de France Course Suit?

Of course the winner of a ‘general classification’ must be an all-rounder. With five mountain top finishes in the 2019 edition the winner of the Tour de France must have the ability to climb, well and consistently, from La Planche des Belles Filles at the end of the first week right up until the penultimate stage which includes a 36km climb in the form of Val Thorens.

They will also need technical skills as there are a number of tricky descents including some stage finishes on descents which, as proven by Chris Froome’s top tube descent to the win of stage 8 of the 2016 edition, can prove decisive. Finally, the ability to stay out of trouble on the messier, flatter, sprint stages will be essential although as we see year after year this is often a matter of luck!

The Contenders for the 2019 Tour de France

With the anticipation levels rising for this years Tour de France it’s time to have a look at some of the contenders who can challenge for the 100th yellow jersey. We have them broken down into 3 categories for you: those who made the podium in 2018, the usual suspects and our co-founder Brian Canty’s outside bet.

The 2018 Podium Finishers

Can last year’s top three make it onto the podium again in 2019? They are definitely in the mix and ones to watch!

• Geraint Thomas (Team Ineos)
  What are the chances of the Welshman repeating last year’s feat? He may have pulled off the win in 2018 but prior to that Thomas had never finished higher than top 15 in a Grand Tour and the likelihood is that he will be sharing leadership of Team Ineos with four-time Tour de France winner and bookie’s favourite, Chris Froome.
• Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)
  Second place to Thomas at last year’s Tour and winner of the 2017 Giro d’Italia Dumoulin has more than proven his capabilities across three weeks. The biggest threat to Team Ineos’ winning streak and arguably not yet at his grand tour peak at 28 years old the Dutchman will likely be looking to move up a step on the podium in 2019, but will fewer time trial kilometres (his strongest discipline) hurt his campaign?
• Chris Froome (Team Ineos)
  Froome will be looking to add a fifth win to his palmares putting him alongside the likes of Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Mercx, and Jacques Anquetil. Although he was outshone by long standing friend and teammate Geraint Thomas’s win last year, lest we forget that Froome still came third in 2018. Team Ineos (formerly Sky) are still the ones to beat at the Tour and Froome will have the backing of a strong team line-up to support his bid to enter the history books.

The Usual Suspects

• Dan Martin (UAE-Team Emirates)
  Never one to shy away from animating a race Dan Martin has finished within the top-10 in the past three editions of the Tour de France. Martin has performed solidly in stage races so far this season, maybe it’s his year to move that little bit further up the top 10 and onto the podium.
• Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo)
  Porte’s Grand Tour campaigns have almost all been characterised by crashes and bad luck. The Australian has had a relatively good season so far having moved from BMC (now CCC) to Trek-Segafredo, if luck is on his side could this be his year?
• Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
  Since he burst onto the scene winning the best young rider jersey back in 2015 there has been enormous pressure for Quintana to back up his potential with a Tour de France win. Quintana placed 10th last year and has already claimed he will be Movistar’s leader for the race which suggests he is confident in his form going into the 2019 edition. The course certainly looks like it might suit the Colombian climber with plenty of mountain ascents and altitude which he will be accustomed to. A second place at Paris Nice and a fourth at Volta Catalunya suggests that he is in good form this season already.
• Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale)
  Bardet was going strong this season having achieved 5th overall at Paris-Nice before crashing out of Volta Catalunya but a decent classics campaign followed including 9th at Amstel Gold Race proving the AG2R rider is on target for a successful summer. Historically Bardet has been consistently up there at the Tour including podiums in 2016 and 2017 and no doubt the Frenchman will be looking to bring the Tour title home this year.
• Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott)
  Undoubtedly buoyed by his twin brother’s exploits in the 2018 Giro d’Italia Adam Yates has stormed into the 2019 season with consistent GC top 10s and looks to exclusively be targeting stage races. With second places on GC in both Tirreno-Adriatico and Volta Catalunya, at which he won arguably the hardest stage, as well as a stage win and mountains jersey at Itzulia Basque Country under his belt already Yates is definitely a contender for the yellow jersey in 2019.

Brian’s Outside Bet

• Jakob Fuglsang (Astana)

Okay, Fuglsang is a very outside bet for the overall but he’s definitely worth putting a few euro on for a podium finish. He’s enjoying the best year of his career so far with 1st, 2nd and 3rd in Liege, Fleche and Amstel Gold, respectively.

Coupled with that is his 3rd overall at Tirreno and 4th at Pais Vasco. One-week stage races are very different to three-week Grand Tours, but with some good luck and the same level of team support that Lopez got at the Giro, the Dane could be one to upset the establishment.

Of course, any or none of these riders may claim the 100th yellow jersey this July thanks to the unpredictability and drama of bike racing but isn’t that why we watch it?

What The Pros Think of The Tour de France Route

Want to know what some of the pro riders think of this year’s route? We got World Tour riders’ first reactions to the 2019 Tour de France route reveal back in October – make sure you check it out to see what they think!

Experience The Tour de France 2019

Want to view the battle for the 100th yellow jersey up-close and ride some of the iconic Pyrenean Cols of the Tour de France? There are still limited places available on ourTour de France: Pyrenees tour! For more info give us a call on +34 972 649 131 or contact us online!

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As the winter comes to an end, before fingers and toes have fully thawed out and with the season crescendo of the Tour de France still months away, come the Spring Classics. Often considered the ‘true’ cycling fan’s favourite races these prestigious one-day events are synonymous with cobbles and chaos. Such is the nature of one day races that riders give their all, more likely to attack and take risks making them truly exhilarating viewing. Indeed, many riders, so-called ‘classics specialists’, focus their seasons around these races, often those who hail from the areas where the races take place.

Defining “The Classics” of Cycling

Held throughout northern Europe ‘The Classics’ is a loose term often applied to the most prestigious of these races, also known as ‘Monuments’. As the races mainly take place in Belgium and Northern France their history is entangled with that of the First and Second World Wars and the courses often negotiate terrain where battles took place. There is, in fact, no official definition of what a ‘classic’ is, but we want to focus on the races that we at Eat Sleep Cycle think are the most exciting.

Strade Bianche – 9^th March

One of the youngest classics, first held in 2007 Strade Bianche has rapidly acquired the status of a bona fide monument. In part due to the eponymous white gravel roads which give the race its unique character. More than 50km of the race takes place off-road and the growing popularity of gravel riding only compounds the appeal of this early-season race.

The Strade Bianche traverses 176km over the hilly terrain of southern Tuscany. It starts and finishes in the UNESCO World Heritage site and medieval city of Siena and covers 9 sectors of gravel roads. The race culminates on the extremely steep and narrow Via Santa Caterina climb before finishing on the Piazza del Campo in the centre of Siena. Since 2015 a women’s Strade Bianche has been held on the same day as the men’s race over approximately half the distance won in 2018 by Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen.

Strade Bianche Gravel Sectors:
La Piana – this is sector four in the race and is 5.5km long and has been included since the first edition.
Asciano – sector 8/11, consisting of 11km is the hardest sector of the race as it is mostly uphill with some steep gradients.

Recent winners of Strade Bianche

• 2018 Tiesj Benoot
• 2017 Michał Kwiatkowski
• 2016 Fabian Cancellara

Most wins: Fabian Cancellara

Canty’s call for 2019: Romain Bardet

Meet Mattia – The ESC Italian Tour Guide

If you’re going take on the Strade Bianche then you’re going to need a tour guide who knows the route, speaks the language and can handle a bike like no other. Regazzi, the ESC team are delighted to introduce you to Mattia, our main man in the saddle in Italy!

What is your name?
My name is Mattia Bettagno

Where are you from?
I’m from Varese, Lombardia. Land of cycling, mountains and lakes!

Where do you live?
I live in Cuasso al monte, a small town on the little mountains just outside Varese.

What drew you to cycling and why?
When I was 8 my dad bought me a road bike and I never stopped riding! I raced since then until U23 category.

What is your favourite thing about guiding?
Guiding is discovering! It’s beautiful to show other people the places I love – priceless!

Describe your favourite ride or favourite place in Italy?
I feel really good and free in Tuscany, on the white roads, better if I’m on a old steel bike during the Eroica day. That is the best day on a bike I can remember.

What do you like to do when you’re not on a tour?
Riding! I like to ride any kind of bike. Mountain bike is a big part of my days off. The mountains where I live are amazing so it’s not hard to get out and enjoy my days.

What’s the best meal you’ve enjoyed in in Italy?
It’s hard to say ! Every place has different specialties.. I have a passion for the cakes during my rides so I know quite well where to get a good snack..Off the bike I’d say: Pizzoccheri if I’m in Bormio, Trippa if I’m in Siena.

Milan-Sanremo – 23^rd March

Milan-Sanremo has a long history with this year marking the 110th edition of the race, its name in Italian ‘La Primavera’ literally means spring. Run along an epic course it is the longest one-day race on the professional calendar. As the name suggests, the course traverses around 300km in north-western Italy from the city of Milan to the coastal city of San-Remo.

Although it is considered one for the sprinters due to its relatively flat course there are still plenty of climbs to catch the bigger or less prepared riders out. The race has been taken on many occasions by a well-timed attack from a non-sprinter in the closing kilometres, which is indeed how most recent winner Vincenzo Nibali sealed the deal.

Key Climbs of Milan-Sanremo
Passo del Turchino: In the past this was the only major climb in the race it is the first climb and the highest point of the race, 13.2km long and not particularly challenging averaging 1.5%.
Cipressa: ordinarily 6 km at 3.9% would not prove too challenging, however after 260km of racing this can be a decisive climb.
Poggio: The climb itself is not remarkable but is often the springboard for attacks from climbers looking to outfox the sprinter’s teams thanks to its proximity to the finish making it an exciting point in the race.

Recent winners:

• 2018 Vincenzo Nibali
• 2017 Michał Kwiatkowski
• 2016 Arnaud Démare

Most wins: Eddy Merckx

Canty’s call for 2019: Fernando Gaviria

Tour of Flanders – 7^th April

Also known as ‘Ronde Van Vlaanderen’ or ‘De Ronde’, the race is based entirely in the Flemish region of Belgium and was first held in 1913. The Tour of Flanders is the only classic to have been held on German-occupied territory during the Second World War and in full agreement with the German command.

Usually held one week prior to the pinnacle of the ‘cobbled classics’: Paris-Roubaix, Flanders is also characterised by cobblestones and the chaos that they cause. The race starts in Bruges in north-west Flanders before heading south through the flatlands and on to the hillier Ardennes – the climbs are short, steep and mostly cobbled.

Key Climbs of Ronde Van Vlaanderen
The longest climb is the Oude Kwaremont at 2.2km which although not the steepest it is considered the most challenging due to its length and cobbled surface.
The Oude Kwaremont is trumped only by the Koppenberg which while only 600m in length, features sections over 22% and is on a rough surfaced narrow road.

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Trivia
A women’s edition of the race has been held since 2004 with Anna van der Breggen taking the win.
The record for the most number of victories (three) is shared between Belgians Achiel Buysse, Eric Leman, Johan Museeuw and Tom Boonen, Italian Fiorenzo Magni and Swiss Fabian Cancellara.

Recent winners:

• 2018 Niki Terpstra
• 2017 Philippe Gilbert
• 2016 Peter Sagan

Canty’s Call for 2019: Yves Lampaert

Paris-Roubaix – 14^th April

Paris Roubaix or ‘The Hell of the North’ starts just north of Paris and traverses a brutal course through 29 sectors of ‘pavé’, or cobbles which determine the race. Paris-Roubaix also features a unique finish as riders enter the Roubaix velodrome and ride one lap before crossing the line. Widely considered the pinnacle of the cobbled classics season the race usually garners plenty of excitement from fans and riders alike. Such is the nature of Paris-Roubaix that the course has inspired the creation of specialist bikes and equipment designed exclusively for tackling the torturous course.  Each year, the winner of the race receives a cobblestone as part of the prize.

Key Sectors of The Hell of the North
Trouée d’Arenberg or ‘Trench of Arenberg’: A 2.4km long section of pavé and one of the most difficult sections of the race, it crosses the Forest of Arenberg and is known as one of the roughest cobbled sectors in the race owing to lack of maintenance and fans removing cobbles as souvenirs.
Carrefour de l’Arbre: A 2.1km sector just 15km from the finish making a decisive points in the race. Like the Trench of Arenberg it is considered one of the hardest sectors due to the rough nature of the cobbles.

Recent winners:

• 2018 Peter Sagan
• 2017 Greg Van Avermaet
• 2016 Matthew Hayman

Most wins: Roger de Vlaeminck, Tom Boonen

Canty’s call for 2019: Jasper Stuyven

Liège-Bastogne-Liège – 28^th April

First held in 1892 Liège is the oldest of the ‘Monuments’, nicknamed ‘La Doyenne’ or ‘the Old Lady’ as a result. The event was cancelled during WWI but resumed in 1919 and had some brief interruptions during WWII. The race is the last of the three spring classics races held in the Ardennes region and is typically around 250 km in length. As depicted by the name, the race starts in Liège before heading to Bastogne and back. The myriad steep climbs and challenging course make Liège a true war of attrition providing an exciting race with plenty of attacks. The course changes year-on-year and climbs are added and removed with each edition of the race.

Since 2017 a women’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège has been held over roughly 130km sharing the final 45km with the men’s course, both editions so far have been won by the dominant Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen (intersted in women’s only tours? Then check out our selection of women’s only cycling tours!

Key climbs:
Côte de La Redoute 1.6km at 9.5% with a maximum gradient of 22% it has recently lost its status as a decisive point in the race but it still proves a challenge.
Côte de Saint-Nicolas the last categorised climb of the race and often proves very decisive, it is 1.4km long at an average gradient of 7.6%.

Recent winners:

• 2018 Bob Jungels
• 2017  Alejandro Valverde
• 2016 Wout Poels

Most wins: Eddy Merckx

Canty’s call for 2019: Dan Martin

Experience Your Own Spring Classic

A lot of our cycling tours are inspired the by Spring Classics so whether you’re looking to test yourself in the Hell of the North, traverse the white gravel of the Strade Bianche or take on the cobblestone chaos of the Tour of Flanders we have a tour for you! Give us a call on +34 972 649 131 or contact us online for more info!

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The 2019 Tour de France route was unveiled last week. It’s a brutal parcours with 30 categorised climbs and few days for the fast men. Here, in our latest blog, we gathered the reactions of those likely to do battle next July!

With the Grand Depart in Brussels on the 6^th July the 2019 route begins with a classics-style stage before moving on to a 28km TTT. The first summit finish comes on stage 6 with the partly unpaved La Planche des Belles Filles. The race then traverses the Pyrenees in the second week before (hopefully) reaching the GC crescendo in the high mountains of the Alps in the final stages.

2019 Tour de France Route – Opinion From The Pros

Now that the 2019 Tour de France route has been released we thought it would be interesting to get the opinions of pro cyclists around the world and see what they had to say about the route. As we receive more feedback from the pros we’ll update this post so make sure to check back regularly!

Tom Skujins – Team Trek Segafredo

Toms Skujins from Latvia, riding for team Trek Segafredo, KOM jersey wearer at the Tour for 5 days in 2018 and stage winner of Tour of California had the following to say about the 2019 Tour de France route.

“It’s cool that the TTT is back but it´s not crazy long so the time gaps will not be huge, we could see a bit of a GC shake up but obviously until the mountains come the real GC guys will not be in the top 10. It should make for an interesting three weeks. The first week is kind of long as it´s 10 days until the first rest day which is a little bit surprising because it´s usually day 9, and then you get a rest but Saturday Sunday on day 8 and 9 are kinda interesting, especially day 8, it might be harder than people expect. The first real mountain day is day 6 and it´s a proper one, not just a flat run-in and straight uphill, it´s a proper mountain day. I think after the first 10 days we´ll get a feel for what´s going to happen, obviously afterwards there´s still a lot of hard stages, it´s not going to be over just yet, it´s always a race of attrition and as we saw this year in the Giro we lost 2-3 guys from the top 10 in the last 3 days, and they lost big!”

Amund Grondahl Johansen – Team Lotto NL Jumbo

Amund Grondal Johansen is a Norwegian rider in his 2nd year in the World Tour and is 24 years old. This is what he had to say about the 2019 route for the Tour de France.

“I had a quick glance. It looks well balanced, with 7 flat stages to sprint for the win. Furthermore (Christophe) Prudhomme has said the route will include some shorter climbing to make more aggressive racing, which is a good move, I think. Explosive racing is better entertainment and creates more differences than the really hard & long climbing stages. However there´s still enough high summits with both the Galibier and Izeran in the Alps and Tourmalet summit finish in the Pyrenees. The first week will for sure be hectic and nervous on Belgian roads. As far as I can see it won´t be anything too crazy, even though we will pass the Muur van Geraardsbergen early on in a stage.The stages in the Vosges will be interesting, especially with a finish to La Planche des Belle Filles.”

George Bennett – Team Lotto NL Jumbo

George Bennett hails from New Zealand is a member of the Lotto NL Jumbo team. In 2018 he finished 8^th on GC at the Giro d’Italia and he had this to say about the 2019 Tour de France route.

“For a guy like me 2019 is a pretty exciting route, I think they are making life as difficult for Team Sky as possible. It´s maybe one of the most physically demanding routes I´ve seen in a while with a heap of climbing at high altitude and not many time trialling kilometres. It should make for some aggressive racing.”

Dion Smith – Wanty Groupe Goubert

Dion Smith of Wanty Groupe Goubert was a Polka-dot jersey wear in the Tour de France 2018 and is excited about what the 2019 Tour de France route has in store.

“I think this Tour de France is very exciting. This route will be more favourable for the climbers, with more summit finishes, I don’t see any possibility for a team to dominate the Tour, because a lot of riders can show themselves in a wide range of stages. Will be a good watch!”

Patrick Bevin – Team BMC

Also in agreement that next year´s route is on the extreme side is Kiwi all-rounder Paddy Bevin who will ride for the CCC team in 2019 after two years at BMC racing Team.

“The Tour route is interesting; I think the high altitude climbs will create a race that is either wide open, GC riders crack and breaks can´t be kept in check, or a race that becomes a bit of a death match. I´ll obviously be hoping for the former so breaks can get a little more slack to perhaps try and try for the stage.”

Tour de France 2019 – The Countdown Starts Now!

Now that the 2019 Tour de France route has been released the anticipation is building. As we get more feedback from other pro cyclists we’ll update this post so make sure to check back. If you’d like to sample the classic climbs of the Tour de France for yourself check out our Tour de France Pyrennes Cycle Tour – for more info give us a call on +34 972 649 131 or contact us online!

P.S. Enjoyed this blog? Why not sign up to receive notifications every time we post and get regular updates on our latest tours!