The Tour de Francis: Can an Amateur Tackle the World’s Greatest Cycling Race?

Could an amateur biker handle the rigors of the grueling Tour de France? Halfords, a UK sponsor of the 2012 Tour, and their ad firm, DLKW Lowe, decided to find out. The rider is Dan Francis, a 29 year old employee at a London pharmaceutical company. The bike, a $1500 rebadged Carrera Virago. The route, five classic stages from The Tour de France. And it’s all documented in a 15-minute film playfully called The Tour de Francis.

The ride is grueling, yes. And it’s only complicated by the unusual road conditions — the snow blocking the roads in the Alps, cars littering the already treacherous roads in front of the Tuileries in Paris (where I happened to see Miguel Indurain win the Tour three times). How does Francis handle it? No spoilers here. We’ll let you find out.

via @Coudal

Related Content:

Science Behind the Bike: Four Videos from the Open University on the Eve of the Tour de France

The 1910 Tour de France Revisited

Brussels Express: The Perils of Cycling in Europe’s Most Congested City


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Comments (2)
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  • Greg Boss says:

    Great for Dan. I can’t even imagine what that would feel like accomplishing something like that, especially as an amateur. The mental endurance to make those stages, even on a professional level, is so amazing. Enjoyed this piece. Nice work.

    Greg at Dazadi.com

  • keyword 1 says:

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    the main focus on finding out rather than enjoyment. Although, there’s an entertainment element to keep your children engaged, each and every game is frequently designed to improve a specific set of skills or area, such as mathmatical or scientific research. Thanks for your write-up.

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