The ride sets off from Clapham Common on Tuesday morning. We will be joined by riders giving their support to our efforts on day 1.
We work our way across London through Greenwich and into the rolling north-Kent countryside to Canterbury. Then it is cross country over the downs before descending to Dover where we catch the ferry to Calais. The day finishes with a 10 mile ride along the coast.
Destination: Oye-Plage
Distance: 88m / 142km
Ascent: 3,500ft / 1,067m
Day 2 is a 90 mile flat stage, the obstacles being two movable bridges and a stretch of cobbles forming part of the Pavés du Paris-Roubaix. Most of the day’s elevation is after 36 miles with a short but spikey climb. We pass through Lille and then back into the French countryside for the last 30 miles.
Destination: Valenciennes
Distance: 89m / 143km
Ascent: 1,650ft / 503m
Day 3 is the first of two long days in the saddle. The team will be riding for 125 miles through several regional 'parc naturel' before finishing the day in the Ardennes following the Trans-Ardennes Voie Verte along the river Meuse.
Destination: Charlevilles-Mezieres
Distance: 124m / 200km
Ascent: 5,000ft / 1,524m
Today represents a 126 mile challenge with the day’s significant climb coming after 100 miles just to test the enthusiasm of the team. Apart from that climb it is a largely flat stage. The route principally follows the Veloroute de la Meuse, following the river as it passes through the rugged landscape.
Destination: Pagny-sur-Meuse
Distance :126m / 203km
Ascent :3,525ft / 1,074m
After 430 miles in the first 4 days, day 5 is a gentle stage riding through the scenic Vosges region.
Destination: Doncort-sur-meuse
Distance: 57m / 92km
Ascent; 2,450ft / 747m
Day 6 marks the start of the climbing as we aim to ride 115 miles and climb 6,700 feet. Today we head east ending the day just short of the Switzerland border.
Destination: Montebeliard
Distance: 115m / 185km
Ascent: 6,700ft / 2,042m
Day two of the climbing sees the team take on 7,300ft of climbing over a relatively short 65 mile stage. After a day in the saddle passing through the Jura mountains along the France-Switzerland border we end the day 2,500 feet higher than when we started before a 4 mile descent to our place of rest
Destination: Villers-le-lac
Distance: 65m / 105km
Ascent: 7,300ft / 2,225m
We continue to follow the Swiss border through increasingly rugged terrain with its forests and waterfalls. Much of today's climbing on this long stage is towards the end of the ride on Col du Haut Crêt.
Destination: Morez
Distance:84m / 135km
Ascent: 5,425ft / 1,654m
A short day in the saddle in preparation for tomorrow’s climb. However, we will still be climbing 5,600 feet in 68 miles on a route that by-passes Geneva. Today's route has no flat segments, this is a day of either up or down.
Destination: Epagny
Distance: 68m / 109km
Ascent: 5,600ft / 1,707m
We move towards the France-Italy border today. The ride starts out following the Lac d'Annecy until after 28 miles we hit a short but steep ascent and we start the day's 8,000 feet of climbing. This 4 mile climb is just a leg-warmer for the main event which, over the next 18 miles, will take us up Cormet de Roselend to an altitude of 6,500 feet. The climb starts in the trees before reaching the Lac de Roselend where the barren vistas start.
Destination: Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Distance: 65m / 105km
Ascent: 8,150ft / 2,484m
Today is the queen stage where an apprehensive group of riders will be starting the day with a 17 mile climb from Bourg-Sainte-Maurice to Col du Petit Saint-Bernard. Although long, the average gradient of 5% will allow the riders to adopt a steady rhythm. A stage covering 102 miles and climbing 9,725 feet (3,000m) on day 11 is no small challenge for a group of average riders jaded by the efforts of day 10.
The team will enter Italy as they cross the border at the summit and it will be downhill from here.
Destination: Vidracco
Distance: 102m / 164km
Ascent: 9,725ft / 2,964m
The final day is 80 miles from just north of Turin to the ride's destination at the Roman spa town of Acquí Terme. Starting in the foothills of the Italian Alps the ride will pass though the rice fields before finishing amongst the vineyards that produce the Barolo and Barbaresco red wines of Piedmont.
Destination: Acqui Terme
Distance: 81m / 130km
Ascent: 4,325ft / 1,318m