 April 29th - May 3rd - practicebicycle.com - Tour de Romandie 2010
practice bicycle bike tours for 2010 offer a variety of world class race tours each month, we would like to share with you the thrill and excitement of watching live from  the roadside the very best professional bike racers in the world. Combined with the added opportunity of personalised fully-guided rides, carefully planned and tailored to the ability of our clients, what we li ke to call the perfect balance of riding and relaxing. These speciality bike tours are ideal for the fan of cycling, looking for the experience of watching the best and at the same time experiencing riding on the same roads at the same time of the year, all within a quality small group environment. In addition, at practice bicycle we believe that quality bike riding, sometimes easy, sometimes challenging can only be fully appreciated with an ideal location too rest and relax and experience the local traditions, including the food and wine of the area. It's why we specialise in the one idyllic location without the additional stress and fatigue of moving on to a different hotel each night. This ensures that your valuable time is spent with us enjoying a superb bike tour, either riding, being a mongst the race action or relaxing, what we like to call ....escapism! Our first European race holiday for 2010 is the pro tour event the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland. Your wonderful 5 day bike tour takes place over the first week-end of May, spring time, a beautiful time of the year to visit this spectacular south-western region of Switzerland. With your hotel in the charming, medieval town of Sion (or Sitten in German), the bilingual capital of the Canton of Valais and known as the most sun-blessed town in Switzerland, the ideal location to enjoy a short bike tour holiday. This area of Switzerland is also often visited each year in June by Switzerland's other major international bike tour the "Tour de Suisse". The National Tour of Switzerland is the fourth largest bike race on the International World Calendar after the Tour de France and tours of Italy and Spain. The "Tour de Romandie" race The 2010 Tour de Romandie will be the 64th edition of the 6 day Pro Tour stage race. After the prologue in Porrentruy (Jura), the race will pass by Freiburg, Moudon, heading south and around the majestic shores of the Croissant shaped lake Geneva, before a stage finish in Chatel (France) and finally the big mountain stage, starting and finishing in Sion, your home for the 4 nights with practicebicycle - Tour de Romandie.  The stage finish in Chatel (France) will be the first time the Tour will celebrate a finish on foreign soil. In 2010 France and Switzerland will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the creation of "Ski Franco-Swiss", where visitors are permitted to cross the border between these two countries without passing through any official control in an act of sportsmanship. It was also at this same time that Chatel (France) constructed its first ski lift in the direction of Switzerland. 
Last years Tour de Romandie bike race was won by the up and coming stage race star Roman Kreuziger (CZE) with Vladimir Karpets (RUS) and Rein Taaramae (EST) joining him on the podium. Australian Cadel Evans won the event in 2006 with other English speaking winners in the past being Tyler Hamilton, Andy Hampsten, Phil Anderson and Stephen Roche. The Tour de Romandie not only holds a premier spot within sports events in Switzerland, but the importance of its position on the International cycling calendar also ensures that the very best riders take part each year. These riders take this opportunity to test their form and the race often gives a good indication of the possible race favourite's for the first major bike tour of the year the Giro d'Italia, which follows shortly afterwards. 
The history of the Tour de Romandie started in 1947, when the "Union Cycliste Suisse" (Swiss Cycling Federation) was celebrating its 50th anniversary. This first edition of the Tour attracted 40 riders, divided into 10 teams, with 4 stages and a total distance of 755 miles (1208km) a staggering 300km per day! The winner was Desire Keteleer (BEL) from Gino Bartali (ITA) and Ferdy Kubler (SWI). Over the years many great champions of cycling have won this event including ; Hugo Koblet, Jean Forestier, Pasquale Fornara, Guido Rosso, Vittorio Adorni, Gianni Motta, Eddy Merckx, Felice Gimondi, Bernard Theenet, Joop Zoetemelk, Giuseppe Saronni, Bernard Hinault, Claude Criquelion, Charly Mottet, Tony Rominger, Pascal Richard, Pavel Tonkov, Laurent Dufaux, Laurent Jalabert, Paolo Savoldelli and Andreas Kloden.  Your "Tour de Romandie" brief tour itinerary for 2010 Thu April 29th - Arrival day in Geneva (Switzerland) and transfer to your hotel in Sion. Fri April 30th - Ride/relax and view Tour de Romandie Stage 4 - Moudon (CLM) Time Trial (Switzerland). Sat May 1st - Ride/relax and view Tour de Romandie Stage 5 - Chatel (France). Sun May 2nd - Ride/relax and view Tour de Romandie Stage 6 - Sion (Switzerland). Mon May 3rd - Departure day from Sion, transfer to Geneva and "Bon voyage". PLEASE NOTE: The carefully designed ride options of all the practicebicycle.com itineraries are flexible and can be tailored to meet the requirements and abilities of the specific tour guests. Each day you have the option to either ride or relax and enjoy the comfort of the support vehicle ( also, ideally suited for the accompanying non-cyclist) we believe that everyone can practicebicycle...as much or as little as you wish. Should you wish to extend your practicebicycle.com tour with additional days, please contact us. For the detailed itinerary for the Tour de Romandie 2010 contact us Click Here Your "Tour de Romandie" holiday tour includes: 4 nights 3*** comfortable traditional accommodation in the sun blessed town of Sion (Switzerland). 4 traditional Swiss buffet breakfasts each morning. Unique and Spectacular live viewing of 3 contrasting stages of the Tour de Romandie 2010 including breathtaking scenery each day of the Romandie region. Superb guided rides, carefully planned, designed and structured with the highest level of safety and tailored for your enjoyment throughout the tour around the Valais Canton of Switzerland. Qualified professional coaching services and full support of Paul Hughes (highly experienced, qualified Level 2 Australian cycling coach). Experienced female cycling guide and highly acclaimed International bike racer Bridget Evans and your discoverer of fine gourmet experiences. Support vehicle, mechanical assistance and a selection of sports drinks & nutrional bars. Professional "practice bicycle" cycling jersey. "practice bicycle" - Swiss welcome pack! Welcome Aperitif followed by a superb gourmet experience of a traditional dinner of Switzerland upon arrival in one of the fine Sion restaurants. Swiss/French gastronomic lunch or dinner in one of the fabulous local restaurants during the 3 stages of the Tour de Romandie. Small group tailored personal service. Airport pick-up & drop-off at Geneva International Airport (Switzerland) and practice bicycle transfer to your accommodation in the town of Sion (tour arrival & departure days). Cost per person (twin share) AUD $3400.00 (For your convenience click-on the Cost of your chosen tour & Optional Extras to see the price in your local currency.) Optional Extras Single person/room supplement - AUD $510.00 Professional "practice bicycle" - bib knicks - AUD $220.00 Bike Hire for the tour - AUD $350.00 Accompanying non-cycling person (twin share) - reduction of AUD $350.00 |