The Tour de France road side spectating

On the face of it, standing by the roadside for hours waiting for 190 pro cyclists to ride past full gas in a few seconds might seem like a bad/boring idea. However along the entire route of the Tour another spectacle is waiting to entertain you – that being other spectators and the official caravan!

It is getting crazier and crazier every year at the Grand Tours with colourful characters cheering on the riders at the road side in mankinis’ or  shirtless carrying a stuffed Wild Boar (definitely the best in my opinion from last year)! This side show certainly adds a bit extra to the viewing although sometimes it all looks a bit too close for comfort.

Alpe-d'Huez- France - wielrennen - cycling - radsport - cyclisme - Christopher Froome (Great Britain / Team Sky) - Richie Porte (Australia / Team Sky) - Bauke Mollema (Nederland / Team Belkin ProCycling team) pictured during the 100th Tour de France 2013 stage-18 from Gap to Alpe-d'Huez - photo Dion Kerckhoffs/Wessel van Keuk/Cor Vos © 2013

D Kerckhoffs/W van Keuk/Cor Vos © 2013

Boar

All of the Grand Tours have a publicity caravan but The Tour de France caravan is definitely the most spectacular. The vehicle parade of the 2016 Tour de France had 170 vehicles. You’ll see them coming past before the riders and they pelt the crowd with little keepsakes, my recent favourite by far is the mini Cochonou saucissons. A great tip is to cheer and shout louder than anyone else when your favourite brand zooms past. They might just spot/hear you and attempt to send something in your direction. However there is no guarantee you’ll receive the item as their throw, the item’s surface area, that sudden gust of wind and the 8 year old child with lighting reactions stood next to you can all conspire against you. I always wave my arms and jump up and down when Cochonou passes and I’ve enjoyed reasonable success.

Caravan Izoard La Toussuire Caravan La Toussuire

Caravan2 La Toussuire 1954 cavalcade v2

German fan “El Diablo”, DIDI SENFT, also called the ‘Tourteufel’ (Tour Devil) who was a Tour fixture since 1993, is back on the road. Illness caused him to miss 2012 and after 2013 he retired from cheering the riders after having lost his sponsor, but he’s back for the 2016 season. You may have seen him or his Tourteufel camper van on TV during the recent Tour de France.

Tourteufel 2013  TDF16_photo058

Sports Tours International takes you to all the 3 Grand Tours and the 5 monuments of cycling which are: the Giro d’Italia which will have its 100th edition in 2017, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana. We also take you to Milan San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege Bastogne Liege and Il Lombardia.

However you watch the Tour de France, we hope you enjoy the show.

Please click on the links for more information. Many travel options are available as well as various hospitality and VIP access options.

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