Imagine riding the Tour de France — but starting 10 days late, doubling up on stages, trying to catch up to the peloton, and then winning.
Jack Thompson, aka Jack Ultra Cyclist, has decided to ride the Tour de France, just not in the official race. “This year, I’m going to win the Tour de France. Albeit with a twist,” Thompson teased.
He plans to ride the Tour, beginning in Brest, France, covering 21 stages in 10 days, a distance of 3,500 km and climbing 62,000 m. And he’ll actually try to catch up to the peloton (currently in Stage 6).
Thompson will ride two stages per day, averaging a distance of over 350 km and 6,000 m of climbing — for 10 days straight. Sounds fun (type 2, definitely).
“The reality is that my cycling journey has been anything but normal, and I didn’t follow the typical racing pathway,” Thompson wrote. “I still have a dream and like the young boy that once watched the Tour with big open eyes late into the night, I want to ride down the Champs-Élysées as the leader of the biggest bike race on earth.”
The official Tour de France riders began June 26, and are scheduled to arrive in Paris on July 18. If Jack Ultra Cyclist can pull off his attempt, he should arrive ahead of the peloton.
How fast can it actually be ridden? Will he beat the Tour de France pack? Follow along with his “Amazing Chase” to find out. The Amazing Chase begins July 5.
Watch the teaser for his ride here. Presented by Wahoo Fitness, with Specialized, Velocio, BBB Cycling, and Supersapiens.
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