From Friday 2nd
of May to Tuesday 24th of June 2008, a group of cyclists will cycle
from the
While there are
only two cyclists (Gearoid Pierse and Klaus Naundorff) planning to do the
entire 5,000 kilometers, they will be joined by up to 15 different cyclists and
as many supporters at various stages along the trip which starts in the Asian
part of Turkey and passes through a total 14 countries: Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovakia,
Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, England, Wales and Ireland.
The cyclists will
cover on average 106 kilometers on each of the 47 cycling days. As there will
be one rest day a week, this means the cyclists will be covering on average 636
kilometers per week.
Cyclists of all ambitions, abilities and nationalities
will be heartily welcomed on the tour. You can join in for a day, a week, or the
whole 8 weeks for that matter! The route has been carefully chosen to take
quieter, safer roads where possible. However the route is also never too far
away from well-served train lines so that if anybody feels like having a break
for a day or part of it, they can use public transport to rejoin the other
cyclists.
It will be expected
that the cyclists will be averaging about 20km/h, which is a very reasonable
pace in a group even for those who have done little or no cycling before. Given
that we will be cycling on average 106 kilometers per day, this means that on
most days we will be finished cycling after
about 5 hours in the saddle. This should give people ample time in the
afternoons to relax / recover or go discovering the environs.
For those who still
feel that it was an error of history that they did not end up winning a major
international cycle race, this cycle will also cater for your unfulfilled
ambitions! For about the last 20km’s of each day there will be a stage race to
the town where we will be staying that night. Past cycles have found this to be
a quite effective and enjoyable(!?) way to finish off the last, tired
kilometers of any day. There will even be a series of “mini tour” races – one
each week, lasting the whole week. Each “mini tour” will end at the end of the
week, with all riders starting level for the next week’s “mini tour”. Just to
make the whole thing more real (or is it surreal?), the winning cyclist in the
overall rankings will get to wear the coveted yellow jersey. There will also be
a polka dot jersey for the winner of occasional races to the top of mountain /
hilltops, as well as a green jersey for the winner of sprints. Like the yellow
jersey, the polka-dot and green jerseys are won on a weelky basis and all
riders start level at the start of each week.
For the less fit
cyclists, execpt for the last 20km’s of each day, all cyclists will be going
along at a very leisurely pace. There is also the option of taking public
transport. Some of the stages lend themselves more to “complete beginners”, for
example the stage from
The overall ethos
of the cycle is one of fun, cameraderie and adventure. We encourage cyclists to
invite their friends, family and supporters to join us on the rest days (one a
week, generally Sunday), or to come along the route with public transport.
How to Get There:
Depending on where
you want to join / leave the cycle, we suggest the following airports. Note
that almost all airlines will bring your bike for you on board for an extra
charge. Most airlines require you to have the bike pre-packed in a box or bike
bag. If you are planning to join us along the route, best arrive a day or two
before we arrive in that city.
|
Join / Leave us us in..... |
Flight to Join
/ leave the tour (if travelling from |
|
|
www.turkishairlines.com 187
euros 1 way from Thurdsay 1st of May: Departs |
|
Sofia (Bulgaria) |
www.easyjet.com fly to/from Sofia to London Gatwick. www.ryanair.com fly from London Gatwick to Dublin, London & Shannon |
|
|
www.easyjet.com fly to/from Ljubljana to London Stanstead. www.ryanair.com fly from London Stanstead to Dublin, Cork, Kerry &
Shannon |
|
|
www.ryanair.com and www.aerlingus.com fly |
|
|
www.aerlingus.com fly |
|
Basel (Switzerland) |
www.aerlingus.com and www.ryanair.com
fly Dublin <-> Basel |
|
Paris (France) |
www.aerlingus.com and www.ryanair.com fly Dublin <->
Paris |
|
Bath (England) |
www.ryanair.com fly Dublin - Bournemouth and Dublin - Birmingham. Then get
the train. |
What to Bring:
|
Bike |
Recommended to bring a decent racing bike with a strong
back wheel to avoid buckles! A
lightweight mountain bike or Hybrid bike is also OK. |
|
Bike Accessories |
A small carrier bag which fits either on a lightweight carrier
on the back of the bike, or on a support pole fitted under the saddle. 4 A pouch which
fits just under the saddle is also very useful for essential repair gear
(allen key’s, puncture repair kits, a couple of spare tubes). Small but
powerful “Cat Eye” lights (front and rear) for those evenings where we have
to keep cycling longer than planned in order to find a place to stay! No need to bring a spare tyre etc as for anything other
than basic repairs and replacements, we call into bicycle repair shops. |
|
Clothes |
We try to travel light an generally stay in Bed &
Breakfast or hostel accomodation, so no need for tents or sleeping bags etc.
Generally you will need just one set of replacement cycle gear (shorts, top),
possibly one set of wet weather gear (long johns, rain jacket) and one set of
“civilian” gear of maybe a t-shirt and shorts. Be careful not to bring too
much and remember they will have shops along the way too! A nightly ritual is
to clean (usually in the sink of the room) the clothes you’ve worn that day. A good pair of padded cycling shorts is a
must. |
|
Shoes |
Have “quick release” pedals fitted on your bike that are
compatible with Shimano shoes which click in and also can be used comfortably
for walking around. There are a lot of very good hybrid cycling / walking
shoes on the market. You should bring no other shoes other than this. Bring
just one or max two pairs of replacement sport socks. You’ll be washing them
every night! |
|
Toiletries |
Like all of the above this is truly minimalist – what do
you need to survive? For most people this will be a tooth brush, tootpaste, a
bar of soap and a razor. |
Where do we stay?
Generally we just
stay in B&B’s or hostels along the route. To date we have been very lucky
finding places and there is only one recorded incident of someone not finding a
place to stay – Gearoid ended up sleeping in a small boat in
How much will it cost?
Surprisingly little
(where have you heard that before?). If you can get a cheap flight to your
desitnation, the most expensive item is generally accommodation which is
considerably cheaper in
Insurance:
All cyclists,
supporters etc participate at their own risk. Neither the organisers nor any
beneficiary charities will be responsible for any costs, losses, or injury etc.
We are not doing any group insurance so individuals are advised and encouraged
to take out their own insurance, particulary to cover for accidents.