Dyll Davies' Grand Tour

Wrapped in yellow after my return to Céret having completed a Grand Tour totalling over 5,000 kilometres and ascending the best part of 60,000 metres in just over a month.

In February 2019 I reached the grand old age of 60 and by way of marking this milestone I devised a plan to cycle all of that year’s Tour de France route and - just to make it a little bit tougher - all the bits between the stages. But running a small but growing cycle tour business meant that time was short and planning and advertising the challenge became impossible. So the idea was to postpone things for a year to allow time for me to garner more sponsors and organise the trip and PR properly. And then . . . well we all know what happened in 2020. Covid hit, I got it and was advised by the docs that to attempt such a challenge shortly afterwards would not have been wise. So another year’s training bit the dust.

The uncertainty continued into 2021 and it was only in very late May that I decided to push the button on the challenge and do it unsupported. I reckoned it was now or never. If the pandemic lifted I’d be too busy running a cycle tour business again in 2022 so let’s hang the consequences and seize the day! The irony of course is that someone who spends his life planning trips in detail for his clients to the nth degree had effectively leaped out of an open window and was hoping for as soft a landing as possible!

The stage from Cluse to Tignes contained 4,500 m of climbing - all with 10 kg of luggage strapped to my back and bike.

I set off with a rucksack on my back which worried many of my friends following me on my Facebook page and Strava - and indeed was a bit on the heavy side. I left in such a rush to try and beat the forecast rain (I didn’t by the way!) I forgot my phone charger! My Oakleys broke before I’d pushed a pedal in anger necessitating constant readjustment on descents. By the time I was less than two hours from my house in Céret I was soaked to the skin, descending a road awash with not just the water from the torrential rain but the small pieces of gravel the local council had put down to resurface the road for the pros. I have climbed this road more quickly than I descended it that day!

The rain abated and I pushed on towards Font Romeu but it was getting gloomy as I climbed to Mont Louis and I was fearful of not finding a place to stay (I’m too old to camp for God’s sake!) so I checked into a hotel there - or at least I tried to! The lady at reception scowled at me when I asked if she had a room, ‘Oui’. ‘And how much is it?’ ‘70 euros’. ‘OK - and is the restaurant open’ ‘No, its past 7.30pm and everything in France closes then,’ - it doesn’t but I persisted - ‘And where can I keep my bike ‘Here’ - she gestured at the reception. ‘OK, I’ll be leaving early around 6.30. That won’t be a problem?’. ‘This doesn’t open until 7.30’. ‘OK can I keep my bike in the room?’ ‘No’. ‘Why not?’ ‘Because, it is not possible’. At that point I decided I’d rather sleep under a hedge than give this establishment my money so I left with the best attempt at a flounce I could, with the parting words ‘Tu n’est pas sympa!’ Even with the impolite use of the informal ‘tu’, ‘You are not very nice’ is hardly Wildean cutting wit but it was the best I could muster at the end of a long afternoon!

Fortunately, as I left the hotel I discovered a pizza restaurant no more than a dozen pedal strokes away (thanks Mrs Non Sympa for telling me!) who were as ‘sympa’ as ‘sympa’ could be, finding me a phone charger to use, feeding me and recommending several places to stay within a few kilometres radius. Nevertheless I was frazzled and this was just day one! At this point I doubted if I could complete this challenge and the negative thoughts crowded in.

But the next day dawned - as it always does - and as the clouds lifted from the mountains that surrounded me so they did in my mind as I completed the route to Font Romeu. I grabbed a coffee, a coke and two pains aux raisins - which became my breakfast of choice on the trip usually after a couple of hours riding. Climbing into and out of Andorra is spectacular of course, but I can never quite get past the tacky commercialism of the place. At least they had a sunglass shop where I could replace my broken Oakleys. I had also given myself a good talking to and decided that goal setting had to be much more flexible. If this trip became a race I wouldn’t last the course.

At the summit of the Col de la Colombière - the final climb on stage 8 -as the Tour enters the Alps.

And when I say I gave myself a talking to it was almost quite literally that. I discovered I had an optimistic ‘go for it’ self who always wanted to push on - do that extra 10 kilometres - and a more conservative, pessimistic self who was usually looking to take a break. The great thing was that the optimistic self always seemed to con the pessimistic self into his way of thinking - even when the pessimistic self knew full well that he was being conned.

OS: ‘C’mon we can do 60 km today before breakfast can’t we?’

PS: ‘I guess so but we will need to stop for food straight away afterwards.’

OS: ‘Yeah but let’s do at least 60km and then worry about that.’

PS:’ OK but it’s double pains aux raisins and Coke for sure afterwards, right?’

OS: ‘For sure.’

Throughout the above exchange the PS knows full well that after 60km there is nowhere to stop for the promised food for at least another 10 km but still allows himself to be persuaded.

On occasion the PS did win out and on a day with torrential thunderstorms forecast and a descent of the notorious Col de Portet d’Aspet on the itinerary, discretion won the day and I stopped riding after lunch and booked into a nice hotel. Likewise after ascending the Tourmalet shrouded in cloud with the 10 kilograms and luggage weighing like 20 the PS persuaded the OS that an early ascent of the Luz Ardiden climb would be better than a late evening attempt. I think the cold beer in the bar next to my hotel might have proved decisive!

Dean Thompson’s wonderfully restored farmhouse in Bertren from which he runs Pyractif Cycle Tours and which was home for a couple of days

At this point I’d like to thank Dean Thompson of Pyractif Cycling for putting me up and putting up with me for a couple of days while in his neck of the woods. His hospitality and calm advice when I thought I had shin splints which turned out to be an infected insect bite was invaluable. He is a star and I owe him more than I can say.

Likewise I have to thank Paul O’Connor and Jessy for their offer of bed and board in Rousillon, and riding with Pete and his friends Kevin and Dave the next day on the stage - which involved a double ascent of Ventoux - was a real highlight. You are lovely generous people and again I can’t find the words to say thank you enough.

It was while staying with Dean that I realised having had the insect bite scare that I needed to cut myself a little slack. The challenge of riding every stage of the Tour (apart from the last one in Paris) and the bits in between was tough enough and the forecast for a 3 day fine weather window in Brittany whose capriciously wet climate is notorious, decided me on cycling to Bordeaux and transferring to Brest via train to ride the stages from 1 to 14 rather than ride the 650 kilometres between Saint-Emilion and the beginning of stage 1. I reckoned that I’d rather take advantage of that good weather and complete every Tour stage than cycle those ‘dead miles’, bearing in mind I still had the Alpine weather to contend with too and the forecast was not looking propitious.

So after a short hop of just 58 kilometers from Saint-Emilion to Bordeaux I headed to Brest via Paris courtesy of SNCF. The weather window held good and I whistled through Brittany as a result. On stage 1 (Brest to Landerneau) I was passed by a group in Arkea Samsic kit - the team recceing the stage I thought. It was only after I had encountered two similar groups that I realised it was a corporate event for the team’s supporters and sponsors headed up by a couple of neo pros in each group riding the stage route. I tagged along, welcoming the draft as you can imagine, but when the group paused to regather at the top of a short climb I said my ‘Mercis’ and carried on my way, joking that I was the breakaway and that they, as the peloton, would doubtless catch me up. I can report that the stage went to the breakaway . . .

Transferring from Tignes to Albertville meant more climbing. Here I rest briefly after ascending the Col du Tra.

The next batch of stages and links were probably the hardest of all. Long rolling ‘flat’ stages that might still involve 2000 metres of ascent that a peloton travelling at 45-50 kph would fly over, proved far more tiring for a single rider and his luggage. It was then that optimistic self had to work very hard indeed.

The Alps along with the double Ventoux stage it seemed would be the final hurdle, but despite some horrendous weather which largely I was lucky enough to avoid, actually they passed without too much stress. The stage from Cluses to Tignes was a long day, but unlike the rolling roads of central France you knew what was coming and could tick off each climb as a job done, whereas the seemingly endless up and down of the previous days was both physically and mentally exhausting. Thanks to my friends in Roussillon the Ventoux stage was a real pleasure as I have said.

Having ridden from Malaucène to Saint Paul Trois Chateaux, I then rode three back-to-back Tour stages. From Saint Paul Trois Chateaux to Nimes to Carcassonne to Quillan. In total over 600 kilometres and at an average of over 2000 meters of climbing each day. Arriving in Nimes felt like coming home as the sun warmed my back. The Ardèche and its gorges were stunning but tough, and the final sting in the tail of the stage to Quillan, the Col de Saint Louis packs a double digit gradient punch for its first three kilometres. But then all that remained was to transfer back to Céret: a short hop of around 100 kilometres which after a 15 kilometre gentle climb from Quillan was downhill for the next 30 kilometres. My legs felt strong and despite the sores on my back and behind my optimistic self congratulated my pessimistic self on his perseverance as I climbed the final climb into the village of Llauro from where I knew I would descend back to Céret and the welcoming party of my friends and family.

A great adventure. Thanks to everyone who has donated to my charities, sent me messages of encouragement and generally supported my efforts. Your help was invaluable. Now to work out what’s next . . . maybe you’ll come and join me?

You can make a donation to any of my four charities, Bowel Cancer UK. Barnado’s, Bloodwise or Bike4Cancer by clicking this link

A few days after my return to Céret I got to ride with Lachlan Morton, the EF Education Nippo team pro, on his version of an alternative Tour de France.

Lukas Haitzmann - Viva Velo's newest recruit

At Viva Velo we are very proud of our ride leaders.  We have been extremely lucky to recruit so many that have helped us grow into the company we are today.  Being a strong cyclist is just a small part of what makes a great ride leader.  Sharing our ethos of great customer service – always going the extra mile. . . sometimes literally! . . . is as, if not more, important.  But when a ride leader excels as an athlete then we rightly love to celebrate their success too – especially when they are women!

 As those of you who have read some of our previous blogs will know, our ride leader, Rhian Denton is an ironwoman of some repute and along with another of our excellent crew, Jules Cass, will be riding this year’s Tour de France route as ‘Internationelles’ having completed the route last year virtually.

Another woman who has helped us out in Mallorca is Ottilie Quince a multiple transplant world championship medal-winner and, although she has now moved on, Jessie Walker, who rode for Team GB in support of Lizzie Deignan’s 2015 World Championship victory proved a fantastic one-to-one coach for our clients.

Rhian Denton and Jules Cass - Viva Velo’s very own Internationelles

We love our male ride leaders too of course but in a sport where only 8% of participants are female we are sure they’ll forgive us for trumpeting the achievements of the women.  Having said that and in the interest of balance, we are delighted to announce a new addition to the Viva Velo stable of ride leaders – Lukas Haitzmann.

Lukas is the Guinness World record holder as the youngest person to row across the Atlantic Ocean - or any ocean for that matter - solo and unassisted at just 18 years old. Additionally, Lukas’ triple nationality (Italian, Austrian, and British) led him to own the title as ‘the first Austrian to ever row across any ocean solo and unassisted.’

But let’s rewind a bit . . .

Lukas sets off on his epic Transatlantic crossing in his tiny 7m boat Cosimo

Thinking back to his school days, Lukas recalls the struggle he always felt with being dyslexic, striving to pass his school exams and survive the education system. A recurring theme throughout his schooling years was one of never quite being good enough in the classroom, and so sport played a huge part in him finding himself and building his self-esteem. Sport was an outlet that let Lukas excel and be himself, allowing him to shed the feeling of fighting a relentless battle. In his own words, “Sport gave me confidence! I learned to trust myself! Allowing me to take on bigger challenges, stretch myself, believing that I could figure out a solution one way or another. The best part, this trust in myself found its way into the classroom and the working world too.” 

When asked, Lukas always tells the story of the first challenge he undertook, as the catalyst that set him off on his journey of adventures. It was a combined indoor rowing marathon with an endurance swim to be completed on the same day. Lukas was 15 years old, when he rowed on the indoor rowing ergo for a distance of 42.2 Km, followed by a 2.1 Km swim in support of Child Action Nepal following the Nepal earthquake in 2015. 

Lukas’s introduction to cycling was an epic 800 kilometre round trip across the Alps from Austria to Croatia and back

That first taste of successfully completing an important challenge led Lukas, at 17 years old, to head out on a “little bike ride” whilst visiting his father in Austria. The “solo bike ride” took Lukas from the mountains in Austria to the Croatian coast. This bike ride covered almost 800 kilometres in five days - from Saalfelden in Austria, through Italy and Slovenia, to Croatia before the long ride back home, with a whopping total of 16 kilometres of ascent: a journey that might daunt a seasoned cyclist let alone a comparative novice riding his dad’s old bike that he had found in the garage!   Never one to miss out raising much needed cash fro a charity, Lukas rode the challenge for the Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that supports teenagers during their fight against cancer.

The momentum kept building up. Lukas’ taste of adventure and wish to push his physical limits proliferated. In April 2018, Lukas ran the Virgin Money London Marathon supporting ToyBox charity in a time of 3.56 becoming one of the youngest people to complete the long-distance running event, at 18 years and two days old. 

That summer saw Lukas qualify for the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta as part of his Oratory School eights crew: an accumulation of years of training and endless hours, both indoors, and outdoors on the River Thames and proof that Lukas has the elite sporting ability to compete on such a stage.

Lukas was an accomplished rower but Atlantic waves sometimes as high as a three storey building are a different ‘kettle of fish’ from the Thames at Henley!

It was also in 2018 that Lukas began looking for his next challenge . . . and this one had to be bigger and bolder than any of the others he had previously done.    Googling ‘big adventure challenges’ he found what he was looking for.  Lukas phoned his Italian mum, Maria:

“Hi mum, I am going to row across the Atlantic Ocean. Alone and unassisted!”]

This was followed by a long awkward silence when the phone went dead as his mum tried to absorb the shock of such news.   Maybe his mum had fallen off her chair?  A few minutes later Lukas’s mum called back:

“This challenge is truly scary from all perspectives but I will support you in whatever way I possibly can on one condition: you now ONLY focus on your A levels and we will talk about the solo crazy row on August 16th”.

Lukas’ mum had tried to buy herself some time; maybe the idea would go away. . .but it didn’t. After his A-levels, Lukas had only four months to prepare mentally and physically. This proved to be harder than expected, aside from the enormous life changing challenge ahead of him, he was faced with the addition of an enormous financial challenge, as sponsors were nowhere to be found. No one believed an 18 year old would really keep to his extraordinary goal. “Alone” in many more ways than just being in his little rowing boat “Cosimo” in the Atlantic Ocean.

Lukas celebrates completing his solo Atlantic row

So far I’m sure you’ll agree with me on two points.  Firstly the support network Lukas’ mum, brother, Leonardo, and very special friends/family have provided him with is a fantastic show of love, belief, and genuine support.  And secondly, Lukas has something inside of him that can inspire everyone around him to believe in their own inner strength, and to face all unforeseen challenges head on.

His mum and his younger brother Leonardo, with whom he lives in Windsor, have definitely been put through the wringer with the emotions that go along with having a son & sibling that dreams as big as Lukas. In his mum’s words describing the feeling of having her 18 years old son in the middle of the Atlantic completely on his own. 

“In the few months of preparation for the row through to the day he set off on December 12th 2018, I never saw any hint of panic or re-thinking from him. I knew that Lukas would find a way to overcome foreseen and unforeseen challenges that would come up in the Ocean. I tried to be close to him. I would be looking at the nautical miles of the dot watch he had onboard every one or two hours day and night, relying on it to convey to me whether he was OK or not. I don’t recall sleeping much for those 59 days he was out there but I was at least safe at home. Lukas appeared to love swimming with the crowds of dolphins passing by his boat and I was scared sick that sharks would appear while Lukas was with the dolphins and something terrible would happen.

I never sensed Lukas was scared in the few minutes we had every 3-4 days on the sat phone and his New Year satellite message filled my heart with further strength but I also knew he would never show me if he was scared or ill or anything. . . as I learnt after the row - hearing the stories he told. 

Thankfully Lukas survived the row, whilst Leonardo and I survived 59 days of heart rumbling nerves. I am a truly proud mum as I see how much the solo row has shaped my boy into a further responsible, focused, disciplined and fine young man”.

Lukas testing the sea bikes that the Pedal 4 Parks team will use to cross from Orkney to John O’Groats and Land’s End to the Isles of Scilly

Following the crest of the wave that the Atlantic crossing created, Lukas moved across the UK, to study for his Mechanical Engineering degree at Swansea University.      But there is no surprise Lukas is not your standard university student and is in fact, currently planning his next adventure challenge as part of a team called ‘Pedal 4 Parks’. P4P aims to cycle the entire length of Britain raising awareness for National Parks and green spaces in the UK and the benefits these areas can have on mental health and wellbeing. Of course, as you might expect from Lukas, the team will be going one step further than the traditional John O'Groats to Lands End route. The team will begin on the Orkney Isles, completing a world first ‘sea-bike’ crossing to the UK mainland, before cycling through as many national parks and green spaces as possible on the way to Land’s End, before a second sea-bike leg finishing in the Isles of Scilly.

The Pedal 4 Parks team testing their ‘land legs’ in preparation for their epic Orkneys to Scilly Isles ride

Viva Velo has signed up to be an endorsement partner to the Pedal 4 Parks event and will be doing everything it can to help Lukas and the team raise money for their fantastic cause.  As part of this association Lukas will join our Three Parks Tour in August as a guest ride leader. 

Lukas aims to keep inspiring all young people across the UK and worldwide to find their passion, and to take on their own challenges and we are extremely proud to welcome him to the Viva Velo family and are sure you will agree that his story is an extraordinary one involving a willingness to achieve against all odds, to lead by example and to help other people along the way.  Qualities that will make him an excellent ride leader.

Pedalling in the Park. Raising awareness of the mental and physical benefits of the UK’s National Parks and green spaces.

Elan Valley - There is no land more beautiful than our land

Like golfers with their hit list of courses they want to play, so cyclists have areas they want to ride or mountain cols they want to target. In café chat or beer bravado you hear talk of alpine cols, visits to Mallorca or challenges in the Dolomites. What you don’t often hear is talk of trips within the UK.

Now we all know the British weather can be unpredictable but with Covid hampering our efforts to go abroad, there has never been a better time to reassess and look closer to home. Ask most riders for preferred destinations and they would immediately suggest the Lake or Peak District, and certainly we have ridden in both these areas and they are beautiful and challenging.

Less often suggested is an area of Wales which is generally overlooked. The Elan valley and Llyn Brianne are two reservoir systems lying north of the Brecon Beacons that provide the most extraordinarily beautiful backdrop to a few days cycling.

Our intrepid ride leaders searching over hill and dale for beautiful places to take you cycling.

Having decided to take a closer look, four intrepid Viva Velo Ride Leaders went off to test their legs, their bikes and ogle at the views. No one had any desire for an early morning depart, after all, there is no traffic one has to get out early to avoid. In fact, there was barely any traffic period. And the relatively short 120km route lulled us into a sense of security that meant we set off at 10.30. By 12.30 we were sitting down for lunch having only completed 30 km. Now none of us are that slow, but with a mechanical, photo op’s happening every few kilometres and two of Simon Warren’s 100 greatest UK climbs occurring in the first 20 km, it wasn’t surprising that we hadn’t gone that far.

After lunch our speed increased, well it was flat for 10 km! Then the views changed as we climbed a couple of short sharp shockers before cycling up the valley to our first sight of the reservoir system. Following the lakes we crossed the dam, took more photographs and slowly made our way home. By the time we settled down to a well-earned drink at the pub in town, we were all happy to say this had been one of the best days any of us had had on a bike. Little did we know that the following day a ride around Llyn Brianne would have us making the exact same statement again.

Elan Valley and Llyn Brianne reservoirs lie at the heart of this stunningly beautiful area.

Our routes certainly included some tough climbs and the last twenty kilometres of the first day had us going up and down some short sharp bumps at a time when our legs were fairly spent but a great deal of the riding was accessible to all and different routes could be designed for different abilities. Without doubt, the scenery held its own with any place we have ridden in Europe.

Editor’s note: Our Fabulous Foursome of ride leaders stayed in self-catering cottages just outside Llanwrtyd Wells and rode 128km and climbed 2,500 metres including the Devil’s Staircase and Gamalt on their first day. On the second day they rode 56km climbed 1,100 metres and managed to ride the reverse of the Devil’s staircase without realising it! For more information on these climbs check out Simon Warren’s 100 greatest, and another 100 Cycling Climbs.

If you are interested in visiting this area and would like us to organise the trip for you, please get in touch.

Our ride leaders testing a route in the Elan valley. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!