Video: New Speed Descent Record Set on Mont Blanc

Last fall, a pair of climbers attempted to set a new speed record for the fastest descent of Mont Blanc back to the church square in Chamonix, by speed flying and mountain biking. After reaching the summit, Nicolas Blanchard and David Bozon set off at a breakneck pace to return to the base of the mountain, hoping to best the 32 minute record that was currently in place. They were able to complete that quest, reaching the square in just over 15 minutes. The video below shows how they did it. Hold on to your seats. It's quite a ride.

Video: Mountain Biking The Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the best hiking trails in all of Europe, if not the world. At 170 km (105 miles) in length, it circles its namesake mountain, and passes through three countries - France, Italy, and Switzerland – in the process. Typically it takes 7-10 days to walk the entire route, but last summer a team of Belgian mountain bikers rode the entire thing in three days. The video below tells their story, and it is a good one. The 17-minute short film, will leave you wanting to ride and/or walk this route too.

Big thanks to reader Mar Knox for sharing this great video.

Video: Speed Flyer Escapes Avalanche In The Alps

Speed flyers mix skiing and paragliding to make descents that wouldn't necessarily be possible on skis alone. Case in point, this video shows a speed flyer zipping off a high cliff in the Alps, just as a small avalanche rolls down the mountain around him. The result is a short, but pretty spectacular clip, that also happens go provide some wonderful views of the mountains near Chamonix, France. beautiful stuff.

Video: Mega From Behind - Finishing Last In An Intense Downhill Mountain Bike Race

The Megavalanche is an incredible mountain bike race down Alpe d'Huez in France during the middle of winter. The cyclists have to deal with snow, ice and slick conditions on their way to the bottom, which causes all kinds of issues, as I'm sure you can imagine. In the video below, filmmaker Ralf Schupp sets out to finish the Mega last. As you'll see, he is in no hurry to join the furious start and he makes his way down the mountain in cautious fashion. Along the way, he stops to talk to other racers to learn about their experiences and what has caused them to drop from the race. Its a fun video for a crazy event for sure.

Mega From Behind - Alpe d´Huez from Ralf Schupp - thesureshot.tv on Vimeo.

Video: Wingsuiters Fly Incredibly Close To The Ground

Just how close can a wingsuit pilot fly to the ground? That seems to be the question on a lot of people's minds these days. This video gives us a frightening look at how far some are willing to push the envelope. It shows Brian Drake flying off the top of the ENSA Couloir near Chamonix, France and zipping down a gully just a few meters off the ground. Harrowing was the word that came to mind while I watched this.

Thanks to EpicTV for sharing.

2014 Tour de France Route Revealed!

The route for the 2014 Tour de France was unveiled in Paris yesterday, giving fans an opportunity to catch a glimpse at what we can expect next summer when the race returns for its 101st edition. As expected, Tour organizers have put some challenging elements into the various stages as they work hard to keep things very interesting for the riders and spectators alike.

Next year's TdF will begin a bit later than we're use to, getting underway on July 5 from Yorkshire in the U.K. After two stages across the Channel, the riders will head to Northern France where they'll have no less than nine sections, totally 15.4 km on cobblestones. Fans of the sport know that the cobbles are extremely dangerous and not especially popular with the Peloton. More than one rider has had their Tour dreams smashed on those rough roads in the early going, where most of the contenders just hope to survive.

With the rise of some exceptional climbers over the past few years the route planners are making sure they keep the riders challenged. There will be five mountain top finishes in the Alps and the Pyrenees, giving this year's champ Chris Froome and past champion Alberto Contador – both of whom were on hand for the course reveal – a chance to show off their climbing legs. The toughest of those days may be a slog up the Hautacam. The entire stage is just 145 km (90 miles) in length, but 40 km (24 miles) of that will be spent climbing.

Also a bit surprising is that there is only one individual time trail on the schedule. That leg is 54 km (33 miles) in length and will take place on the second to last day. As usual, the final day will belong to the sprinters on the streets of Paris and along the Champs Elysees.

I know that the race is still nine months off, but it's hard not to get excited when you hear about what's in store. I'm already looking forward to July!

Video: Eagle-Cam Gives Us A Birds-Eye View Of The Alps

Ever wonder what it is like to soar through the Alps like an eagle? Wonder no more as the video below gives you exactly that perspective. Not much is known about the clip other than that a small camera was placed on an eagle who then flew above the Mer De Glace region near Chamonix in France. The footage that this avian cameraman captured is nothing short of spectacular.

Ultrarunner Kilian Jornet Rescued From Mountain In France

The big news from the world of ultrarunning this week was the rescue of Kilian Jornet, and his training partner Emelie Forsberg, from the Aiguille de Midi in France. The duo were running up the mountain's North Face along the Frendo Spur when they were caught off guard by a change in weather and the lack of necessary gear. As a result, Jornet had to call in some help from the high mountain rescue team which helped him and his companion get off the mountain.

Kilian doesn't share a tone of details but he did post word of the rescue on his blog. He does say that they were carrying the necessary climbing gear with them as they went up the mountain but they were traveling in a minimal amount of gear. As a result, when the weather took a turn for the worse, they didn't have warm enough clothes with them. Fortunately that didn't prove to be a fatal mistake but it easily could have gone that way if a few variables had gone badly.

There are certainly a few lessons to be learned from this story, not the least of which is that the mountains should always be respected. Over the past couple of years we've watched in awe as Kilian has done some very impressive things on numerous mountains across Europe and elsewhere. He has always looked confident and in control no matter where he has gone and his incredible athletic ability has made given him an aura of invincibility. This incident proves that no matter who you are the mountains can provide a humbling experience.

The other thing to take away from this is that while we all want to be able to travel light and fast it is important to remember that you don't go so light that you're leaving important gear behind at home. Kilian and Emelie would have faced less difficult had they carried an extra jacket with them when they hit the trail. Something that they probably should have had in their packs specifically for these "just in case" moments.

Thankfully no one was seriously injured in this situation and Kilian did the right thing by calling for assistance when he did. Hopefully he'll use a little better judgement the next time he heads out into the mountains and hopefully we all can learn a little something from the incident as well.

Tour de France 2013: Battle For The Podium Heats Up, Froome Cruising In Yellow

It was another big day in the Alps for the 2013 Tour de France, but as expected there were no real challengers for the Yellow Jersey. Today's stage featured plenty of climbing but with a fast descent to the finish it was hard for anyone to really gain much time. With just two days to until Paris, Chris Froome is in complete control but the battle for second and third is just heating up.

Today the riders took to the course to cover a 204 km (126.75 mile) stage that ran from Bourg d'Oisans to Le Grand Bornand. The stage featured two tough Beyond Category climbs early on than added a Category 2 and two Category 1 climbs near the end. That was enough to shake things up and allow a break to succeed but not enough to put Froome in any kind of real danger, especially since the finish line was at the bottom of steep descent.

Team Europcar's Pierre Rolland put in a valiant effort out in front in an attempt to win the stage and earn France a second stage win at this year's Tour, but his legs couldn't quite deliver him to the finish line ahead of the pack and he was caught 5 km (3.1 miles) out and ended up finishing 16th on the day. The winner was Rui Costa of Movistar who finished a full 48 seconds ahead of Andréas Klöden who surged near the end as well. It was an impressive win from Costa, who isn't a threat in any way to the GC contenders.

The real battle out on the course came between four riders who are all hoping to find a way onto the podium in Paris. Just 47 seconds separated these men, of whom the closest to to Froome is Alberto Contador who sits 5:11 behind the leader. Behind Contador in third is Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas of Movistar. Lurking just slightly back are Roman Kreuziger, Contador's teammate on Saxo-Tinkoff and Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver of Team Katusha. A little advantage out on the road for any of these men could see them reverse their fortunes and end up on the podium with Froome, and they all know it. Late in the stage today there was some jousting between them to see if something could shake out, but there was no change in the standings at the end of the day. That should bring at least a little drama tomorrow however when these four could really be fighting it out on the final climb of the day and the Tour itself.

Speaking of tomorrow, it is the penultimate stage of the race and will once again be a tough day in the mountains. It is a 125 km (77.66 mile) ride from Annecy to the summit of Annecy Semnoz, a Beyond Category climb with a the finish line right on top. Earlier in the stage there are several Category 2 and 3 climbs and a single Cat. 1, but considering the amount of climbing the riders have done in the Alps this week, their legs are likely to be quite tired. The push up that final hill will determine the final rankings of this year's race. Since no one will attack the Yellow Jersey on the way into Paris, Sunday will be a day for the sprinters. Tomorrow will decide second and third place since the winner is already in the bag.

Once again today there was no change in who holds the various Tour jerseys. Froome stays in Yellow of course, and Peter Sagan is in Green as the top sprinter. He won't give that title up in the next few days either. The White Jersey for the best young rider is still on the back of Quintana Rojas who has looked fantastic at just 23 years of age. The battle for the Polka Dot Jersey for the King of the Mountains is still up in the air however with a number of possible winners. Currently that jersey is also held by Froome, but Pierre Rolland is just one point back. It is likely that his legs are shot after today's effort, and Mikel Iturralde of Team Euskaltel-Eusadki and Quintana Rojas are both within striking distance, as is Christophe Riblon. The winner of this title will obviously be decided on the climbs tomorrow as well.

I haven't mentioned the team competition much this year but it has been a good battle too. Team Saxo-Tinkoff is in the lead at the moment and the entire squad has performed very well throughout the race. Their closest rival is Radioshack Leopard who are about three and a half minutes back. It is possible that they could overtake Saxo tomorrow, but it doesn't seem likely, especially with two members of the team looking to get onto the podium.

The official outcome of the race will actually be decided tomorrow, so if you're a fan of the race you'll certainly want to tune in. Sunday is largely a ceremonial ride into Paris for the Yellow Jersey during which he can take in the scenery and wave to the fans. This year's final day should be a special one however, as it will be an evening ride into Paris and will start in the gardens at Versailles and cover 118 km (73.31 miles) into Paris where the peloton will pass through the courtyard of the Louvre. As always, the race will end on the Champs Élysées but instead of turning in front of the Arc de Triomphe as is traditional, the riders will actually race around that monument. It should make for an exciting finish and we'll have to see if Mark Cavendish is able to once again claim victory on the final stage.

Tour de France 2013: Yellow Jersey Under Attack In The Alps

Today was a big day in the 2013 Tour de France, but we knew it would be back when the course was originally announced. The 168 km (104.38 mile) stage ran from Gap to the summit of the famed Alpe d'Huez, which had to be climbed not once but twice in the same stage. If you're a fan of the Tour, you already know the historical importance of that mountain, with its 21 switchbacks, each of which bears the names of former Tour winners who also prevailed on the historic climb. Heading into the day, we wondered if race leader Chris Froome would also carve his name onto one turns, but by the end we were left wondering how much the Sky rider still had left in the tank. For the first time in the race he actually looked vulnerable.

Early in the day a group of breakaway riders made a move to claim glory on the stage. That breakaway included the likes of Tejay Van Garderen and Christophe Riblon, the two men who would ultimately battle it out for the stage win. Van Garderen looked great throughout the stage but a mechanical issue with his bike on the descent of the first ascent of Alpe d'Huez forced him to the side of the road to wait for assistance, When he finally got back going again he expanded a lot of energy catching up with the other breakaway riders. Eventually he would leave them in his wake however and ride on alone, only to be caught by Riblon on the approach to the summit finish. The American had no more kick in his legs and even though he rode hard the entire day, he wasn't able to hang on for the stage win. Instead it was Riblon who looked fresh at the top of the mountain as he earned France it's first victory in this year's race.

Late in the race, Froome made his own move on the final climb in an effort gain more time on Alberto Contador, who sits in second place, now more than five minutes off the pace. The Brit was also looking to limit the damage that would be done by Movistar's young rider Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas, who looked strong on the climb and pulled back more than a minute on the leader, even though he doesn't appear to be a major threat for the Yellow Jersey. During that climb however, Froome clearly looked like he was struggling, perhaps for the first time in the past two Tour de France races. Thankfully his teammate Richie Porte was there to help him up to the line, but it was unusual to see vulnerability in the man who has been in Yellow for more than a week now.

The next two days are going to be interesting. While I don't think Froome was close to cracking today, he clearly showed the strain of the big climb. Tomorrow will be a 204 km (126.75 mile) ride from Bourg d'Oisans to Le Grand Bornand that will feature more big climbs, including two Beyond Category monsters in the early going, but it has a down hill finish which should limit the damage unless someone decides to challenge early. Saturday's stage will end with another massive climb on a BC summit, which could be the place for someone to challenge the standings. Realistically speaking though, it will still take some monumental effort for Froome to not ride into Paris on Sunday in the Yellow Jersey. He seems a lock to win provided something drastic doesn't happen. Still, with Quintana Rojas now in third place and looking strong today, who knows what he'll do. He may at least challenge Contador for second place considering just 21 seconds separate the two men.

There was no major changes to the standings in the Green Jersey today. Peter Sagan continues to hold a commanding lead and should also arrive in Paris with that jersey on his back. Froome still leads in the King of the Mountain competition as well, although only a few points now separate him from Quintana Rojas. The battle for the Polka Dot Jersey will be settled over the next two days too. The Colombian rider has a stranglehold on the White Jersey that goes to the best rider under the age of 25 as well, so honestly there isn't much drama left in the Tour, other than watching individual efforts out on the course.

The next two days should still be a lot of fun to watch as they riders continue through the Alps. On Sunday, they'll turn towards Paris and the sprinters will get one last chance to flash their speed on the Champs Élysées. That's always a wild and chaotic affair that makes for entertaining television. This year that will take place in the evening, giving it a much different feel in than it has it the past.

I can't believe we're almost through another Tour. It seems like it goes way too quickly and since I haven't had the chance to follow it as closely this year as I have in years past, I'm feel particularly sad that it is already about to go away again. Lets hope these final three days are good ones.

Tour de France 2013: Froome Dominates Individual Time Trial

Heading into today's individual time trial at the Tour de France I predicted that Chris Froome would win the stage thanks to his impressive climbing abilities that have been unmatched so far this year. Turns out that prediction proved accurate as the man in Yellow continued to dominate the race and gained yet more time over his rivals, although a familiar name now sits in second place heading into tomorrow's crucial stage.

Today's stage was just 32 km (19.88 miles) in length, which is plenty for an individual time trial. The course designers through in a couple of Category 2 climbs to make things interesting as well, which surely sapped the legs of some of those looking to gain time. That could be costly over the next few days, when some big climbs will ultimately determine the standings heading into Paris, but unless something dramatic happens, we already know who our winner is. Froome completed today's stage in 51 minutes, 33 seconds, which was 9 seconds faster than Alberto Contador who managed to move up to second place in the General Classification. That would normally seem like a good place to be moving into the final mountain stages, but considering the fact that he is 4 minutes, 34 seconds behind Froome, it seems unlikely that he'll be able to close the gap. Roman Kreuziger, Contador's teammate on Team Saxo-Tinkoff is now in third place an additional 17 seconds off the pace.

Since there were no sprint points up for grabs today, Peter Sagan remains in the Green Jersey and Froome holds onto the Polka Dot, which is worn on the course by Mikel Nieve of Euskaltel-Euskadi, who is actually in third place in the King of the Mountains competition. In second is Nairo Quintana Rojas of Movistar, but he doesn't wear the Polka Dots because he is also in the White Jersey as the our's best rider under the age of 25.

Tomorrow promises to be one of the most epic days in the history of the Tour and is certainly the one that fans of the race have been anticipating since the course was announced a few months back. It isa 168 km (104.38 mile) stage that begins in Gap and ends on the fabled summit of Alpe d'Huez, a mountain that has had a major impact on the TdF over the years. But this year the riders won't be clawing their way to the top just once, they'll have to go up the mountain twice, which is sure to shred the peloton and create massive time gaps once again. If Contador looks to make up time, he'll need to make a move tomorrow, but considering how well Froome is climbing, it'll be a tough go. Alpe d'Huez is a beyond category climb of course, but the riders will also face a Cat 3 and three Category 2 climbs along the way as well. There will be a few sprint points to grab as well, but really this is all about the climbers. It should be thrilling and agonizing to watch.

If there is going to be any drama in the final few days of the race, it'll come tomorrow. If Froome cracks (doesn't seem likely!), then Contador has the chance to gain substantial time and take the lead. There just hasn't been any indication that anyone will be able to challenge the Kenyan-born British cyclist thus far and I don't expect that the change to tomorrow either. But this is professional cycling and anything can happen.

Tour de France 2013: Catching Up With Le Tour

While I absolutely loved my time in Australia the trip also coincided with the Tour de France, one of my favorite annual events. While the sports-mad Aussies do follow the race, it doesn't come on the telly until 10:00 PM each night, which meant that on the few days that I actually had access to watch it, I was practically ready to crash just as the race was starting to get rolling. Still, I did my best to keep up with what was happening and stay informed of the standings whenever I could. It seems I missed a lot of action but not necessarily a lot of intrigue.

As expected, pre-race favorite Chris Froome has taken a commanding leading in the race and continues to fend off all challengers in the mountains. The Team Sky rider threw down the gauntlet in the first stage of the Pyrenees and hasn't let up much since, although Alberto Contador did take advantage of an opportunity to get himself back onto the podium when winds split the peloton in a stage last week. Still, the Spanish rider currently sits in third place, 4:25 off the pace set by Froome but just 11 seconds behind Bauke Mollema of Team Belkin who is currently in third.

After a rest day yesterday the riders returned to the roads today for their first taste of the Alps. It was 168 km (104.38 mile) slog from Vaison-la-Romaine to Gap that featured plenty of climbing, even if they weren't the really big mountains that are yet to come. The course featured a Category 3 climb and two Category 2 climbers, but finished with a fast descent to the finish line. It was a day made for a breakaway and a rather large contingent of riders did leave the peloton behind to make a move for the stage win. Ultimately that went to Rui Costa of Movistar, who rode to the finish alone, 42 seconds ahead of his closest rivals.

That sets the stage for tomorrows second individual time trial that will like allow Froome to extend his lead even further. He has been dominant on the climbing stages thus far and looked great in the first ITT last week. Tomorrow's course will run from Embrun to Chorges and is just 32 km (19.88 miles) in length but features two Cat. 2 climbs, which will be a good challenge for the riders to ascend completely on their own. Considering how the first two weeks have gone, it wouldn't be a stretch to see  Froome win this stage in convincing fashion.

With just a few more days to go until the riders turn to Paris, this race is all but over. Personally, barring any type of catastrophe, I feel like Froome has this completely locked up. Make no mistake, there are some tough stages yet to come, but it'll take a herculean effort on someone's part to try to close any gaps with the leader. Thursday stage, which features two climbs of the infamous Alpe d'Huez, would be the one to make a move, but it'll be tough to shake Froome who hasn't looked vulnerable in the mountains this year or last.

In addition to wearing the Yellow Jersey, Froome also has the Polka Dot Jersey that goes to the best climber in the Tour. Cannondale's Peter Sagan has a commanding lead in the race for the Green Jersey that goes to the top sprinters. With not many sprint points left to be claimed, he is in front of Mark Cavendish by 99 points. They will likely battle it out in Paris on Sunday, where Cav has been all but unbeatable the past few years. The White Jersey for the Tour's best young rider is worn by Rojas Quintana of Movistar who is having an excellent race thus far and is sitting in 6th place heading into the  final days.

The next few days of the race should be exciting ones, even if it feels like this one has all but been decided. Thursday's showdown in the Alps should be terrific and now that I'm home to watch it all unfold, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Tour de France In An Animated Video

New to the Tour de France this year? Have lots of questions about what is going on? Then check out this fun animated video. Even if you're a long time fan of the Tour, you'll probably learn a thing of too as well. Fun stuff.

Tour de France 2013: Manx Missile Hits Mark In Marseille

With yesterday's Team Time Trial now behind them the riders in the Tour de France returned to the roads today for a 219 km (136.06 mile) stage that ran from Cagnes-sur-Mer to Marseille. The route wound its way through the scenic French countryside and featured a single Category 3 climb and three Category 4 climbs as well. That gave the riders in the hunt for the King of the Mountain jersey a chance to earn some points, while an intermediate sprint put the Green Jersey contenders on the attack. Meanwhile, the main peloton was content to just ride through the hills at a steady pace with no one really threatening the Yellow Jersey at all.

Once again today an early breakaway made things a bit interesting with a group of riders working together to try to survive to the end of the stage. The peloton didn't panic however and the last of the stragglers were gathered up just a few miles from the finish line. That allowed the sprinters to jockey for position and the fastest riders in the world moved into place to go head-to-head for the stage win. Several of the big names were there at the end including Cannondale's Peter Sagan, André Greipel of Lotto-Belisol and Edvald Boasson Hagen from Team Sky. But in the end no one could catch Mark Cavendish who earned the 24th stage win of his career.

For the most part, there wasn't a lot of drama in today's race. None of the big names are ready to put in an attack so early on and if they did, it isn't likely that they would succeed anyway. These stages are on the course to let riders with other skills show off their talents while the GC contenders bide their time for the mountain stages to come. There were a couple of major crashes near the end that left a couple of dozen riders sprawled out on the ground. The last of those crashes occurred just before the finish line and appeared more serious than the first. I haven't seen any reports of injuries, but I wouldn't be surprised if a rider or two didn't get hurt in the fall. There were several riders who were sitting prone for a considerable amount of time after the accident.

With the action confined to the closing minutes of the stage there was no change in the standings today nor was there any impact on the various Jerseys. Simon Gerrans of Orica Greenedge remains in the Yellow Jersey and will probably be able to defend for a couple of more days. Sagan held on to the Green Jersey while Pierre Rolland kept the Polk Dots that go to the top climber. Belgian rider Michal Kwiatkowski keeps the White Jersey as the best young rider on the tour this year as well.

Barring any unforeseen accidents the standings will remain rather static tomorrow as well. The ride covers 176 km (109.35 miles) and begins with a bit of a downhill run that leads to an intermediate sprint point followed by a single Category 4 climb. After that, it's almost completely flat all the way to the finish. The riders will start the day in Aix-en-Provence and end in Montpellier in what promises to be another showdown for the sprinters. Can Cavendish pull out back-to-back wins? We'll just have to wait and see.

The first big test looms on Friday with two major climbs in the Pyrenees. That stage will feature both a Beyond Category climb and a mountaintop finish on a Category 1 climb. Following that test, we'll truly know who are the real contenders this year.

Tour de France 2013: Team Trial Puts Gerrans In Yellow

The Tour de France moved off the island of Corsica today and onto the mainland for the first time as the riders took to the streets of Nice for the team time trial. The course was a mostly flat 25km (15.5 miles) that was rather non-technical and offered few challenges other than racing the clock. For the most part, there were few turns to difficult turns to negotiate and with the weather being relatively bright and clear, the action came fast and furious. Heading into the day, only one second separated the Yellow Jersey from the field, which meant that it was possible for any number of riders to claim it. In the end though, it went to Simon Gerrans, who won yesterday's stage, as his Orica Greenedge team rode to victory.

The winning team completed their ride in a time of 25:56 with second place Omega Pharma-Quickstep just one second off the pace. The Sky train came in third, three second behind, while Team Saxo Bank and Lotto Belisol rounded out the top five, nine and 27 17 seconds behind respectively.

Todays results started to shake up the leader board a bit, putting a few seconds of time between contenders. But none of the big names are in any kind of serious jeopardy yet. Sky's Chris Froome is just three seconds behind the Gerrans and Alberto Contador is another six seconds back. Gerrans isn't a threat to hold on to the maillot jaune for too long, although if he can survive a few climbs tomorrow, he should have a chance to hold onto it for a couple of days.

Following three fantastic days of racing, the team time trial was a good way to bring the race to the mainland. Personally, I'm not as big a fan of the TTT as I am the individual time trials, so I'm glad to have it behind us and getting into the true meat of the race. There is still a long way to go in this year's Tour and much to be sorted out yet of course, but the next few stages will certainly be more traditional than what we've seen so far.
Tomorrow the riders will cover 219km (136.06 miles) between Cagnes-sur-Mer and Marseille. The stage profile features a single Category 3 climb and three Category 4's. An intermediate sprint section will give the contenders for the Green Jersey a chance to earn some points, but overall I suspect we'll see very little shake-up in the standings. The finish line comes at the end of a descent, which will give those lagging on the hills a chance to close the gaps. A strong breakaway could make some noise however, provided a group works well together.

Since today was the team time trial, there has been no change in the standings for the jerseys other than the Yellow. Peter Sagan remains in Green, Pierre Rolland has the Polka Dot and Michal Kwiatkowski is in White as the Tour's best young rider. Each of those could potentially change tomorrow although I believe Sagan will have little difficult keeping his Green Jersey.

We're just starting to get rolling now. Stay tuned for lots more action to come, including some early mountain stages coming on the weekend. We may get our first glimpse of who are the true contenders at that time, although I have to say that a number of the riders look very comfortable so far. A wide-open Tour is much more fun to watch, so hopefully it'll be very competitive throughout the remaining three weeks.

Tour de France 2013: Off To A Roaring Start!

The organizers of the Tour de France promised us a more demanding and dramatic course this year, in part because they wanted to respond to the lack of drama in 2012, but mostly because they wanted to do something special for the 100th anniversary of the race. Three days into the competition and I'd say that the 2013 edition of Le Tour is living up to the hype, offering us all kinds of excitement already. The race has been frenetic at times with some unusual and unexpected moments, all set against the amazingly beautiful backdrop of the island of Corsica, which may be the real winner of this year's Tour since I'm sure there are more than a few people booking passage to visit the place for themselves.

Things got off to a great start on Saturday with a full stage as opposed to a traditional prologue. The day featured a 213 km (132 mile) ride from Porto-Vecchio to Bastia that was mostly flat and was expected to be a day for the sprinters to show off the power in their legs. But a couple of nasty crashes near the finish took the big names out of contention and allowed Marcel Kittel of Team Argos-Shimano to claim the stage victory and put on the Yellow Jersey.

The day will go down in the annals of Tour history not because of that surprise result however but because the team bus for Orica Greenedge got stuck while trying to cross under the finishing gate. For a time it looked as if the bus would block the finish and the riders were told they would end at the 3km mark, but the original finish line was cleared in time and the race proceeded as originally planned. Still, the conflicting messages left the peloton confused and may have contributed to the crashes.

Day two brought some tough climbing to the early stages of the Tour, something that hasn't been typical in recent years either. These weren't the big ascents that will come in the Pyrenees or Alps but they were certainly enough to test the legs of the riders and stretch out the Peloton across the course. The 156km (97 mile) route ran from Bastia to Ajaccio through some medium sized mountains that looked spectacular. Near the end of the stage a breakaway group managed to get ahead of the main group and while the break didn't manage to survive, it did allow Jan Bakelants of Radioshack Leopard to win the stage by a single second, which was enough to put him into Yellow heading into today.

Today's third and final stage on Corsica was a 145.5km (90 mile) ride that included yet more climbing up and down the slopes of the island between Ajaccio and Calvi. For the most part, it was a more by the numbers stage with the riders staying close to one another until the final few climbs, which stretched the Peloton once again. But it was fast descent to the finish line, which allowed some strategy to come into play as teams worked to get their sprinters into contention. For a time it looked like Peter Sagan, the fast young rider for Cannondale Pro Cycling, would earn his first stage win but he was edged ever so slightly at the line by Australian Simon Gerrans of Orica Greenedge.

Tomorrow the race will transfer over to the mainland where the riders will take part in a 25km (15.5 mile) team time trial through the streets of Nice. The short stage will let them get their legs back under them before things start to heat up again on Wednesday. The time trial will give us an opportunity to see where the squads that support the top contenders are standing at the moment and will give us an indication of who to keep an eye on as the race unfolds.

With three days of racing now behind us the Yellow Jersey sits on the shoulders of Jan Bakelants. Peter Sagan of Cannondale earned some solid points today to put him squarely in the Green Jersey or the sprinters, while Pierre Rolland of Team Eurocar wears the Polka Dots of the King of the Mountain competition. The White Jersey currently belongs to Michal Kwiatkowski of Omega Pharma-Quickstep as the best young rider in the competition.

I have to say, I'll be sad to see the race leave Corsica. The Tour has never been to the island in the history of the event, but it sure made a great backdrop for the first three days. The setting was simply spectacular and it really was very enjoyable to watch the events unfold long stunning beaches, fantastic mountains and lush fields. I'm looking forward to the sunflower-lined roads of France as well, but Corsica will be missed.

The 2013 Tour de France Begins Tomorrow!!

It is like Christmas Eve at the Adventure Blog World Headquarters (read my apartment) today as tomorrow marks the start of the best three week period of the year. Thats when the 2013 Tour de France gets under way in grand fashion on the isle of Corsica. From there things will only get better as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the race with all kinds of pomp and circumstance. But this year's Tour promises to be quite a grueling affair with more big climbs than last year and some classic stages that will test the endurance of the riders almost from day one.

Speaking of day one, the race kicks off with the Grand Start in Porto-Vecchio with the riders setting out on a 213km (132 mile) ride to Bastia. The course will be undulate some with some solid hills to test their legs on the first day but nothing that will be too serious. There will be some sprint points up for grabs of course and the faster riders will be certainly be looking to claim a big win on the first day.

Rumor has it that Mark Cavendish, who is riding for Omega-Pharam-Quicksetp this year, is hoping to grab the stage win that would give him the 24th of his career and put him in Yellow for the first time. He isn't a GC contender of course, but the Manx Missile has all the skills necessary to pull of this feat and wear the leader's jersey for a few days. That would be a change of pace from recent years when Fabian Cancellara as traditionally taken the first stage and worn Yellow for the first few days. But Spartacus has elected to sit out this year's Tour to concentrate on the World Championships. He will be missed.

The real GC contenders won't show themselves for the first week or so, but they will have to be careful to not let themselves fall too far off the pace either. Last year's champ Bradley Wiggins is out due to health issues, but even before his knee started giving him problems, Wiggins wasnt' exactly riding like a  defending champ. This has cleared up a potential problem for Team Sky, as they can now put all of their efforts behind young Chris Froome, giving him a real shot at winning the race. Some believe Froome could have won last year, although he wisely elected to ride in support of his teammate Wiggins.


Froome will face a challenger unlike any that Wiggins had to deal with last year however. Former Tour winner Alberto Contador, now with Team Saxo Bank, is returning to form and looking strong heading into the race. Contador has won seven Grand Tours in his career (five officially!) and is one of the best riders of the past decade. It is hard to believe he is only 30 and when in top form he is relentless in the mountains. Wiggins didn't have to face anything like an in shape and determined Contador last year.

Other potential contenders include 2011 winner Cadel Evans who suffered all kinds of bad luck last year. Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde could be in the mix as well and Andy Schleck is back in the race after sitting out last year with an injury. Young Tejay van Garderen looked like he was a rider on the brink last season too and if Evans falters early, he could step in to fill the lead position for Team BMC.

We could also have an excellent showdown between Cavendish and Cannondale Pro Cycling's Peter Sagan. They seem to be the top contenders for the Green Jersey, which Sagan took home last year. Both are fiery personalities and neither likes to lose. Considering how fast they both are, it should be fun to watch them duel it out on the road.

The organizers of the Tour de France have gone to great pains to make this year's race a very special event. The course has been carefully crafted to make the 100th anniversary a ride to remember. This is somewhat seen as an attempt to heal some of the issues that have hit cycling over the past year or so as well as a way to turn the page on one century and start a new one. It should be an excellent Tour to follow and I think fans of the race are in for quite an event this year. I believe that complaints that last year's race was a bit lackluster have not been ignored and we'll see more drama this time out. And I'm not talking about the kind of drama that comes along with someone throwing tacks out on the road. The real kind of drama as these supreme athletes push each other to the edge to find out who is the best rider.

I cant' wait for things to get started. Stay tuned for more.

Expedition 1000: Go Trekking Around Europe

Over the past several years we've been following adventurer Dave Corthnwaite as he's ridden a tandem bike from Vancouver to Las Vegas, taken a stand-up paddleboard the length of the Mississippi River and swam more than 1000 miles along the Missouri River. All of those adventures were part of Dave's Expedition 1000 project, during which he is attempting to complete 25 individual excursions of at least 1000 miles (1609 km) in length without the use of motorized transportation. Today, Dave sets out on the next leg of his project on what he calls the Go Trek.

While on the Go Trek, Dave will cover more than 3000 miles (4828 km) as he buzzes around Western Europe on an Elliptigo – a strange mash-up of an elliptical machine and a bicycle. Riders propel the bike forward by using the same motion as when they are on an elliptical machine, which sounds like a lot of fun and a lot of work at the same time. Dave will be joined on this journey by adventurer Squash Falconer, who has a name like a Bond villain but looks more like a Bond girl. Her resume includes successful summits of Everest, Cho Oyu and Aconcagua, amongst others.

Over the next nine weeks, the Go Trek will pass through the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and France. Along the way, Dave and Squash are encouraging the general public to come join them and to that end they've published their schedule and route so that we can all plan accordingly. The plan is to share the fun of adventure with any who are willing to join them. And of course, as always with an Expedition 1000 journey, the Go Trek will also be used to raise funds for the CoppaFeel organization, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting breast cancer through early detection.

While we're on the subject of Dave and his many adventures, I'd also like to point out that his latest book, Life in the Slow Lane (Kindle UK link) is now available on the Amazon Kindle or on the Kindle App for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. The e-version of the book costs just $3.49 or £3.08 and won't be available in paperback until June. It tells the tale of how Dave changed his life from someone who went about the daily office grind into a person who embraced adventure and travel. Obviously this is what he does now, and his life is more enriched for it. I haven't had the chance to read the book yet myself, but it is on my summer reading list.

You'll be able to follow Dave and Squash's progress on Go Trek's official website. And if you live in one of the five European countries that they'll be visiting along the way, be sure to check when they'll be passing through your area.

Trekstock Takes You To The Great Gig In The Sky!

Looking for a fun, challenging and fulfilling adventure later this year? Then checkout Trekstock's intriguing Another Great Gig in the Sky hike. The event is a 6-day trek through the Alps that crosses three countries (Italy, France and Switzerland) that culminates at the Paléo Music Festival. But the trip isn't just about hiking through some of the most beautiful regions in Europe, it is also a charity fundraiser that will earn much needed cash to help young people dealing with cancer.

Trekstock is an organization that officially launched back in 2010 with the expressed mission of helping to raise funds to battle cancer and to help educate youth about leading a healthy lifestyle. Since then, one of their major fundraisers has been their Great Gig in the Sky adventures. Last year the trek took them to Mt. Kenya in Africa and this year the route will wind through the Alps.

The route for the 2013 "Gig" was designed by 360 Expeditions exclusively for this event. The challenge trek will follow the Tour Du Mount Blanc circuit starting in Courmayeur, Italy and ending in Chamonix, France, with a stop at the Swiss music festival along the way.  Registration for the Gig is £350 ($550) and includes flights from the U.K. to the start of the hike and a 2-day weekend festival pass to the Paléo. Each of the trekkers will be expected to raise a minimum of an additional £2800 ($4425) for the cause.

For anyone interested in joining the trek the dates that it will be underway are Friday July 19 - Sunday 28. Find out a lot more by clicking here.

Hmm...definitely intriguing. Maybe I should add this to my list of things to do this year!

2013 Tour de France Course Revealed

2013 will mark the 100th running of the Tour de France and to celebrate organizers of the event have some big plans for the race next year. The full course for the event was unveiled yesterday, giving fans a glimpse of what they can expect and leaving us with months of anticipation for what will surely be one of the toughest Tours in recent memory.

Contrary to recent rumors, the race will still end on the streets of Paris in the final stage, although it will finish at sunset for the first time, rather than mid-day as it has in the past. The race gets underway with two sprint stages on the island of Corsica (another first!), which gives Mark Cavendish the opportunity to take the Yellow Jersey for the first time in his career, although you have to believe there will be a number of sprinters hoping to sniff yellow.

The tale of the tape looks like this: 7 flat stages, 5 hilly stages, 6 mountain stages with 4 summit finishes, 2 individual time trials and 1 team time trial, plus 2 rest days. But those numbers don't tell the whole story, because this is a Tour that will definitely favor the strong climbers. One of the individual time trials is even on a mountain stage, which will be brutal for the riders who specialize in the TT discipline, such as 2012 winner Bradley Wiggins or Fabian Cancellara.

Perhaps most surprising is that the riders will have to take on the famed Alp d'Huez not once, but twice, and on the same stage no less. Yep, you read that correctly. Stage 18 will see competitors riding from Gap to Alp d'Huez, ending on the mountain top after riding up the slope twice from two different approaches. The legendary 21 switchbacks have been ridden twice in a single Tour once before, on consecutive days back in 1979, but this is the first time it'll need to be conquered twice in one day. It is going to be on grueling ride to say the least.


Defending champ Wiggins took one look at the route yesterday and pretty much conceded that he wouldn't be able to repeat as the winner. Instead, he says he'll ride for teammate Chris Froome, who is a better climber and finished second in this year's Tour. Alberto Contador will be back in the field next year and should do well in the mountain stages and provided 2011 winner Cadel Evans returns to form, he should be in the mix too.

Either way, the stage is set for an exciting race and, lets face it, the sport of cycling could use something exciting to look forward to right now. The 100th running of Le Tour could mark a turning of the page in many ways.