Le Grand Depart
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Welcome to Corsica and the Tour De France
Arriving in Porto Vecchio, the excitement will already be palpable as the 100th edition of the Tour de France prepares to launch. After a quick bike-fitting and map review with your guides, we’ll take to the roads for our first view of the stunning island. The real treat will be seeing the start of the race in person and watching history in the making before we transfer by boat directly to our luxurious accommodations for the night at the Sofitel, where we’ll enjoy a delicious local meal pulled right from the sea.
Meals: Light Lunch / Dinner
Mileage: 23 miles / 37 km.
Climbing: 988 feet / 301 meters
Destinations: Porto Vecchio
The Climbing Begins
Riding our Cannondale SuperSix bikes, we’ll set out for our first major challenge today. Climbing over 3,500 feet is never easy, but it’s well worth the effort for the stunning views of the Gorges du Prunelli and the Mediterranean below. Earning the best seats in the house with every pedal stroke, we’ll stop to watch the riders zip by on their descent from Vizzavona. Then we’ll ride back to Ajaccio for dinner, where we’ll have a chance to interact with some of the pros, who will also be spending the night in this stunning town.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Mileage: 45 miles / 72.5 km.
Climbing: 3,550 feet / 1,082 meters
Destinations: Gorges of du Prunelli, Vizzavona, Ajaccio
Tackle the Col De Sevi
We’ll start the morning with a boat ride to the beach town Sagone. Biking through the seaside town of Vico, we’ll tackle our first true giant of the week, the Col de Sevi. At 21 km and an average gradient of 5.2%, this is not a ride for the faint of heart. Revitalizing snacks await us at the top before we descend into Porto to watch the race and cheer on our favorite Cannondale riders. The riding continues with an 11 km climb alongside the stunning granite cliffs known as Les Calanques and onto our beautiful hotel for the night, Capo Rosso. We’ll enjoy our dinner overlooking the rocky coast as the sun sets.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Mileage: 49.5 miles / 79.6 km.
Climbing: 4,170 feet / 1,271 meters
Destinations: Sagone, Vico, Col De Sevi, Porto, Les Calanques
Calvi to Piana
Conquer the cols above the Mediterranean, riding through the Gulf of Porto. Perched hundreds of feet directly above the sea, hug the coastline while pushing the pace over the undulating roads along the Calanques. With the Tour already on the mainland, today we are left with a quiet island all to ourselves to really enjoy the ride. Arriving in Calvi, we’ll pull into our home for the rest of the trip, La Signoria, and your guides will point you to the best restaurants in town
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Mileage: 60 miles / 96.5 km.
Climbing: 3,914 feet /1,192 meters
Destinations: Piana, Les Calanques, Calvi
The King Stage: Calvi Loop
Going out with a bang, today we tackle over 6,500 feet of elevation. Looping through the towns above Calvi (Belgodère, Muro, St. Restitude and Calenzana), the terrain beneath our wheels will never relent, constantly pitching up or down. The views of majestic granite formations and the blue water below will leave us breathless if the climbing hasn’t already. Arriving back at La Signora, tonight we celebrate a week of unforgettable cycling with dinner together in the hotel’s outstanding restaurant. Vive le Tour!
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Mileage: 71 miles / 114 km.
Climbing: 6,575 feet / 2,004 meters
Destinations: Belgodère, Muro, St. Restitude, Calenzana
Au Revoir
After a week of the best cycling of our lives and the unforgettable memory of the 100th Tour de France, today it is time to say good bye to Corsica. After breakfast at La Signora, your guides will see you off from the Calvi airport.
Meals: Breakfast