Philip Deeker is the lead cyclist on the Tour de Force, an
annual event where amateurs cycle the entire Tour de
France route for charity. He tells us just how tough it is
This year will be the fourth time I’ve cycled the length of the
Tour. My job is to take people out of their comfort zone and
help them through. It’s an inclusive, non-competitive event
and not a race, but we do the same stages as the pros and it’s
extremely tough. You learn what it’s like to be in the head of a
pro racer, the pressures he’s under and what it’s like to dig deep
day after day.
For me, the toughest stages are in the Alps, in particular
the two climbs up Alpe d’Huez and the ascent of Col de la
Madeleine. It’s a mental as well as a physical challenge. I’m fit
enough for it not to hurt too much, but I’ve accompanied riders
in great distress. I’ve had ex-marines [elite soldiers] in tears
and people falling to pieces. One person confessed that for 45
minutes he just repeated the names of his wife and kids to take
his mind off the pain.
It’s intense. You may only reach your hotel at 6pm and you
have to clean yourself up, tinker with your bike, sit through
a debriefing, eat dinner, and then go to sleep knowing you
have to wake at 6am to do it all again. You battle with sleep
deprivation and develop an enormous appetite. But you do
get incredibly fit and the discovery of what the human body is
capable of can be a beautiful surprise.
It can feel like a bubble, far removed from everyday life. But
it’s exactly the same route the professionals take and that sense
of iconic symbolism along with the amazing scenery helps carry
you up the mountains. To cycle on the same tarmac as Bradley
Wiggins, it’s like an amateur footballer playing at Camp Nou.
I’m addicted. Maybe it’s a chemical addiction because
we produce endorphins and they change our bodily state.
Ultimately, we do it because we love being on a bike. And as
long as the Pyrenees is my office, I’m not going to complain.
Now it’s your turn
See the Tour de Force website for details of
how to donate or participate in future years.
tourdeforce.org.uk
»
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE…
To cycle the Tour
de France route
for charity
ERIK OLSSON
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