The 2022 Tour De France is a gruelling race that traverses some serious mountain peaks through the French Pyrenees and not to mention tight roads through small French villages.

 

Thanks to our friends at Thomson’s Tours, they can help you along the way with professionally fitted bike hire for when you land. Although this is an option, a lot of our clients prefer to bring their own wheels, and a common question we receive is – ‘what do I pack’? It’s important to note that our transport drivers and vehicles which follow you in tow are fitted with tools to sort punctures etc., but you’ll be responsible for bringing all your own equipment. So, we thought we’d put together a guide to make sure you are well prepared for what’s to come!

 

Tour De France Cycling Clothing

When considering what to wear for a Tour De France ride, it’s pivotal to consider all weather possibilities. It’s very common to experience four seasons in one day, especially if you are taking on some of the Pyrénées mountain routes. As you climb in altitude, it will naturally drop in temperature, so please bring along some warm items, too. Cycling clothing to include:

• • Bib shorts
• • Jerseys
• • Helmets
• • Shoes
• • Sunglasses
• • Waterproof tight jacket
• • Base layers
• • Full finger gloves (light, heavy and waterproof)
• • Socks
• • Overshoes
• • Neck bandera
• • Skull cap

 

Tour De France Off Bike Clothing

With the variability in the weather during the day, the last thing we need after a big 100+km ride is being too cold while trying to recover indoors for the evening. Over the years, we’ve seen some travellers miss a few of the following items which we think are vital to keeping you warm:

• • Jeans/ long trousers
• • Shorts
• • Long sleeve jumpers and undergarments
• • Underwear
• • Socks
• • Rain jackets
• • Jumpers
• • Sandals
• • Shoes
• • Flip flops

Tour De France Cycling Gear

The team at Thomson Bikes are very versed in helping clients set up their bike with the required tools. However, you’ll need to bring all the pieces separated as per airline guidelines. To help both yourself and the driver when you arrive, we recommend bringing along a list of your bike measurements so they can assist you in setting it all up. We can’t tell you how much this makes their lives easier. Measurements include things like seat and handlebar height. Apart from your measurements, if you are bringing your own gear, please pack the following:

• • Pedals
• • Saddle
• • Wheels
• • Main frame
• • Spare cleats are also a big win. There have been numerous instances when one will randomly snap on the way up a climb.
• • Rear mudguards

 

Tour De France Accessories to Pack

With technology transforming the type of data that you can get your hands on to assess your ride performance, we wouldn’t want you to forget your Garmin unit. We recommend you, therefore, pack the following:

• • Garmin front unit
• • Garmin battery charger
• • Garmin USB cable
• • Mount and strap
• • Bars, nutrition gels and electrolytes (even magnesium for good measure)
• • Spare batteries
• • Water bottles
• • Spare batteries
• • Waterproof bag for phone and wet clothes
• • Sunscreen
• • 4-part power pack with a converter (so you can charge all your devices from one power point)

Tour De France Riding Tours

If you are still umming and ahhing about potentially locking away a Tour De France ride, below is a list of our top-selling trips and what’s included:

• • 7 Nights Alps Tour De France Ride
• • 7 Nights Pyrenées Tour De France Ride
• • Tour De France Female Route

Tour De France (2022) Viewings

• • Stage 9: Access to a private hospitality marquee on the climb to the Col de la Croix
• • Stage 10: Access to the VIP departure village in Morzine
• • Stage 12: VIP ride across the finish line, podium photo op, and access to the VIP tribune at the finish line in Alpe d’Huez

Accommodation and food

• • All accommodations
• • All breakfasts
• • All dinners
• • 3 x sit-down lunches
• • 3 x picnic lunches during the rides

Transport

• • Pick-up & drop-off at Lyon Airport
• • All transportation during the trip
• • All luggage & bike box transfers

 

Cycling Support

• • 1 x support van & 1 x ride leader per 8 guests (approx.)
• • Experienced bike mechanic
• • Cycling tools

 

And there we have it, a pretty comprehensive packing list to ensure you are well equipped for a pretty big week of riding the Tour de France or any other cycling trip. As always, if you have any questions or considering a Tour De France Tour, chat to one of our Sports Travel Specialists.