Ride a stage of the Tour de France

Watching a stage is one thing, but riding one is another altogether and enables you to understand the pain and suffering of the Tour – if only for a day.

The Etape du Tour sportive gives riders the chance to tackle a mountain stage of the Tour on closed roads. RoadCyclingUK’s George Scott rode the 2013 edition, while the 2014 event will take place on on Sunday July 20 over stage 18 of the Tour – 148km from Pau to Hautacam via the Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees.

Of course, you don’t need an organised sportive to ride a stage of the Tour de France, and that’s particularly applicable in 2014. Pick a stage (or, if you’re feeling brave, all three) of the Grand Départ to ride – the Tour route is on our doorstep.

We’d recommend stage two – a 198km route from York to Sheffield, littered with climbs through the Peak District and with a 33 per cent sting in the tail just kilometres from the finish. Time to start training…