The Tour de France is a renowned three-week cycling race held annually, typically in July. The route spans approximately 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles). It features 22 teams of 8 riders each, competing across 21 stages, often including flat, hilly, and mountainous terrains. The race draws a massive global audience, with over 3.5 billion viewers watching on TV and around 12 million spectators lining the route (the 2014 UK Grand Depart saw 4 million spectators lining the route over 3 days!) In 2027 the grand depart of the Tour is in Scotland, Wales and England!
The tour is a compelling mix of athleticism, strategy, and scenery (rather like life!)
Get On Your Bike is a Christian based initiative aiming to engage the church and community on and around the Tour route.
In the months leading up to the weekend in July communities will become a hive of Tour activity. Painted bikes will appear; community events will take place or take on a cycling theme; cycling clubs will give the route a go; church towers and buildings will be decorated with flags and banners; houses will be painted in the colours of various Tour jerseys; giant artwork will start to be planned and created to be hopefully picked up by the live broadcast from the helicopter; the teams themselves may be spotted doing a practice run - especially on hilly and mountainous terrain; and a general excitement and buzz will be created as the spectacle comes to town!
The tour is a compelling mix of athleticism, strategy, and scenery (rather like life!)
Get On Your Bike is a Christian based initiative aiming to engage the church and community on and around the Tour route.
In the months leading up to the weekend in July communities will become a hive of Tour activity. Painted bikes will appear; community events will take place or take on a cycling theme; cycling clubs will give the route a go; church towers and buildings will be decorated with flags and banners; houses will be painted in the colours of various Tour jerseys; giant artwork will start to be planned and created to be hopefully picked up by the live broadcast from the helicopter; the teams themselves may be spotted doing a practice run - especially on hilly and mountainous terrain; and a general excitement and buzz will be created as the spectacle comes to town!
|
|
On the day itself roads will be closed and the race structure installed. Crowds will begin to gather (the last time the Tour was in the UK 4.8 million people lined the streets over the 3 days). A few hours before the caravan will come through - a 10km spectacular of vehicles and freebies! Then the race itself! Police, tour officials, tour sponsors, team cars, vehicles with spare bikes, TV crews, and then the riders. If you are a church or community on the route - plan and promote the day! Live music, toilets, drinks, the race shown live, community stalls, decorate your building (get it seen by the TV cameras) - be a hub that celebrates community, celebrates the race and celebrates one another. Use the day to promote Jesus and your church / community activities!
|
|
|
Then afterwards - what legacy can this event leave? Get on your bike! Become a chaplain to your local cycling clubs. Have some follow-up events planned - cycling themed holiday clubs for young people, a photo exhibition of the tour day, music events over the summer... People will remember the Tour for years to come - in Yorkshire, where the Tour started in 2014 and 1 in 4 people across the region were out on the streets watching, it is still talked about as a memorable and significant moment!
This is an opportunity. This is community coming together. Be part of it!
This is an opportunity. This is community coming together. Be part of it!