Riders (2015) | mHealth Grand Tour 2015

Is it for me?

The ride is a tour not a race. It will be tough; we climb some big ‘Cols’ and have some long 200km days along the way.

The days are long and all of the stages are challenging. If you are taking part as an individual (not in a relay) we would expect that riders that join the Tour would have ridden at least 160km (100 miles) in a day and would have ridden two back-to-back days of over 100km. We don’t set a speed target for riders or impose time cut offs in the day; our only rules are designed to keep riders and the support crew safe along the route. The Tour does go through some large towns, and it is inevitable that on occasions we will need to ride on some busy roads. Riders should be confident they can safely ride in these environments.

Just like preparing to run a marathon, it takes a while to train to cycle the required distance and then a little time to train to ride ‘back-to-back’ days. But, with training and with the support of our team and the other riders, participating in the Tour should be a fantastic and enjoyable experience.

On previous tours we have had professional and elite amateurs, club riders and novice riders (taking advantage of the relay option) all participating together. We design the ride to allow this to happen, signing the route and ensuring there is enough support in the road for the riders throughout the day. We think we have a format and support infrastructure that makes it possible for almost anyone to participate in the Tour.

If you have doubts, concerns or questions just contact us and we will be happy to talk through the challenge and the options with you.

Can I take part if I have diabetes

Over 40 people with diabetes have ridden the Tour

There is no reason people with diabetes can’t participate. Our mHealth Grand Tours have always been a similar challenge and over 40 riders with diabetes completed a stage and over 20 completing the Epic distance. It wasn’t easy and all the riders faced some challenges at some point on the ride, but they showed it was not only possible to take part but also to enjoy the experience.

To quote Kyle-Jacque Rose (an ex-pro cyclist and a diabetes advocate) “exercising with diabetes is not as dangerous for your health as not exercising with diabetes”. Diabetes should not prevent you from riding the Grand Tour, we think it should motivate you to take part.

As everybody’s diabetes is unique to them we do advice that you consult with your doctor / endocrinologist and seek their guidance. As with all significant physical challenges, whether you have diabetes or not, you should take medical advice so your own personal circumstances can be assessed and specific advice given.

The most important thing for us is your health and your safety. Our team has experience supporting people with diabetes on long distance rides. We have an expert team travel with us to provide practical advice, guidance and support and to take care of people if things do go as planned.

Do I have to have diabetes to take part!

No! Anyone can take part.

You don’t have to have diabetes to participate. The majority of people taking part don’t have diabetes. Quite a few of the riders will have diabetes connections, some riders will be motivated to take part because family members have diabetes and some riders will be working for companies that provide healthcare solutions for people with diabetes. Quite a few riders will be also be riding for a diabetes charities.

However, there will be a number of riders that will be taking the chance to just experience a Tour across Europe!

Teams and Team concepts

Anyone can participate in the mHealth Grand Tour by entering as an individual, or by entering as part of a team.

We are not racing and there will be no team orders! The teams are just there for mutual support and to help foster a collegiate atmosphere on the ride. We expect riders to travel at their own pace and the teams to mix up on the road – that will be part of the fun and the experience. Even if you aren’t riding with your team, you won’t be on your own, as there is sure to be someone close by to ride with.

Registering a Team?

Official Teams: Whatever your focus the ride is an excellent opportunity for networking and meeting other people with a mutual interest in tackling diabetes and other health issues. Official Teams are promoted as one of the supporters of the event.

We publish details of the team in the partner section of the site and the team becomes part of the Tour communications campaign. Entering an official team is an excellent opportunity to participate and promote your participation in the event.

We can manage 'bulk registration' for team members and central payment for all rider for any official team.

Groups: If a group of riders want to ride together in an 'unofficial' capacity we can also support this. Individuals will need to register and pay themselves but we can group the team riders into the same hotels to ensure they get a shared experience from the ride.

Team Size: There is no minimum number of riders for a team but we would expect that teams would usually have more than one person 'on the road' at any one time! There is also no maximum number of riders per team. We have experience at managing any number of combinations of different teams structures and approaches on our Tours so please, if you are interested in participating with a team, contact us at organiser@mhealthtour.com and we can talk through the options.

Costs: Contact organiser@mhealthtour.com for further details on the costs and the benefits of participating as an official team. For groups, the only costs are the individual rider fees