#Explore2Tours – Episode 4: Objectives achieved

But before detailing their journey on the Women's Tour, Aline and Isabelle have been using our clothes for 3 weeks now (jersey and shorts) and we asked them for their impressions of them 😉

With regard to CONSTELLATION jerseys beautiful designs only positives. Well-fitting jerseys in the bust and sleeves, light and comfortable with very good perspiration wicking.
Le TITAN shorts is light and comfortable on the thighs and buttocks, the material is very comfortable to wear and dries very quickly, which is important when running a race over several days. It is very practical for us women… because there are no straps! Throughout our journey we had no irritation pimples and no unwanted chafing!
On the other hand, the elastic band bothered us on the stomach at the beginning of our Explore2Tours adventure because our partnership having been concluded close to our departure, we did not have time to ride over progressive distances to adjust it. to our body and our skin. But be aware that after a few days, this discomfort faded until it disappeared.

Improvement :

Following the remark on "the elastic band", we are going to study its improvement to provide better comfort.

Our advice:

When buying new shorts, we recommend that you do not go directly with them over long distances. but to test it over progressive distances (50km, 100 km then 150 km) to accustom your skin and your buttocks to the texture, cut, elasticity but above all comfort on the saddle.

Well after Aline and Isabelle's impressions of their clothes, discover their journeys on the Tour Féminin.

After completing the “Men’s Tour de France”, Aline and Isabelle continue the “Women’s Tour de France” which will last a week and end on July 30 at La Super Planche des Belles Filles.

For this 1st step,

the departure is from Meaux in the early morning at 6:15 am exactly.

A stage without major difficulties with long straight lines to arrive in Provins, arrival town of the 2^nd stage of the “Women’s Tour de France”.

The afternoon will be their transition stage to reach Reims by the Champagne tourist route through the vineyards and the many estates along this route.

2th day

After a good night's sleep, Aline and Isabelle start their day by crossing the Montagne de Reims! Discovery of beautiful Champagne villages with the sweet names of Cramant, Cuis, Chouilly, Vertus..., vineyards as far as the eye can see, mills and Champagne estates with vintages of great names...to arrive in Epernay (Arrival of the 3^nd stage of the Women's Tour de France) after having done a good "gardening" around this city.
"Gardening" in cycling refers to the many kilometers traveled in a very limited area, in conclusion to turn in circles, retrace your steps...

But their day is not over, after having eaten a good ice cream, Isabelle and Aline hit the road again for a transfer to Troyes. They find long straight lines without end and are accompanied by a ¾ wind, hard, hard this end of the day.

The last 30 kms will be more pleasant –> cycle paths to arrive in Troyes via the greenway along the old Canal de la Haute Seine without wind and without cars.

3rd day -> Discovery of the “White Paths”

After a few tens of kilometers in the Regional Natural Park of the Orient Forest, Aline and Isabelle find again the Champagne tourist route and many villages with the Champagne appellation.

Then discovery of 4 “White Paths” for a total of 12,9 km. These are chalky paths that wind through the middle of the vines where you have to tame the gravel and hold your balance because your bike and tires are not adapted to this type of terrain.

But they manage and arrive in Bar-sur-Aude, arrival of the 4^nd stage of the women's TDF.

But their day is not over, they are back on the road towards Val d'Ornain via Bar-le-Duc, about 80 km to arrive at their well-deserved evening stage.

4rd day -> Special “Family” Day

To start the day, Aline and Isabelle go back to Bar-le-Duc and pose in front of the statue of Pierre and Ernest Michaux, inventor and promoters of the velocipede.

Then they continue their journey in the heart of the Meuse and its blond fields as far as the eye can see to arrive in Meurthe et Moselle where Isabelle's parents are waiting for them for a picnic lunch along the route. This will not be the only emotion of the day!

After a relaxing and refreshing moment, they are off again towards the Vosges. And passing the sign "Welcome to the Vosges" Aline is euphoric, she is at home. She scans the horizon... and 15km from the finish, she sees her father on a bicycle who has come to meet them: 2^nd emotion of the day!

The latter will finish the stage alongside them until the finish in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges.

5th day

This morning, Aline's father accompanies his daughter and Isabelle to the Col d'Urbeis (22 km), border between Alsace and the Vosges. After a last goodbye, the girls leave for Alsatian lands, in the middle of vineyards and villages so characteristic for their architecture, to arrive at the pretty village of Rosheim for an ice cream stop before joining Sélestat by small roads and cycle paths.

A day of less than 200 km which allowed them to see beautiful landscapes and gain strength because tomorrow is the mid-mountain stage in the Massif des Vosges.

6rd day -> The last cols to climb

Last awakening at 5:30 a.m., departure at 6:30 a.m. to attack their last Cols de l'aventure

But before reaching them, Isabelle and Aline still cross many Alsatian villages and eat before starting the serious things.

the 1^er pass is that of the “Petit Ballon”. A 9,7 kilometer climb with an elevation gain of 771 meters and an average gradient of 8% that winds through the middle of the forest.

Then it's the descent towards the Col de Platzerwasel. A 16,2 km pass with an average gradient of 4,8% and a drop of 781 m. Without fatigue or muscle pain, they climb this pass without difficulty.

Then Isabelle and Aline recover the Route des Crêtes to Markstein then enjoy the long 14km descent to Kruth, before joining the Col du Grand Ballon.

This 3^nd ascent is 16km with an average gradient of 6%. At the top, the weather is not so good that they have to put on their jacket and neckerchief before starting their descent to join Markstein again, the finish of the women's Tour de France stage.

After recovering, they head back to their evening location via the Col du Ménil and the Col des Croix. After 35 km in the Vosges, they arrive in Haute-Saône, Isabelle region and pass through Lure (departure town of the 8^nd stage of the TDF Femme) to arrive in Magny-Vernois, the city of their last Explore2Tours evening.

The final step –> Arrival at La Super Planche des Belles Filles

For this last stage of the adventure, Isabelle and Aline will not be alone, they will be accompanied by friends and Aline's dad for the last kilometers of the stage.

Well hilly course with the coast of Esmoulières (2,5 km at 8,5%), the Col du Ballon d'Alsace (9 km at 7%) and of course… the Super Planche des Belles Filles (7 km at 8,7 .XNUMX%) without forgetting the white paths on the flat and uphill which you have to be careful because these paths are very slippery.

And then the final finish at “La Super Planche des Belles Filles”.