As our sunshine hours dwindle and our ride layers increase, we cyclists and sports fans sense euphoric comfort and excitement as three weeks of legs-up recovery beckon. Just when we've exhausted ourselves from the summer races; Southern Africans, ready to hibernate, need this recovery time the most.
The Tour de France, the world's biggest annual sporting event, kicks off 29 June, just over a week after the midwinter solstice. What better way to celebrate than refuelling our overtrained legs and reconnecting with neglected family over three weeks of thrilling TV coverage? As riders and travel lovers, we relish exploring picturesque landscapes by bike, transforming Le Tour into a holiday ride. From medieval castles to sunflower-littered valleys, each stage offers breathtaking vistas. And when the cheerful Kraftwerk Tour jingle plays, our endorphins kick in automatically.
With a superb influx of sensational young rider talent, the 2023 Tour stood out as one of the best since the days of Lemond vs. Fignon. This year's event promises fascination as riders battle back from crash-induced injuries. Tadej Pogačar, a firm favorite, leads the charge after his remarkable 9-minute victory margin at the Giro d’Italia. His stellar performances, including breakaway wins at events like Strade Bianche, have elevated him above names like Merckx and Van der Poel. Each year introduces new talents, especially in the white jerseys, such as Remco Evenepoel, poised to demonstrate his potential.
Why get the 148 page, large-format Official Guide in print or digital formats? - Apart from being a beautiful coffee table keepsake, it includes every bit of official TDF info in an easily digestible format. Those who don't know cycling well will find it easy to understand what can seem like a complex event, so yes get one for your housemate and you will no longer be fighting for the remote! Each stage is profiled with a map that helps you put key climbs and stage towns into perspective. It's got maps of every stage, plus full team and stage profiles, as well as stage start and end times which are particularly useful to have in one place when planning your live TV viewing. At 139 bucks this souvenir keepsake is less than R1 per large format high gloss page.
If you prefer digital content you download it right now, right here, for just R119: https://joom.ag/Pitd
See below our official distributors list to find the magazines in store: