Lachlan Morton’s Alt Tour will attempt to outrun the peloton in France

This year’s Tour de France will include the longest stage in two decades, at 248 km. That didn’t seem like enough of a challenge, so Lachlan Morton created his own Alt Tour. The EF Education-Nippo rider will be his team’s ninth man in France this year. He’ll be riding ahead of the tour – unsupported – attempting to outrun the peloton as is it races the whole 3,383-km towards Paris. The twist? He’ll be riding the transfers, which racers take by bus, too.

In total, Morton is aiming to ride 5,508 kilometres during the Tour’s three-week span. That will include a staggering 65,000 metres of elevation gain. Compared with the main event, that is an extra 2,400 kilometres and 15,000 metres of elevation gain over and on top of the Tour de France race route.

“I’m excited to explore the origins of cycling and see for myself just how different the experience is,” explains Morton, whose effort is inspired by the inaugural 1903 Tour de France. “It’s a challenge that in many ways combines the two elements of cycling I have pursued the most, exploration and competition. Without intention I have essentially spent my whole life preparing for it. I know it’s going to be the most physically demanding ride I’ve undertaken but I anticipate the challenges of completing the route self supported to be equally difficult”

Attempting to stay ahead of the racers while riding unsupported would be hard for any race. Morton’s effort, which will be undertaken without the usual race support, will really ramp up in the final days. The longest transfer – 700 km to get to the last stage in Paris – comes right at the end.

Connecting cycling’s history to it future

“In doing the ride I hope to celebrate the history of the Tour de France while broadening the ideas of what a bike tour of France can be,” Morton says, adding, “And in the process, we’re going to be able to help get more people on bikes and make their day-to-day travels better. That’s the best part about the whole thing.”

Morton’s undertaking this ride – which deserves the “epic” designation if anything does – for charity. The ambitious ride is set to benefit World Bicycle Relief. To kick-start the effort, team sponsors EF Education and Rapha will each donate 500 bikes to the organization.

Morton’s efforts will be tracked online at the Alt Tour landing page, which you can follow from home. Anyone can donate to support this World Bicycle Relief fundraiser as well.