If you want advice on riding your bike fast, you could do worse than ask the greatest sprinter to ever do it.
This July, Sir Mark Cavendish is offering fans a chance to join a free – yes, free – cycling experience with him inside the Grand Palais in Paris, France. There will be a meet-and-greet with the 35-time Tour de France stage winner, an indoor group ride, and a chance to ask him for sprinting tips, as part of a “cycling masterclass”.
The opportunity comes as a result of a new collaboration between the Tour de France and Airbnb, the holiday rental website. Together, the two brands are staging unique ‘experiences’ throughout this July’s race – and the masterclass with Cavendish is the flagship offering.
“I've experienced numerous victories and unforgettable moments with the Tour de France, but I've never had the opportunity to cycle in the Grand Palais during the Tour de France,” Cavendish said in a statement. “I am incredibly excited to share this exclusive Airbnb experience with guests.”
Sign-ups to the Cavendish event open next Tuesday 27 May at 5pm BST, and will be available through the Airbnb website. Only 20 guests will be able to join, with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The experience will take place on 26 July, the evening before the Tour de France culminates in the French capital. This year’s final stage, it was announced this week, will stray from the usual processional finish, with three ascents of the punchy Butte Montmartre climb planned.
Fans will meet Cavendish outside the Grand Palais, where he will share stories from across his 15 Tour de France participations. There will then be a warm-up session on turbo trainers, during which time the Brit will teach “the art of sprint cycling”.
After a few laps inside the glass-roofed palace, fans will sit down for another chat with Cavendish, and gain a closer look at the bike he rode to his record-breaking 35th stage win. Each person on the experience will leave with a signed jersey and VIP tickets to Sunday’s Tour finale on the Champs-Élysées.
As well as the Cavendish event, the Tour de France and Airbnb are offering similar experiences with retired French pros Thomas Voeckler and Steve Chainel.
The trio aren't the only pros getting up close with fans this year. In October, the world’s top-ranked cyclist, Tadej Pogačar, will challenge fans in a race up his favourite climb in Slovenia. Entries to the ‘Pogi Challenge’ are open now.
