The road to the Olympics with World Bicycle Relief

In the world of sport there is nothing like the Olympics. It’s an event that brings together 206 nations from all over the world to celebrate those – 10,500 people to be precise – at the peak of their athletic performance. Millions tune in to watch the 42 Olympics disciplines from rowing to running, track cycling to trampolining, but only a few people get to be at the forefront of the action with tickets to big events such as the athletics or track cycling selling like hotcakes. Luckily for cycling fans, getting a glimpse of some two-wheeled action is free, with the time trial and road race taking place on the streets in and around Paris. 

World Bicycle Relief in collaboration with Rouleur Travel, however, is offering an exclusive trip for those who want to witness the 2024 Paris Olympics from the best possible spot at both the men’s road race on Saturday, August 3, 2024, and the athletics on Sunday, August 4, 2024. Not only will riders get to see their sporting heroes in action, but they’ll get to celebrate their own athletic endeavours by riding to Paris from World Bicycle Relief’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The four-day, fully-supported route totals 550 kilometres and 3,650m of elevation, and takes in the Jura Mountains on the French-Swiss border and the Burgundy region of France. 

Picturesque landscapes lay around every corner of the route. From the very first kilometre, riders will be treated to magnificent vistas as the road heads out of the city centre and along Lake Geneva with the peaks of the Jura Mountains dominating the skyline. But soon, the route finds itself in the throes of the mountain's winding ascents, including the Col de la Givrine, Col de la Savine, and Rue des Cascades. 

After traversing the mountain’s arduous peaks and thrilling descents, the route through France offers up the chance to drink in the views across the undulating French countryside without the thought of any more mountains to climb. The route then meets the capital city’s iconic Seine river in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges near the famous Fontainebleau and continues with the water on its right before arriving at the heart of the city for the Olympics. 

Image by World Bicycle Relief 

The money raised by those on the trip will help fund the vital and life-changing work World Bicycle Relief does for communities in rural regions of the world. Nearly one billion people lack access to reliable transportation and, as a result, remain trapped in a cycle of poverty. World Bicycle Relief aspires to change this by providing those people with bicycles which then allows them to have access to education, markets, health facilities and vital services that they need to thrive. So far, the organisation has distributed more than 790,000 bicycles in 21 countries, but there are still people without. 

In the overall cost of the trip, €500 will be donated to the charity, which will provide three more life-changing Buffalo Bicycles – a bicycle created especially to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh climate conditions of the regions in which World Bicycle Relief works – to those in low-income countries, opening up more opportunities from themselves, their families and entire communities. 

The package, including five nights of luxury accommodation, dining, logistics and baggage transfer, costs €3,775, with €500 of the total cost donated to World Bicycle Relief. On top of this, participants will need to fundraise an additional €1,000. 

Register your interest today on the World Bicycle Relief website. 

*Cover image by SWPix.com