Europeans and North Americans have a lot in common, with much New World culture and government rooted in the Old World.
But their are distinctions. Consider the Tour De France, that high-profile cycling extravaganza, and the Tour Divide, a little-known 2,745 mile mountain bike race from Banff, Canada, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, on the border of the United States and Mexico.
A team-focused affair in its 97 iteration, the Tour De France winds along the paved roads of Old Europe. A self-supported, solo ordeal only in its third year, the Tour Divide traverses the the Rocky Mountains and Bad Lands of the Mexican Plateau along rugged trails and roads.
If the Tour De France symbolizes thousands of years of people hiving together in the close quarters of Europe, the Tour Divide signifies the rugged individuality in a frontier land of vast unexplored possibilities. Not that one’s better than the other. They’re just different.
The Tour Divide kicks off on June 11 this year, with 47 people on the start list as of today – 13 veterans and 35 rookies. The list includes Mathew Lee, of Carrboro, North Carolina, who holds the record for completing the race in 17 days 23 hours and 45 minutes.
It also includes James Helms, a 33-year-old rookie from Buckey, Arizona, whose wrote in his letter-of-intent upon entering that he was looking for the adventure of a lifetime.
“At 8 years of age, my dad took me out of the city we lived in for my first bike ride, I determined upon passing the town limit sign that I will see America by bicycle someday,” he said. “The” 2010 is my
“My legs are equal and my will is strong; I look forward to testing myself and finding new friends along the way in this great adventure,” he said.
Christian Vedder, of Portland, Oregon, was more concise in his letter of intent. “I need to suffer,” he wrote. “I’m in!”
As for watching the riders suffer, the Tour De France makes it easy. Tune into ESPN beginning Saturday, July 3, when the race kicks off.
The Tour Divide, being lower profile – much lower profile – doesn’t get much coverage. However, a documentary on the race, Ride the Divide, featured in the trailer above, gives a taste of what it’s like. The movie, directed by Hunter Weeks, won Best Adventure Film at the Vail Film Festival. It follows three riders through the 2009 race.
For this year’s race, the Tour Divide website will offer a leader board that keeps track of whose winning and a collection of call in podcasts from the riders. Otherwise, they’re on their own.
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