Les voyageurs au grand coeur

Europe tour by bike and motobike to promote blood donation

In June 2004, we'll go on a long tour around Europe. On the agenda : more than 5000 kilometres and several collections of blood organized in France and abroad. We'll set off from Clermont-Ferrand, the capital of Auvergne. After crossing the Alps, we'll go to Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Holland and Belgium before coming back to Auvergne.

All along the Tour several collections of blood will be organized. In fact, we hope people will organize a collection in each country (see above) and each stopover town in France.

We'll probably go at 23 kilometres per hour, which will represent a 220-hour cycling journey : an interesting challenge in prospect ! There will be between 71 and 295 kilometres between each stopover town (average speed of 160 kilometres per day).

You'll be given information about the Tour everyday thanks to our website. We'll keep an interactive log on the web. We'd like our members ant the net surfers to be able to follow the Tour as precisely as possible.

Julien & Fabien.

Fabien Leszczynski, 24 years old, motorcyclist   As far as I am concerned, I'm as motivated as Julien is. I am fond of motorbikes and nature. Europe is about to extend to 25 members this year. Discovering such new lands is a big thing in itself. The Alps Tour last year was a rich experience. I realized how important my responsibility was in such a project. I'm the tresurer of the association. My mission, as the motorcyclist, is to carry the heavy luggages, which force me to master my vehicule even more than before. I will be also Julien's masseur. I had lectures and practical lessons with a friend of mine, a physiotherapist. Then, I will be in charge of the logistic part, i.e. accomodation, food, itinerary and so on. Finaly, I'll direct the video footage, for I spent four years working with video supports. I'll help Julien with the daily on-lining.

A young but experimented team.

Last summer, we faced the Alps. In the same spirit, we'll face Europe. We rode 500 kms, in which 130 kms uphills and 8 passes in 5 stages:

1st stage: take-off the two Alps

2nd stage: Alpe d'Huez et Col de Sarenne

3rd stage : Col de la Croix de Fer and Col du Télégraphe

4th stage : Col du Galibier and Col d'Izoard

Last stage: Col de Vars.

This first experience was rich. We've learnt that our team was in harmony. Bikes and Motors are complementary for such a trip and the gathering pleases to the most. Our friendship make us stronger to face the physical and psychological obstacles. We know each other so we know our prons and cons.

Then, we've learnt our limits so as to organise the stages to come. Julien is able to ride 8600 meters different of altitude in 5 days without being tired. The Alps were a reasonable physical challenge and we made it! So we know he can make 5000kms riding in a month time. Of course, he'll follow a regular and serious training programm before leaving (footing, climbing, hockey, cycling) to develop his endurance and velocity.

Finaly, we understood, in a small scale, what we'll have to face for this Europe Tour . We know precisely what we need to bring and to spend and what we don't. We've made us ready and organised. Each one of us knows his responsabilities so as to carry on the tour in good conditions.