The Challenge | mHealth Grand Tour

What is the mHealth Grand Tour?

A challenging ride evoking the spirit of a cultural Grand Tour

Riders enjoy the view as they are climbing

The mHealth Grand Tour is a cycle ride with a difference. Going from Brussels to Barcelona in just 13 days, it is 2,100km long with more than 22,000 meters of climbs divided into four stages.

However, it isn’t just a bike ride – it is also the opportunity to help demonstrate innovative solutions to the challenges of managing diabetes.

Diabetes is a huge problem globally and in Europe. 8.5% of the European population has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes today and this figure is increasing year-on-year.

The mHealth Grand Tour is designed to demonstrate devices, applications and health solutions that can help people manage diabetes and related conditions, liberating them to lead active lifestyles.

The ride is also intended to be fabulous experience, incorporating breathtaking scenery, quiet country roads and the opportunity to sample fabulous food and wine. And, in the spirit of the Grand Tours of old, we have also designed the ride to take in the outstanding cultural sights on the way.

The route goes to places of interest and riders will stay overnight in the centre of towns so they can easily enjoy the local culture.

The route follows parts of the classic Liege-Bastogne cycle route, sections of Tour de France stages and some Vuelta climbs and descents in the Pyrenees, without ever trying to be an Etape du Tour.

Challenging but achievable, the mHealth Grand Tour will be an experience of a lifetime.

Ride Options

The route is challenging, but achievable. Almost anyone can do it, as long as they prepare well and ride sensibly.

To be physically and mentally prepared to ride back-to-back days does require training. But the support and inspiration of others involved in the event will help participants complete the ride and have a fantastic and enjoyable experience.

There are a number of options available for people wanting to ride the event. These range from riding all of the 2,100km to riding one stage (3 or 4 days) with a buddy as a relay. Participants can choose the option which best suits the amount of time they have available and how much riding they want to do.

The formats

Three formats are available:

The epic - all team riders ride the entire distance.
The stage - riders ride one or more of the four stages.
The relay - riders share the riding each day with a buddy, either for a stage or the whole distance.

The costs per rider vary depending on the option chosen (see section below on costs).

We believe the different options will give everyone the chance to participate, enjoy the experience and raise awareness and sponsorship to help tackle diabetes.

The When

5th September to 18th September 2013.

The itinerary for mHealth Grand tour is:

4th September	mHealth Grand Tour event in Brussels Pre-ride briefing and dinner in Brussels
5th - 7th September	Stage 1
8th - 11th September	Stage 2
12th September	Rest day
13th - 15th September	Stage 3
16th - 18th September	Stage 4
18th September	mHealth Grand Tour Charity event in Barcelona

Is it for me?

The ride is a Tour not a race. It will be tough; we climb some big ‘Cols’ and have some long 200km days along the way. The route is challenging but achievable.

We think almost anyone can do the ride, but it will require training and preparation. Just like preparing to run a marathon, it takes a while to train to cycle the required distance and then a little time to train to ride ‘back-to-back’ days.

But, with training and with the support of our team and the other riders, participating in the Tour should be a fantastic and enjoyable experience.

You can enter as an individual, ride for one the charity teams or even enter your own team. The option of different stages and potentially riding in a relay format should make the Tour accessible for all.

If experienced riders want to push themselves to the limit, there is every opportunity to do so. Although we would suggest you chill out and enjoy the ride, or maybe treat it as some excellent base training, the choice is yours!

How much does it cost?

The entire route from Brussels to Barcelona is 2,100 km long, averaging 167 km (103 miles a day).

The Tour will take 14 days, including one rest day, to ride. Therefore, 15 nights’ accommodation is required, including a night in Brussels before the start and a night in Barcelona at the finish.

We have packaged the ride up into four stages, all classics in their own right, giving riders the option of participating in part of the ride, without having to commit to the full two weeks.

Relay option

A limited number of relay places are available for pairs of riders. This approach shares the load between two riders, with change-over points at feed stops, but still allows the riders to enjoy the experience of travelling and riding through Europe. There is an incremental charge of £15 per day per rider for this option (£30 per pair).

Charity places

A number of charity places are available on the ride. Prices and sponsorship commitments vary for these places. Follow the relevant charity links for more details or contact your local International Diabetes Federation charity member.

The rest day

After the first two stages, there will be a rest day. This gives people riding the full 2,100km a chance to rest and to relax a little. The rest day will be in the Rhone Alps.

For participants riding Stage 2 or Stage 3, there is the option to extend the trip to get an extra day riding in the Alps.

We will organise an informal trip to make the most of the day for those that want to ride. The cost of the extra day will be £170 per person (based on sharing a twin room, lunch will be in a local restaurant on route and is not included in the price).

Costs

End to End - Brussels to Barcelona: 14 days, 15 nights (includes a rest day), £2,400

Stage	Description	Cost
1	Brussels & The Ardennes: 3 days, 3 nights	£510
2	Black Forest, Jura and Rhone Alps*: 4 days, 4 nights	£680
rest day	The Alps: 1 day, 1 night	£170
3	Rhone Alps & Languedoc*: 3 days, 3 nights	£510
4	Pyrenees & Barcelona: 3 days, 4 nights	£680

* Riders can extend stage to include the rest day

Teams and Team concepts

Anyone can participate in the mHealth Grand Tour by entering as an individual, joining one of the charity teams, an industry team or by entering their own company team.

We are not racing and there will be no team orders! The teams are just there for mutual support and to help foster a collegiate atmosphere on the ride. We expect riders to travel at their own pace and the teams to mix up on the road – that will be part of the fun and the experience. Even if you aren’t riding with your team, you won’t be on your own, as there is sure to be someone close by to ride with.

Which teams can I join?

Corporate teams: Whatever your company’s focus, whether it is in mobile health or addressing diabetes, the ride is an excellent opportunity for networking and meeting other people with a mutual interest in tackling health issues. Mobile operators, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, consultancies and technology companies are all encouraged to enter a team of riders.

Charity teams: A number of places, supporting diabetes charities, are available on the ride. Individuals wanting to participate, raise funds and raise awareness for diabetes can join one of these charity teams. If you are interested in a charity place, please pre-register your interest.

Industry teams: Places are available in three ‘industry’ teams, a mobile operators team, a pharmaceutical and healthcare team and a team for technology vendors and consultancies. These teams will be made up of people working in one of these industries and who have an interest in mHealth and diabetes, but aren’t employed by a company with a team. If you are interested in joining an industry team, please register your interest now to receive advanced notice of registration opening.

Team size

The minimum number of riders for a team is four. There is no maximum number of riders per team, but places on the Tour are limited (if you think you want more than eight places, please contact organiser@mhealthtour.com. We count a place as 'a rider on the road' - so a team of four will have four riders 'on the road' riding at all times. Of course, they may not be the same four people all the way from Brussels to Barcelona. People riding stages will change from stage to stage - a four-person team, for example, could have 16 people participating.

Relay places

There are also a limited number of relay places available. Two riders sharing one relay place (each riding half a day) count as a single team place (if all the people in a four-person team ride as a relay, 32 people could be involved!). If you are interested in relay places, please pre-register your interest now to receive advance notice of registration opening.

Team costs

There is no entry charge for a team. The only costs are the costs for the riders participating. These costs are outlined below.

Team sponsorship packages are available: Sponsorship will help us to increase awareness of diabetes and the potential of mHealth, as well as raising funds for diabetes charities. So, raising sponsorship is actively encouraged!

For information on sponsorship email organiser@mhealthtour.com.

How do I put a team together?

If you have four people, you have a team! But there are lots of ways to have more people involved.

Team options

The simplest option for a team is to have four people ride all the way from Brussels to Barcelona!

There are however lots of other options. Each team place is allocated for all four stages of the ride, but it doesn’t have to be the same person riding each stage. It is up to the team how many people they have riding and who rides which stage. Pretty much any combination goes: One person may ride the whole distance, others ride for a week (two stages) and some for one stage. We will allocate the team place and you can decide who rides when.

Relay places are also available, so that two riders can share the load each day.

Teams are not limited to four places: They can be any size (but please contact us if you think you want more than eight places contact us).

Teams and accommodation

Teams will be allocated hotel accommodation throughout the ride. Rider fees are based on two riders sharing a twin room. It will be up to the teams to decide who shares with whom. Single rooms are available, but a single room supplement charge will apply.

If a team has an odd number of people, or if there is an uneven mix of men and women, we will try to help pair riders up with people from other teams. Contact organiser@mhealthtour.com and we will do what we can to help.

Examples

These examples illustrate how you might form a team. So Team A has ten riders and only Rider 1 rides the whole route, the others ride a single stage or combination of stages.

	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Team A	Rider 1,2,3,4	Rider 1,2,4,5	Rider 1,6,7,8	Rider 1,6,9,10
Team B	Rider 1,2,3,4	Rider 5,6,7,8	Rider 9,10,11,12	Rider 13,14,15,16
Team C	Rider 1,2,3,4	Rider 1,2,3,4	Rider 1,2,3,4	Rider 1,2,3,4
Team D (Relay)	Rider 1,2,3,4&5	Rider 1,2,3,4&5	Rider 1,2,3,4&5	Rider 1,2,3,4&5