Frequently
Asked Questions
I am interested in reserving my spot with BCE.
What do I do?
Do I bring my own bike?
What will the rides be like?
What are my chances of meeting
some professional riders during the tour?
What do I need to pack?
Will there be someone at the
top of these mountains to meet us?
I have a friend who wants to
come but won’t ride. Are they welcome?
What type of accommodations
will we have?
Why are some dinners included
while others that are not?
What happens if I am going
to arrive before the first scheduled day of the trip?
Do I need travel insurance?
What happens if I need to cancel
for some reason?
I am interested in reserving my spot with BCE. What do I do?
The first thing you should do is contact us to make sure there
is availability for the tour or camp that you are interested
in. You can do this by sending us an email or by filling out
the electronic reservation form. Once we confirm your reservation
request you will need to pay your deposit. Each reservation
requires either a 500 or 1000 euro deposit—this holds your spot.
Reservation deposit/payment forms are available for download
on our website and should be sent by fax.
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Do I bring my own bike?
You can either bring your own bike or ride one of our top-of-the-line
Specialized bikes.
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What will the rides be like?
Rides will differ from trip to trip and based on guest’s abilities,
terrain, and itinerary. On our Tour, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta
a España trips we frequently plan longer rides so that we can
get to the best vantages spots and experience some of the classic
climbs. On these trip, rides will be 2-4 hours and will be staffed
with guides. Sometimes the ride will be broken into two legs.
On our training and custom camps ride length is determined by
the group and their goals. Rides are planned to include the
best available routes, while possibly including portions of
stage routes. Our support vehicles will do their best to following
behind, however if we are riding an official stage route of
the Tour or Giro, particularly on mountain passes, it may be
impossible for a support vehicle to be with the group. We will
always try to seek the best balance between riding the official
stage route and providing logistical support.
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What are my chances of meeting some professional riders during
the tour?
Because our staff is well connected to everyone and everything
on ‘the inside’ your chances of meeting several riders are very
high; current and past teammates will frequently stop by to
chat. Also, stage starts and finishes are great opportunities
not only to see the riders up close but to check out their bikes.
We will do everything possible to make this a very memorable
tour for you.
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What do I need to pack?
You will receive a packing list before your departure to help
you pack. It is always good to bring extra tires and personal
equipment you know you will want to use, however our mechanics
will have on hand most everything. If you are unsure ask us
and we will be glad to give advice. If the trip you are going
on includes mountain rides, I would suggest bringing warmer
riding gear, such as a Wind Stopper vest and arm warmers even
if it is mid-July. Weather is impossible to predict so don’t
forget to pack raingear as well as the sunblock.
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Will there be someone at the top of these mountains to meet
us?
On trips that we will be watching races live, our support team
will wait for you at the scheduled meeting places. They will
have everything set up and waiting like food, drinks and your
change of clothing. On some race stages will have a television
set up also so that we can watch the race before it arrives.
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I have a friend who wants to come but won’t ride. Are they
welcome?
We welcome non-riders on most of our tours, although we do
run a couple tours are for riding guests only. Ask your BCE
contact person if you are unsure. Non-riding guests will have
the opportunity to see the races as well, and will travel with
our staff to various vantage points where you two will meet
up. Tell your friend to contact us—that way we can plan ahead
to accommodate their interests.
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What type of accommodations will we have?
Whenever possible we stay in
smaller, privately owned hotels that represent the region’s
true culture. Trip prices are based on sharing a double room.
A limited number of single-occupancy rooms are available at
an additional cost. All rooms have private bathrooms. On trips
following live races, hotel accommodations are located as
close to the race route as possible while maintaining luxury
accommodations.
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Why are some dinners included while others that are not?
There are a few evenings that we will have more time to relax
and explore; not having planned group meals will allow guests
flexibility. It is also a wonderful chance for guests to check
out the town, visit the shops and have dinner at their choice
of fine restaurants. Group meals are typically planned while
staying at small hotels and castles that offer unbeatable local
gastronomy.
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What happens if I am going to arrive before the first scheduled
day of the trip?
Let us know when you plan to arrive. We will certainly work
to accommodate individual travel plans if we can. Let us know
as soon as you can and whether or not you need a hotel reservation.
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Do I need travel insurance?
Each guest should carry their own travel insurance.
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What happens if I need to cancel for some reason?
Let us know as soon as possible. Your payment will be refunded
in full if before the final payment deadline but after that
refunds can only be made in full if we are able to fill the
reserved spot.
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Photos by: TDWsport.com
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