Tour de Lachlan: Morton motors on ahead of the peloton
Morton has ridden more than 815km of his targeted 5,510km in three days. The 2021 Tour de France is 3,414km.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
EF Education-Nippo rider Lachlan Morton is on day three of his Alt Tour, an immense solo bikepacking challenge to ride the entire Tour de France course plus the transfers that his teammates do on the team bus. As of Monday evening in France, Morton was almost to the start of stage 4 — a 100km ‘transfer’ from the end of stage 3.
Morton got started at 5 a.m. local time, and after 13 hours had made it to the 815km mark of his targeted 5,510km for the Alt Tour. The actual Tour de France route is ‘only’ 3,414km.
He is riding alone with all his gear packed on his Cannondale SuperSix Evo. He has a full-frame bag with a hydration bladder, an enormous saddle bag, a big handlebar bag, and a handlebar pouch. He also has aero bars bolted to his drop bars.
As he has done on previous solo ventures, Morton is sleeping outside for at least some of the nights, so is carrying a sleeping bag, pad, and bivy, plus an ultralight stove.
As to when and where he will get a room versus camping, Morton is playing that as it comes.
“Hotels where I can find one,” Morton said. “But I like to sleep outside.”
VeloNews’ Andrew Hood and James Startt caught up with Morton on the road, and filmed this video.
Morton is doing the Alt Tour as a fundraiser for World Bicycle Relief.
