There’s something special about seeing the Tour de France in person. The build-up, the buzz, the sheer scale of it all — it’s something every cycling fan should experience at least once.
This year, we made our way to Mont Ventoux for Stage 16. Bikes loaded, van packed, and a plan to make the most of two days in one of cycling’s most iconic locations. It was a weekend of good rides, good company, and a front-row seat to the biggest race in the world.
One of One Dropped in Paris
Before heading south, we made a stop in Paris to drop something special at the Café du Cycliste store — our one-off RL1, built for the final stage of the Tour.
Custom tricolore paint by Fat Creations. Campagnolo 13-speed. Lightweight Meilenstein wheels. It’s fast, rare, and built for the collector who wants the kind of bike you don’t see twice.
Now on display in Paris for Stage 21 - and available to buy.
We arrived in Bédoin on Sunday afternoon, just as the town was starting to come alive ahead of the race. We joined the Café du Cycliste team at their Ventoux store for pizza, cold drinks, and a bit of shade as the sun began to dip. The heat lingered well into the evening, and the energy in town was already building.
We set up our bikes and got the Raptor x Café du Cycliste SL1 rental fleet dialled in and ready for the week ahead. If you’re heading to Ventoux and want to ride something special, it’s worth checking out.
Monday: Climbing Before the Pros
We kicked things off early on Monday with a group ride from the Café du Cycliste store — a steady rollout before the temperature really started to rise. The route? The classic Bédoin ascent of Mont Ventoux. 21.5km, 1,600m of climbing, and a proper challenge.
It was one of those rides where everyone finds their own rhythm. Some pushed on, others paced it out. But whatever the speed, riding up Ventoux just a day before the Tour made it feel even more special. We regrouped at the top, soaked it all in, then enjoyed the descent back down.
Tuesday: Tour Day
We rode back up Ventoux mid-morning, this time not chasing a summit, just rolling with the crowds already making their way up the mountain. The mood was different to the day before - less focused, more festive. Riders, walkers, families, fans holding homemade banners, ready to cheer on their favourite rider. Music playing, flags flying, people dancing in the road.
The atmosphere was infectious. You couldn’t help but smile.
We stopped just before the 3km-to-go marker, where you could see the summit in the distance and the line of people stretching all the way up to it. A Raptor bottle and a cold Clubhouse Pilsner marked the moment - a small pause before the Tour rolled in.
The caravan came through first - music blasting, hats flying, everyone on their feet. Then came the lull, but it didn’t last long. Helicopters overhead, motos carving the road, and suddenly the race was on.
The breakaway hit the climb first, followed by the favourites - riders pushing hard through the heat, metres away from where we were stood. The noise kicked up as each group passed. A mix of cheers and that buzz you only get when the Tour’s this close.
Valentin Paret-Peintre took the win, giving French fans a moment they’d waited over two decades for. For us, it was less about the result and more about the experience: sun, noise, good people, and a view of the best bike race in the world.
Raptors on the Mountain
Amongst it all — the fans, the riders, the dust — were our Raptors. Resting in the shade. Lined up outside Café du Cycliste. At the world’s biggest bike race, it felt right to be there - watching it unfold not from a screen, but from the climb itself, with our community around us.
Thanks to everyone who joined the ride, the ride-up, the store, and the summit with us. We’ll be back.
