EuroCycler's Tour staff is such a fun, interesting team - you'll want to meet them even before you get to France. One of the ways we offer our guests such a high level of service is through a staff to guest ratio of no less than 1:4. This team ranks second to none.
Our Coaches, Ride Group Leaders and Mechanics are active participants in and veterans of the international racing scene. You'll benefit from their wealth of knowledge and experience. And because our hospitality staff is well-acquainted with the destinations we'll be visiting, they know how to help you get the most out of your vacation.
EuroCycler retains the same logistics and management staff year-to-year, building on experience with securing the best possible hotels, locations and restaurants around the Tour in France, and planning the ride and transportation routes wherever the race leads.
Colin Lewis , United Kingdom
Senior Soigneur - Le Champion Veteran
 Simply put, Colin Lewis is THE British cycling legend. As former Tour de France racer, he knows the peleton since the mid sixties when he rode alongside his team leader and roommate Tom Simpson who has literally ridden himself to death near the summit of Mt. Ventoux. He also rode flanked by Eddy Merckx and has seen many other big names come and go, while he is still very active and in shape that stuns most twenty-something riders. With so much legacy, Colin is one of Britain’s most experienced and knowledgeable coaches, also raced at the Olympics in Tokyo and was twice British Professional Champion with over 38 victories. Today, Colin lives with his wife Pam in Devon, the South West of England where he is also president of the Mid-Devon Cycling Club. He has helped many young riders to achieve their ambitions and the Club is currently represented on the professional cycling circuit. We are very proud to have Colin on the EuroCycler team and available as a bicycling encyclopedia. You can learn from his memoirs and enjoy his anecdotes firsthand on our Alps trip in France. He will also be coaching our road cyclists and triathletes at the EuroCycler Spring Training camps in Spain as of March 2008.
Ascanio de Vogüé, France
Logistics Manager - Zorro
 If Napoleon had had Ascanio to coordinate his movements, we'd all be speaking French. Ascanio was born and still lives in Paris where he runs his event management company and organizes grand scale events for a long list of corporate and private clients. His work for EuroCycler begins every October, right after the new course of the race is announced. Diligently, he pieces together a plan that brings EuroCycler guests to the most compelling and memorable experience in France. During your sport vacation, Ascanio works behind the scenes to coordinate transportation and other arrangements for EuroCycler while the rest of us worry about how we're going to make it up the mountains.
Richard Debrot, Switzerland
Chief Soigneur - L'Amiral
Born and raised at the foot of the scenic Swiss Alps, Richard could basically pursue one of two directions in life: 1) become a world-class skier, cyclist and all-around adventure sports guy, or 2) learn how to yodel and make really good chocolate. Fortunately for those of us who prize our serenity and our figures, Richard chose the path of great resistance. An athlete with in-depth cycling experience, Richard has competed both in MTB and road races, time trials and triathlons all over Europe and America. In between races, he found time to become a chemical engineer, earn a Kellogg MBA and launch EuroCycler. Over the past 10 years, Richard has personally led cycling groups throughout the US and Europe, including Sonoma and Napa Valley, Spain, the Swiss Alps and of course, France. Among his most vivid and painful memories is the day he scaled Alpe d'Huez in 1987 as a first-time visitor of a French cycling stage. In spite of his Swiss neutrality, Richard takes a decisive position on sunscreen, hydration and bike handling skills. You will feel the confidence and experience of his leadership throughout the trip as he does what he does best - supervise, organize and orchestrate.
Mathilde Galzy, France
Accompaganatirce - La Force Tranquille
Originally from Paris, Mathilde has a passion for travel, which means she's seen pretty much every corner in the world. But she adores her home country too and loves to share the genuine French lifestyle. Her big sport is sailing which she understands much better than bicycling but knows that it is actually quite similar: "le gout" for effort, strategy and competition in magic places.
During your visit to France, Mathilde will support all the little needs as the rider's support host, communication and otherwise. Delicious lunches will be spread out for hungry guests in a shady spot along the race course just when you're famished. And Mathilde will make every one of us foreigners that much more popular with the locals by translating, facilitating and supporting our every move.
Dan Maker , United Kingdom
Soigneur - Le Coureur Anglais
Dan is the English version of the all-around sports guy.
Already an avid snowboarder, he started cycling by accident in 1992 when he attended a club ride using the
mountain bike he'd just been talked into by a friend. Instantly hooked, he began his cycling career and in
rather short order found himself competing in amateur and elite events internationally. For a couple of
years, he spent all his time competing in Normandy, gathering up more than 50 top 3 placements and 25 race
wins in a show of friendly English competition. In 1997, he hung up his wheels to marry the woman he loves
just slightly more than his bike, but he just couldn't get passion for the open road out of his system.
Even with two delightful children and a successful marketing consultancy, Dan still tests his paces on the
trusty bike and manages to spend enough time on a snowboard to be a world-class instructor.
Dan will be a ride leader on EuroCycler's 2007 Tour again, after his EuroCycler guest experiences from many previous trips to France and Spain.
Amir Vitis, Switzerland
Soigneur - Monsieur Caipirinha
Amir is a bicycle guide of some repute, not least for his infinite knowledge of mixing Caipirinhas. It's an undisputed fact that he holds the world's first PhD in après-cycling. A multi-talented man, Amir speaks fluent English, French, German and Hebrew, which enables him to chat up exotic beauties around the world and brings the EuroCycler team a wonderful range of cultural insights.
He's a cyclist and triathlete whose bikes have travelled many miles over roads that criss-cross the globe. Amir wrangles high-school students during the school year and brings his expertise in giving tests to his passion for cycling during the season. He conducts cycling performance tests with athletes and will be of help to EuroCycler guests who are looking for insights on their training.
Previous EuroCycler guests can confirm that Amir is the one who bring everybody over the hill, no matter how high the mountain - there is always a valley after a climb and the Capirinhas are not far then.
Wendy Frie, Netherlands
Accompagnatrice - Friestyler
Wendy has many passions but lives mostly for sport and travel. She loves exploring new countries and meeting new people. All her life, she tried to escape from studies or her work as often as possible, in order to travel. Wendy has worked throughout Europe as a tour guide, a windsurf instructor and as a ski instructor for kids in France. When she discovered her greatest passion to date, kiteboarding, she travelled as far as Brazil and Australia.
Wendy lives in the Netherlands but spends winters in the snow-covered French Alps. She runs a chalet park in Portes du Soleil and whenever she gets time off she jumps on her snowboard, cruises the mountains and enjoys nature. She speaks Dutch, English, French and German and knows her way around the French mountains. Like during previous EuroCycler trips, Wendy focuses on the Alps program where she will be the dedicated tourist host for our non-riding guests.
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