Bradley Wiggins and Sean Yates team up for culinary tour

Bradley Wiggins and Sean Yates are being reunited at a new event on the Isle of Wight this September as the duo team up with Michelin star chefs Ashley Palmer Watts and Raymond Blanc for Leblanq Tour.

The three-day event combines riding and gourmet cuisine on the island with Wiggins and Yates joined by Matt Stephens, Adam Blythe, Chris Lillywhite, Annie Emmerson and Joanna Rowsell to guide riders round the island’s picturesque and quiet roads.

The food served up over the weekend will be to an equally high standard. The Friday night five course tasting menu celebrates local chefs and produce while London based chef Francesco Mazzi serves up the breakfast on the Saturday morning ahead of the big rides.

Four routes from 75 to 160km will be lead by the former pros on hand with outriders and following vehicles for each of the routes. That is followed up by a seven stage Tour de Feast, a menu celebrating the career of chef and cycling fan Raymond Blanc.

There’s more riding on Sunday with a 19.88km tt on a fully closed military road in honour of Yates’1988 Tour de France stage win. No TT bikes will be allowed as riders are instead expected to ride sans aero as Yates did when, at the time, he set the fastest average speed for a Tour stage. Following that is a more sedate café stop ride to the famous Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes, meaning there’s no let up in the gourmet experience.

Places for the weekend are limited, with packages starting at £2,000 to be released at the end of July. Go to leblanq.com for more information.