Mr Willis has spent the last two years organising, as he terms it, the trip of a lifetime, riding some of the route of the Tour de France, and watching the famous event at close hand.

“It started over coffee at the Wyndham General Store after a Sunday bike ride,” he said.

“Eight of us, who are all mad keen cyclists, decided we’d love to go to France and climb some of the many mountains of the Tour.

“I’ve always wanted to do it but I thought that I’d better get a move on so to mark my 50th this way is fantastic .”

The eclectic group known as “Tools on Tour” includes Mr Willis, an event organiser; Dominique Rideaux, a solicitor; council planner Mark Canaider; Dave Mullens who works for the RTA; Ross Stewart from Nardy House; Jo Clark, the harbour master at Eden; Bob Britten, a government environment worker; and Rob Gordijn, a council maintenance worker.

Mr Willis said the main focus was to ride the famous “Cols (mountains) of the Tour” but to do it at the same time as the Tour and watch as the event unfolds.

“It was bit difficult to plan it all because the route is only released in October,” he said.

“But we got it sorted and although we won’t be following the whole tour, we’ll see some major parts of it.”

Training has been intense as the French Alps, where the group will begin their tour, pose a considerable challenge.

Preparation included a seven-day tour from Bega to Thredbo via Cabramurra and back , The Fitz Challenge (a 165km one-day cycling event in Canberra), the High Country Challenge (300kms over two days including climbing up Mt Buller) and a 240km ride from Tathra to Mt Kosciusko in one day.

“We’ve also climbed Brown Mountain twice in one day as well as Mt Darragh three times in one day,” Mr Willis said.

“And there have been plenty more rides around the district.”

The biggest challenge and hopefully the most satisfying, Mr Willis said, will be the riding in Provence.