Tour junkie Francois Nouel ditches vacation plans with his wife and son to volunteer on the official support team of pro bike supplier Sport 2000. But his dreams soon are quashed when he gaffs at the company’s pre-race cocktail party, and the now jobless and wifeless Francois sees no other choice then to hop on his 10-speed and follow the Tour de France’s 3,500 km route anyway, riding alone and a day ahead of the actual racers.
Along the way, he crosses paths with a shady trainer/manager, who turns Francois into a bankable publicity stunt, as well as an extreme biking fan, who follows the lone rider around in his Winnebago, providing encouragement, free meals and massages from his nudist wife. Eventually, the Tour media circus catches on to Francois’ exploits, and he becomes a celebrity himself, stealing the spotlight from a trash-talking Italian cyclist and raking in fans, sponsors and even his own doping scandal.
