Hat's off indeed.
But I wonder if he really is the only British guy doing it. Geoff Thomas and his mates are only a few days behind. And there's usually several hundred of various nationalities who do it each year around that time.
Four years ago I met an Africaans guy doing it unsupported with full camping gear. He also rode the transfers instead of having the rest days. His bike could best be described as 'agricultural' but he got each day done. He also spoke no English or French and could only really make himself understood to the Dutch or Flems he met along the way.
But like the 'signs guys' getting to know this Englishman, this Africaaner became quite well known, especially as he was riding on race day itself. He was pulled over on the Col de Galibier by the motorbike Gendarmes, who took his panniers off him and just rode off, much to his confusion. When he got to the top, there they were waiting for him beside the road.
On the long final transfer up to Paris he was spotted during the night by one of the 'caravan vehicles', still peddling away furiously trying to make it for the final day. They gave him a lift and he finished with a lap of the Champ Elysee.
I wish I could have talked to him more but our only common language was a bit of funigalore, which unsurprisingly contains very few cycle touring terms.
