COFIDIS -- Residents, start peddling. The professional road bicycle racing team, Cofidis, sponsored by the European consumer credit company of the same name, is holding a race Tuesday against one of their own – racer David Moncoutié. On July 26, there will be a race against other Second Life residents. Both events will take place at 10:15 a.m. SLT (7:15 p.m. in France). The winner of the final race will receive a Time racing bike in real life, similar to the bikes used in the actual Tour de France.

"Our client Cofidis wanted to respect the Second Life community, giving them the possibility to have fun (on a) bike and (to participate in) some events during the Tour de France," said Laurent Heckmann (Laurent Savon in Second Life), representative for Andrea Media, a French advertising agency that brought L’Oréal Paris to SL in March. "This event is to permit an avatar to be in the skin of a real racer of the Tour de France."

While the races are not meant to replicate the actual Tour de France, they are taking place during the same month and represent races leading up to the big event – more of a mini Tour de France.

Anyone can stop by Cofidis' island and obtain free bike racing gear including shirt, pants, gloves and helmet. Visitors can also practice their biking skills with a racing bike created by Second Life resident Les White, available through a bicycle kiosk. While the racing bikes are free to ride, once a rider disembarks from their bike, it disappears.

Heckmann said one of the challenges of setting up a major bicycle race in SL was building a race "track" that covers not only the sim but also takes racers through the sky. SL resident Gianluca Mahoney was brought in to develop the extensive Cofidis racing circuit.

Earlier this month, Cofidis hosted a "race against time" as well as a live chat with real racers from the team currently at the Tour de France.

"Like Motorati exist for cars, this sim is the equivalent for bicycles," explained Heckmann who said the French media has reported positively about their initiative and added that his client is already interested in hosting future programs in SL.

For more information, check out the blog The Second Life of Cofidis (in French) (www.slcofidis.com) or stop by Cofidis island.