European Challenge begins in Amsterdam where groups meet and then travel to a small town outside the city. From here, groups will bike south through The Netherlands, Belguim and Germany. After passing through Germany, they will skirt through France and ride into Switzerland, past Lake Thun, through the Bernese Oberland and over two Alpine passes to the shores of Lake Geneva. Heading back into France, the groups will ride along the Rhone River before heading west across the heart of France, towards Spain. The final challenge will be the rugged Pyrenees which the groups will cross, dropping them into Spain and finally down to the Mediterranean at Barcelona.