Life-long passions for both cycling and Tasmania made the decision for him.

“I was watching Youtube and suddenly an ad came on for 100 per cent Pure campaign run by Tourism New Zealand and my former teammate Tim Gudsell's cycling tours business was featured in the video,” he said.

“As soon as I saw it I thought ‘why the hell am I not doing this here in Tasmania?’

“Like New Zealand we are very green with nice, quiet roads to ride. It’s very similar so why can’t we make the same thing work here?”

After growing up in a cycling-mad family at Flowery Gully, Sulzberger has spent the last decade of his life making a living from the sport.

He rode with pro teams Francaise des Jeux (2009-11) and ORICA-GreenEdge (2012-13) followed by Drapac (2014), Navitas (2015) and Kinan (2016), competing in four of the sport’s annual Grand Tours including the 2010 Tour de France and making world championship teams alongside fellow Tasmanians Matt Goss and Richie Porte.

Sulzberger rode an estimated 500,000 kilometres through 27 countries.

Joining the highly competitive Tasmanian club-racing circuit, he became all too familiar with the state’s extensive network of quiet undulating backroads.

And as a pro based in exotic European locations like Monaco and Andorra, he grew accustomed to turning up for races and camps and having everything done for him.

Now retired and living in Legana, the 30-year-old father-of-two is combining those two backgrounds from opposite sides of the planet.

With a Gallic name linking back to the world’s most famous bike race, Sulzberger has launched En Route Cycling Tours, designed for passionate cyclists and discerning travellers who want to experience life like a professional on tour while conquering the picturesque and diverse Tasmanian landscape.

Sulzberger said while Tasmania is laying claim to some of the world’s best mountain bike trails, it has long been a perfect road cycling destination.

This is evidenced by a production line of elite riders that also includes Micheal Wilson, Cameron Wurf, Nathan Earle, Jai Crawford, Amy Cure, Georgia Baker, Will Clarke, Goss and Porte – who finished fifth in last year’s Tour de France and began this year as joint favourite.

“It feels the whole world has its eyes on Tassie right now, with Richie in the Tour de France, the explosion of mountain biking at Derby, the arts and cultural scene which just keeps giving, not to mention the international awards we keep receiving for our food, wines, spirits, and boutique accommodation. 

“I am proud of all that we do here and I wanted to combine it with my passion for cycling, and create something uniquely Tasmanian that will be of interest to keen cyclists and travellers from all over the world.”

The tours, which range from two days to two weeks and explore different regions of the state, cover some serious climbs and challenging routes but are well supported with Sulzberger serving as both guide and team-mate.

“I wanted to give people a taste of what it is like to be a pro cyclist.

“When I was a pro and you’d go to training camps everything is done and ready for you. You just turn up and don’t have any worries at all so I wanted people who go on these tours to be treated like that.”

Seeking to target the same market on bikes that ventures like the Bay of Fires walks attract on foot, the tours partner with top-end suppliers for food and accommodation, such as Lost Farm at Barnbougle Golf Course on The Weekender Tour.

While the routes take in Tasmanian delights from Strahan to the Sideling and Swansea, rest days take customers to sites beyond two wheels such as a cruise through the World Heritage-listed Gordon River on the West Coast Wilderness Tour.

Meanwhile the East Coast Tour jumps on the mountain bike bandwagon with a day on the Blue Derby trails with Vertigo Mountainbiking.

Vertigo owner Buck Gibson said the two forms of bicycle tourism dovetail neatly.

“We have a lot of roadies come down and do Blue Derby and I just know they would be so keen to also tackle the roads, and En Route Cycling Tours will be perfect for that,” he said.

Sulzberger, who continues to run a coaching business with riders from Launceston, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney and Western Australia, believes Tasmania underplays its potential as a road cycling mecca.

“We had (three-time Tour de France champion) Chris Froome come and ride down here and loved it and if he thinks that it must be good.

“​The mountain bikes are already a boom for Tasmania and this can do the same for road cycling if they know the tours are available here.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to is really positive and excited about what I’m trying to create, including Tourism Tasmania.

“I’m a very proud Tasmanian and I’m passionate about bringing people down here and showing them around and I guess at the end of the day I’ll still be getting paid to ride a bike.”