I think the other thing to emphasize when it comes to tours is that you can find just about any flavor. I've never taken a European tour, but I have researched enough of them to know that on one end of the spectrum are tours that mimic the professional grand racing tours. On the other end are tours in which cycling is almost an afterthought. They're low mileage, slow, sightseeing type rides. And there's a lot in between. These companies couldn't thrive if they didn't cater to anybody but the most experienced, hard core cyclists.