Please advise on best way to enter Etape 2008
Comments
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rendo wrote:daowned
i have an entry only spot reserved with cyclomundo. i'm surprised you are opting to drive to dover. have you tried the rosyth ferry. we drove to tours using this route last year and it is a great service if a little pricey. i guess if you are driving on your own or with other adults it may not be to bad, but i plan to make this part of our family holiday and drive to pau from zeebrugge.
anyway, would be nice to hear from you if you get an entry, likewise from any other entrants in glasgow
Didnt really thing of that one Rendo the route to Dover seemed more striaght forward, we may stop over in Norfolk for the night to see the inlaws anyways.
Yeah we plan to make a holiday of it aswell with a trip to Lourdes after the Etape and then catch a stage of the TDF, at the moment we are still awaiting contact from our tour company, when it's all booked then we can hopefully make some solid plans.
Might see you over there I hope
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For those of you awaiting entry and package info, I've been emailed by Cyclomundo with confirmation of my entry only and receipt for payment and with information on their 3 and 4 night guided and 3 night self guided options.
I assume this info will be on the web site soon if not already.Where the neon madmen climb0 -
i have entered the etape on an entry ride only
sent the request in at 6.30 tuesday night ,got a response wednesday morning at 11 saying my place is guranteed until 5th november subject to a cost of 190 euros and got final confirmation this morning
,so there's no turning back !!!!!!!
8th March 2010,Spain ,Here I come !!!!!!0 -
Likewise, paid for the 'entry only' this morning
without hijacking the thread, i'm trying to think out the logistics of getting from the finish after the event. i know there is a coach the day before, allowing you to leave you car at the finish, but that doesn't really suit as it leaves me stuck getting to the start on the day.
anyone have any advise on what has happened in previous years.
can family get to the finish on the day of the event, i assume the road is closed at some point before the leaders arrive.
What is the final climb like with reagrd to spectators on the etape, is it generally very busy.
currently thinking of getting my wife to have a day outing somewhere near the foot of the hautacam to allow me a relatively easy cycle back down the hill to meet them0 -
Rendo,rendo wrote:i'm trying to think out the logistics of getting from the finish after the event. i know there is a coach the day before, allowing you to leave you car at the finish, but that doesn't really suit as it leaves me stuck getting to the start on the day.
Where are you going to stay the night before? It is a very early start on Etape day. Best to be on the startline by 6am. Add into that getting up, dressed, breakfasted & getting to the start and it means a 4:something alarm call.
I would recommend getting accomodation in Pau for the night before and then cycle to the startline. Worked well for me last year.
I drove to the finish (Loudenvielle) the day before with my kit (save an overnight rucsac), had a relaxing lunch, got the coach back to the start (Foix). Pasta party, early bed, early breakfast, 20 min cycle down to start, handed in rucsack (couriered by organisers to finish) and got into my start pen. When I made it to Loudenvielle (!) my rucsac, car were waiting for me. Worked brilliantly.Rich0 -
cheers Richa
didn't really consider the early start, i guess best option is, as you say, is to get a hotel the night before, and do like you did last year. what time does the event actually start. i think last year may have been 7.00. it may be too much to drive into pau on the morning of the event
Iain0 -
Event usually starts at 7:00 but you are required to be in your start pen before 6:30.
NB, the pens are large. I was in the 6,000 to 8,500 pen. Hence, get there at 6:00 and you start 6,500th. Get there at 6:30 and you start 8,500th. Definately worth getting up a little earlier.Rich0 -
rendo wrote:Likewise, paid for the 'entry only' this morning
without hijacking the thread, i'm trying to think out the logistics of getting from the finish after the event. i know there is a coach the day before, allowing you to leave you car at the finish, but that doesn't really suit as it leaves me stuck getting to the start on the day.
anyone have any advise on what has happened in previous years.
can family get to the finish on the day of the event, i assume the road is closed at some point before the leaders arrive.
What is the final climb like with reagrd to spectators on the etape, is it generally very busy.
currently thinking of getting my wife to have a day outing somewhere near the foot of the hautacam to allow me a relatively easy cycle back down the hill to meet them
What Richa said about staying in Pau and start time.
Like you I could see having a car at the finish a problem so when i got my entry confirmation from Cyclomundo I asked their view.
There is only one road up Hautacam and no parking at top for private cars. There is parking at the bottom. That means having friends/family at the bottom and cycling down to meet up after event (assuming we get up in the first place ) I'm planning to stay in Pau for early start hopefully get seen off by family, they drive to bottom of Hautacam and we stay in Lourdes area after race. Where the neon madmen climb0 -
I'm weighing up all the packages - what a difference in price between cyclomundo and graham baxter!!
I'm now talking to cyclomundo about logistics of getting the car about.
My pedal broke off the the other day - looks like the thread is bust in the crank. Not a great start to my training.0 -
popette wrote:I'm weighing up all the packages - what a difference in price between cyclomundo and graham baxter!!
I'm now talking to cyclomundo about logistics of getting the car about.
My pedal broke off the the other day - looks like the thread is bust in the crank. Not a great start to my training.
Hotel bookings are scarce for Saturday night on the web sites I've tried so we're thinking about a villa for a week and making a proper break of it. Price per night is less than 2 hotel rooms.
If your pedal broke then if it's any meaure of the power you're putting out then it sounds like you're home and dry.
Where the neon madmen climb0 -
I cant see any prices up on the cyclomundo site.0
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haven't been able to find a hotel room in Pau or anywhere nearby. i was looking for a family room so that might have restricted things.
Anyway i've managed to find a villa that i'm going to book for the two weeks, 1week before and a week after. Does mean i'm going to miss the tour going thro, but ho-hum.0 -
The Sporting Tours site was supposed to be updated with Etape packages as of midnight last night - so I stayed up.......still no package details...... Looks like I could miss out!0
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Thanks - that worked! Ouch - the prices! Almost wished it hadn't worked! Maybe I will take a look at the Marmotte instead!0
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I pre-registered with cyclomundo. packages are available on wednesday. Three nights - two in pau, one in lourdes, with entry and 2* B&B is 440 euro. Quite a big difference to a similar package with baxter.0
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Have people heard back from Baxters? Filled in the form very early (00:30) Monday morning, but no confirmation (one way or the other) yet,0
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Popette
Don't know whether you are going for any of the packages but in my case, registered for an entry only with them. got an email asking me to pay before 5th Nov to secure my place. Have done that and recieved a confirmation email guaranteeing my place. Unless i wish to book accommodation thro them, which i don't, all i am waiting for is the entry form for the etape itself.
the confirmation email also included the packages they will provide0 -
Hi Rendo - ta for the info
yes, I've booked 2 packages and paid to secure the places but haven't really had an offical confirmation. They did reply to say they had received the fax but not an email stating that I had a place.
I'll email them now to check.
ta0 -
Having emailed baxters about my place i got a reply eventually 22 hours later saying they were about to process non pre registered places and will let us know in due corse0
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For the amount they're charging, they could have got a few more people in to sort the bookings this week?zebedeecp wrote:Having emailed baxters about my place i got a reply eventually 22 hours later saying they were about to process non pre registered places and will let us know in due corse
I was hoping to hear back by Tues, so there was time to try cyclomundo.0 -
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Just got confirmed today in the post, yay
Definitely no going back for me as you don't get your deposit back and for what it cost to do the Etape if I don't do it then I will most probably get thrown out of the house 0 -
good show. enjoying reading your blog and those you link to within it.0
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popette wrote:I pre-registered with cyclomundo. packages are available on wednesday. Three nights - two in pau, one in lourdes, with entry and 2* B&B is 440 euro. Quite a big difference to a similar package with baxter.
Hey popette, a 2* B&B, what happened to the luxury break?
I appreciate I may just be spreading trouble here, but the female members of our party (who believe they're only being taken along as a salvage squad!) have found this http://realretreat.co.uk/
We've got hotel rooms in Pau for 4th and 5th to go with entry only but as a before or after indulgence The Real Retreat Spa is being given lots of thought.
My wallet awaits the outcome with some interest but mainly with trepidation
Where the neon madmen climb0 -
Hi Pedylan,
I know, luxury was always the plan but when it came in 3 times more expensive than the cyclomundo package, the tight gene in me just couldn't allow it! it would have cost us £1800 for three nights! :roll: A £45 full body massage could be just the required element of luxury that I was looking for! Thanks for the link - it looks absolutely fantastic.
We love our food so I'm going to research some good restaurants and spend the money we save on accommodation on top food and wine (well, not too much of that until after the event).
cheers again0 -
Well, I have paid for my entry only through Cyclomundo and have no confirmation as yet, beyond my receipt from the Paybox website. I mailed them last night for an update.
I am currently planning to drive down with my wife and have hotels booked in Pau for the Fri & Sat at the moment.
Interested in reading Cycling Weekly next week as they have sent Mike Coty over to ride the route already (couple of snowy pics in this weeks edition as a teaser..)
They mention that the route is more "accessible" for us mere mortals than previous examples (as in less challenging). That may be the case, but surely the cut off times set by the organisers will reflect this?
Rich0 -
How ahve you managed to find hotels in Pau? I can only find availability in Lourdes or Tarbes. I have an entry only place and I would really like to stay in Pau if possible and avoid having to drive to the start. Any ideas gratefully received!!0
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