Etape 2008
Comments
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It's going to be great. I haven't put in as many miles as some--but that goes with the territory of my particular set of circumstances. Lee--from reading your blog, you're ready.
Enjoy it. I can tell you this--I'm much better prepared than I was in 2006 (got caught by the broom wagon). And I'm much less nervous. When I get to the start line, I'll have about 1200 miles in my legs, 3 rides of 100 miles and some pretty decent hill work. I'm lucky enough to be with a touring group (custom getaways) that has a private feedzone at about 95K, so i'm going to blow through the 1st feedzone. I'm #2317 (lucked out on that one). If that's not enough luck and miles to get me to the finish line, then so be it. I want to finish in the worst way. This thing has eaten at me for 2 years, that time on the broom wagon, I remember all too well.
Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy.0 -
I think I'm ready. Have put the work in. I've managed 4500km and 8 rides over 140km since the start of the year. All with lots of hills. I think I only walked once (Hardknott on the Fred Whitton!!!)
Didn't lose as much weight as planned. Should start about 93-4kg.
Slow times in all the sportives, but have been feeling stronger with each one and seem more able to keep going.
.... will not be shaving my legs!0 -
I am ready as well. 3000 miles this year, with over 100,000 feet of climbing. Bike is ready, got the weight to 192 lbs (I'm 6'1"). I am now working on the mantra that I will enjoy the experience and not let anything that happens bother me. My bib number (6442) is fine, the weather will be what it is, and we are all good to go.
BTW, a fellow who is apparently in my tour group is blogging about the Etape in the NYT: http://theclimb.blogs.nytimes.com/0 -
Right, that's it. I'm done with the preparing.
2 years
3 bikes
8,300 miles of riding
17 Audaxes
9 sportives (7 this year)
All this years sportives inside Etape pace (extrapolated out to 169km and 3500m of climb)
First ever Silver Medal in yesterdays Circuit of the Cotswolds
If I can do anything else, I don't know what it is.
Good luck all, whether needed or not. See you all in Pau, or better still Lau Balagnas wearing medals.0 -
Crown Jewel
Hi Crown Jewel, I am also in the Velo Echappe group in Pau. Are you there or Lourdes? I look forward to meeting you.
To all, thanks for the very helpful posts and info on this forum. It has helped me find an outlet for my nervous energy getting ready for my first etape. Best regards and good luck in 12 days, 13 hours (but who's counting!). Mark MannerMark Manner0 -
Hi Mark. I am in Pau and also look forward to riding with you. Travel safely.0
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Well June went quickly. Did the Dragon in 7:14 with half an hours stoppage time, loads of 70-90 milers around the Surrey Hills, club rides, reps up my local slope, weight down to 143 (from 150), read the blogs, watched the dvd, got new tyres.
Thanks to all who've posted advice/encouragement, let's enjoy our day in the mountains. Good luck to all0 -
I'm getting a little bit nervous for you all now - after months of writing on this thread, I really feel for you all and so want you all to have a safe ride and beat the broom wagon.
I'm planning to do my tediously slow ascent of Tourmalet on the Saturday. Any one who has done it, can you tell me if there are any sheer drops at the side of the road? I was in the Alps recently and I found the heights and the drops to be a greater limiting factor than my heart. I could barely look and just had to tell myself to keep looking at the road, keep looking at the road, keep looking at the road..........
what's Tourmalet like? Any roads with hoover dam style drops off at the side - seemingly floating on nothing more than clouds?0 -
I read the report in CW back in October and have watched the DVD several times re Tourmalet. Just after the summit there are a couple of nasty steep bends with drops and no crash barriers :shock:
Best thing is not to look, and take it easy!
If you're going up there beforehand, I don't suppose you fancy taking a tin of Dulux and a brush and painting our names on the road?
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anyone notice that the itinerary indicates there is not a water stop after the tourmalet descent? a few weeks ago--it showed one. ok, no problem. i guess. 0
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Something described as "Point d'eau" at 155km.
I'm hoping this is water? (No food, but I'll be running on gels alone by then)0 -
Useful weather info for La Mongie/Tourmalet
http://www.skiinfo.com/weather/detail.j ... GIE&CSL=EN0 -
yep, you're right, kmahony.... that's a water stop. good..... very, very good. 0
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Good luck!Rich.H wrote:I feel as prepared as I can be and can't wait to get over there. I have had some strong rides of late, with three 100 mile sportives under my belt this month. I am climbing well and finishing each ride with what feels like plenty left in the legs. I would have liked at least one of those rides to have been on a hot day but it was not to be....
I am approaching the ride with a view to just experiencing the whole event as much as I can - the scale, the closed roads, the surroundings etc. However, if I am on a good day, I am very aware of the silver standard time for my age group and that will be one hell of an acheivement for me in my first ever Etape.
I reckon if you did the CotC last weekend the Etape will be quite doable in a decent time. Bigger climbs, yes, but not as steep so it's easier to do them at your own pace. Also you should find more groups to ride with, which definitely makes it easier.Jeff Jones
Product manager, Sports0 -
Everyone is taking this way too seriously, it is a fun day out, a ride through beautiful terrain, not a life-or-death wheeled version of The Running Man and unless you are aiming for the top-100, it's not even a race, you can take your time you know.
Enjoy it all!0 -
Seriously, yes. But not too seriously. This has eaten two years of my life, but improved them (and hopefully those to come) immeasureably.
I will be looking to enjoy the day. I have no chance of a Silver, and hopefully the same chance of being caught by the broom wagon. I just can't wait to experience that sort of ride as a first one on mainland Europe, having never even seen the Pyrennees before.
Popette/Karen I'll look out for you at the bottom of Hautacam. One of our group not taking part will also be there taking photos. Look out for the 2006 Madone 5.2 on the last corner with Peter close in attendance.
We may pass you on the Tourmalet on our recce (in the car) on Saturday, we will shout the appropriate encouragement. Make sure you spell my name correctly on the road 0 -
popette wrote:I'm getting a little bit nervous for you all now - after months of writing on this thread, I really feel for you all and so want you all to have a safe ride and beat the broom wagon.
I'm planning to do my tediously slow ascent of Tourmalet on the Saturday. Any one who has done it, can you tell me if there are any sheer drops at the side of the road? I was in the Alps recently and I found the heights and the drops to be a greater limiting factor than my heart. I could barely look and just had to tell myself to keep looking at the road, keep looking at the road, keep looking at the road..........
what's Tourmalet like? Any roads with hoover dam style drops off at the side - seemingly floating on nothing more than clouds?
I shouldn't worry too much Popette. There is a section just before La Mongie where there is a small stone wall and a steep drop to the right, but it's definitely not scary, more "ah, that's nice" rather than just "arrghhhh"
See below:
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Kléber wrote:Everyone is taking this way too seriously, it is a fun day out, a ride through beautiful terrain, not a life-or-death wheeled version of The Running Man and unless you are aiming for the top-100, it's not even a race, you can take your time you know.
Enjoy it all!
Got to agree with this!!
It's a stunning part of the world, and it will be a great day out.
Yes, you'll feel tired at the top of the Tourmalet, but there's a long descent to follow.
Yes, the Hautacam is steep in places, but you're almost there and the views are stunning from the top.
Yes, it is likely to be hot, but a shortish stage this year means that you should be finishing before the late afternoon heat.
... and there's a superb Pizzeria in Argeles, not far from the base of the Hautacam, by the way: friends and family could do worse than sit outside with a telescope and watch the Etape from there with a cold beer in hand0 -
I don't know about the Pyrenees but over here in Nice, it's gotten very hot in the past week. It brings climbing into a whole new level of pain (as I found out today on Col de la Madone). Hope it cools a small bit before the 6th (unlikely)007stucumber wrote:Yes, it is likely to be hot, but a shortish stage this year means that you should be finishing before the late afternoon heat.0 -
I rode the Dragon and Cotswolds too - nice weather, but 3 punctures in total :roll: .Rich.H wrote:2 more UK events left for me - the Dragon Ride next weekend and the Circuit of the Cotswolds the week after. I am going well (and climbing well ) but I could do with some warm weather to ride in - my last 3 Sportives have been wet and miserable (and bl**dy windy on the Gran Fondo Cymru)
I have most of my kit sorted now. My bike has been in "Etape spec" for a few weeks and I am really pleased with it (new wheels and compact chainset). Some new white bar tape is ready to go on for the big day 8) As for what to wear, I have a debate between gilet / armwarmers or a long sleeved lightweight windproof :?: I am thinking mainly of the waiting around at the start and then the descent of the Touramlet - and a hot, dry day in between Rich
I also rode the etape route 3 weeks ago. I'm starting with arm warmers but no gilet.....just carry a supermarket plastic bag in your back pocket and stuff it up your jersey at the start (when hanging around for an hour like at the Dragon) and at the top of the Tourmalet. (Unless of course it's raining, then for me a race jacket is obligatoire.)
Piece of advice? Don't forget to look around on the climb of the Tourmalet...it truly is stunning.
One more important piece of kit - sellotaped on the handlebars will be the words "You're stronger than you think". Good Luck to all, especially those shooting for silvers and golds.0 -
One more important piece of kit - sellotaped on the handlebars will be the words "You're stronger than you think". Good Luck to all, especially those shooting for silvers and golds.[/quote]
that's my problem - it turns out i'm not
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portuguese mike wrote:One more important piece of kit - sellotaped on the handlebars will be the words "You're stronger than you think". Good Luck to all, especially those shooting for silvers and golds.
that's my problem - it turns out i'm not[/quote]
OK, how about "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional"
Some Japanese writer's jogging mantra, read it in the Grauniad, probably meaningless. Where the neon madmen climb0 -
OK, how about "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional"
Some Japanese writer's jogging mantra, read it in the Grauniad, probably meaningless.[/quote]
Actually i always quite liked 'pain is temporay, pride is forever' but if i suppose of i did have a mantra it would be repeating 'i am not a quitter' over and over when the going gets toughpm0 -
I'm in Argeles Gasost atm, having ridden Aspin, Tourmalet and Hautacam today-lots of French people scoping the Etape too
Plenty to report-the last 8k of the Tourmalet are tough at around 9%, the road has been resurfaced on the up side, the first part of the descent is sketchy, esp the RH hairpin which rougher than last year
Having only ridden the Hautacam once before I was slightly taken aback at how variable it is. some steep sections at around 15% are short, but the middle part is quite difficult. The top section isn't as easy as I remember though. Climbed it in 65 mins having ridden 60miles to get there
Looking forward to seeing all forumites over here“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
Advanced weather forecast for Pau
Partly Cloudy
High - 25C
Wind - 8kph from WNW
Precip - 10%
That would be near perfect... but they've got over a week to change their mind.0 -
Re: the japanese author and marathon runner (http://books.guardian.co.uk/extracts/st ... 20,00.html)
That was a cracking article. There was another line which I admired:
"In long-distance running the only opponent you have to beat is yourself..."
A bit of a long one to stick on your handlebars but the same thought will apply when I am going backwards up the Tourmalet in the searing heat.
Oh, and can anyone please advise me on a decent, lightweight jacket? I'm planning on cycling in just a top but realise that I'll need a jacket for the morning and decents.
I've heard of some jackets that you can scrunch up to the size of a tennis ball when not in use. Are these any good?
What are other people wearing?0 -
Ken Night wrote:I'm in Argeles Gasost atm, having ridden Aspin, Tourmalet and Hautacam today-lots of French people scoping the Etape too
Plenty to report-the last 8k of the Tourmalet are tough at around 9%, the road has been resurfaced on the up side, the first part of the descent is sketchy, esp the RH hairpin which rougher than last year
Having only ridden the Hautacam once before I was slightly taken aback at how variable it is. some steep sections at around 15% are short, but the middle part is quite difficult. The top section isn't as easy as I remember though. Climbed it in 65 mins having ridden 60miles to get there
Looking forward to seeing all forumites over here
That sounds like good going to me - what distance did you make the climb? oh and did you time yourself up the Tourmalet?pm0 -
sveinc wrote:What are other people wearing?
Intend to start in bibshorts, short sleeved jersey and arm warmers. I'll carry a sleeveless gilet, which packs down into my jersey pocket, for descents. If rain is forecast I'll take its detachable sleeves as well. Likewise, if dry then mitts, if wet gloves.
I'm still taking my compact chain ring but I've been wobbling about whether I should have had a triple fitted. Bottom gear 34x27.
What's the gearing consensus on here?Where the neon madmen climb0
