Etape 2008
Comments
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My start number has appeared on this site: http://io.addx-tech.com/edmpublic/parti ... epreuve=31
I've got 2204 which (if I've read "accepted wisdom" properly) is good news given that I'm a confirmed BWD...0 -
blimey, there are some numbers in the 9000's!
2204 sounds good - well done. What's a BWD? (am I being thick?)0 -
popette wrote:blimey, there are some numbers in the 9000's!
2204 sounds good - well done. What's a BWD? (am I being thick?)
Thanks but can't accept the "well done" - just the luck of the draw! Save it for the unlikely event of me Broom Wagon Dodging it all the way to Hautacam perhaps?
I'm actually quite concerned about whether 7000 riders are going to be able to get past me in the first 50k without me taking someone down and causing a mass pile-up.
Seriously I need to think about how to organise a "slow train" to the start of the Tourmalet. In the couple of sportives I did last year everyone wanted to use the advantage of riding in a peloton to go faster rather than to conserve energy. I don't want to go 10% faster, I want to use 20% less energy. My ideal is a large and organised group of riders (actually an organised group of large riders would be even better!) travelling at a steady 25kph until the road tilts upwards. Without obviously sucking I could sit in avoiding undue exertion and arrive fresh for the hours of every-man-for-himself-toiling-pain that will follow.
Perhaps "energy conservation train" would be a more positively framed description? How can I get one organised?0 -
me and my husband will join you in the slow train. We're big riders and usually find riders start to gather behind us as we make an excellent wind breaker!
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IanTrcp wrote:[. Without obviously sucking I could sit in avoiding undue exertion and arrive fresh for the hours of every-man-for-himself-toiling-pain that will follow.
Perhaps "energy conservation train" would be a more positively framed description? How can I get one organised?
don't worry about being obvious-you owe nobody anything, and there will be plenty of people onto whose wheels you can latch, even if you push yourself for just a few minutes“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
IME it's generally a case of slow riders to the right with faster riders to the left. In the early stages you'd be unlucky to have to take a turn on the front as the line of riders is huge. Just a long line right the way up the road.
Because the early parts of 2006 edition was flat for a good while, this long line lasted for easily 40 km, it's was traveling at around 30-35 kmh (can't remember exactly) but not you're not having to work much. Smaller faster groups come by on your left and you can jump over and latch on if you want to.0 -
SunWuKong wrote:IME it's generally a case of slow riders to the right with faster riders to the left. In the early stages you'd be unlucky to have to take a turn on the front as the line of riders is huge. Just a long line right the way up the road.
Because the early parts of 2006 edition was flat for a good while, this long line lasted for easily 40 km, it's was traveling at around 30-35 kmh (can't remember exactly) but not you're not having to work much. Smaller faster groups come by on your left and you can jump over and latch on if you want to.
you're right yes, even faster than 30-35km on the left I would have said more like 40kmh.
it's only really further out into the course that smaller groups where taking a turn is expected start to form. though the stretch to the tourmalet is so long that i expect before the climb begins the pack will have thinned out a fair bit.
the transfer between the tourmalet and hautacam is the time to work together in a nice fast group !!
So how much climbing is there in this edition????0 -
Just today returned from three days of recce training on Tourmalet and surrounds.
For anyone thinking of going out in near future, a few notes:
1. Tourmalet is closed with snow still. You can get to La Mongie, but not right up to the col and down. So impossible to do the whole route right now.
2. Aubisque is also snowed in. You can get up to Soulor, but not onto the Aubisque stretch.
3. I've done both climbs before, but imho, based on trying to replicate the distance and the total ascent in the run up, Hautacam is far worse that Tourmalet, even if it is lower. Some of the gradients are ridiculous for a Pyrennean climb (more than 13%). A few kms in the middle of 8% are deceptive -- you'll descend for a couple hundred metres and then get nailed by some 12%, 13%, etc to make up the elevation gain.
4. Loucrup is a piece of cake. No-one need worry about that (and I'm not a climber).
5. I got burnt to a crisp in the last three days. So bear that in mind when you think about July.
Does anyone know the average pace of the broom wagon, definitively? I think that if it is anything over 20kmph, there will be a lot of riders in it. If it is anything below 17kmph, most of the field will be safe. Both the ride up to St Marie to Campan (from Pau) and the drop down from Tourmalet will be time to make up lots of time.
Happy to respond to any questions about the route, especially if anyone is going out in the next few days.0 -
Thanks for that Peakraider.
You can find the route and elimination schedule here. http://www.letapedutour.com/2008/ETDT/p ... eraire.htm
If you actually cross the start line at 0700 (and clearly most won't) then elimination at Labatmale say is 21km/hr average and to the foot of the Tourmalet is 23km/hr average.
Any idea how much climbing before Tourmalet?Where the neon madmen climb0 -
Before Tourmalet I'd expect about 1500 metres of climbing. You need to get up to St Marie de Campan (start of the ascent), which is about 800m. And that is about 500m above Pau already. Plus the two small bumps, and some rolling hills. So perhaps about 1200m-1500m? But it isn't difficult altitude to gain.
The really hard stuff starts about three km into the Tourmalet ascent. Then really kicks in at La Mongie. Then Hautacam.0 -
so we're talking about 3800 metres or so of climbing for this edition
quite a lot for a 100mile ride0 -
The climbing to worry about is only Tourmalet and Hautacam. The other hills and the accumulation of elevation isn't too bad.
My advice, having done most of the route this weekend (but never having done an etape, so take it with a pinch of salt) is to structure the etape in the following way:
Pau to Loucrup -- gentle and good opportunity to be eating and well watered
Loucrup to Bagneres -- lots of food and don't bust a gut
Bagneres to St Marie de Campan -- psychologically prepare for the climb; ithe climb really starts before St Marie de Campan (officially the pied),
St Marie to the haripin before climbing into La Mongie -- gentle 3% for 3km, then tough 8-9%
La Mongie to the Col -- hard 4km, but it is slightly easier when out of La Mongie (which has about 2km of very hard climbing)
Col to Hautacam base -- 20km of fast descent to Luz, then the Gorge, where eating and drinking loads is essential. Apparently there will be a feed station at the base of Hautacam, which isn't the best place for it, imo, as you don't want to cool down much there.
Hautacam -- get through the 13% bits with determination, because there is a small reward with much gentler grades after each of them. The last four km of Hautacam are bad but not too bad. And within the last three we'll be able to see the finish.0 -
pedylan wrote:Thanks for that Peakraider.
You can find the route and elimination schedule here. http://www.letapedutour.com/2008/ETDT/p ... eraire.htm
If you actually cross the start line at 0700 (and clearly most won't) then elimination at Labatmale say is 21km/hr average and to the foot of the Tourmalet is 23km/hr average.
Any idea how much climbing before Tourmalet?
Fortunately, it seems like they give lots of time for the two mountains, though -- average up them under 10kmph, if I'm calculating it right.0 -
Incidentally, I mapped out the route on bikeroutetoaster....
It looks pretty accurate...
And it says 4288 metres of ascent.0 -
The "feed" station at the foot of Hautacam is water only, agree it's not the place to stuff yourself again.
Early on (and probably for at least the first 80km) it's going to be essential to keep with a good paced group so you don't let your average fall but likewise you don't overcook. With a field of over 8000 the concept of group might be fairly wide! It should be possible to sweep along at 35kph for stretches do you think?
Getting to the start of Tourmalet with a decent buffer in front of the broom wagon would be good, but I agree that after that steady (if unspectacular) progress should be rewarded with a diminishing chance of getting swept up.
As to the climb- will we ever know the definitive accumulated total? Have the ordnance survey got a team in?
Where the neon madmen climb0 -
Every time I read this string I get more scared - motivation of a sort I suppose!
Seem to have a number - either 3506 or 2111 - Mark Davies being a common name
I am assuming from what I've read that this is a good thing - top half of the field at least
Doing National Clarion Sportive this weekend - distance about the same - sadly hills don't compare - local to me and in the fens - not noted for their climbs
Good luck and training to one and all
Piggy0 -
Peakraider wrote:Incidentally, I mapped out the route on bikeroutetoaster....
It looks pretty accurate...
And it says 4288 metres of ascent.
if that is true then it is a lot more than i'd have expected and surprising. hard to see how it's that much though.
4300m is a big day in the saddle
will we ever know the true altitude gain here 0 -
wildmoustache wrote:Peakraider wrote:Incidentally, I mapped out the route on bikeroutetoaster....
It looks pretty accurate...
And it says 4288 metres of ascent.
if that is true then it is a lot more than i'd have expected and surprising. hard to see how it's that much though.
4300m is a big day in the saddle
will we ever know the true altitude gain here
I thought 4300m a bit much-likely to be around 3600 tops.“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0 -
Ken Night wrote:wildmoustache wrote:Peakraider wrote:Incidentally, I mapped out the route on bikeroutetoaster....
It looks pretty accurate...
And it says 4288 metres of ascent.
if that is true then it is a lot more than i'd have expected and surprising. hard to see how it's that much though.
4300m is a big day in the saddle
will we ever know the true altitude gain here
I thought 4300m a bit much-likely to be around 3600 tops.
I think it might be about right. On one of the rides I did out there on the weekend, we accumulated 2200m over 90km. That had Col de Soulor (about 1500m alt) and Hautacam (about 1500m alt) in it. So swap Soulor for Tourmalet and that would add another 600m. Then Loucrup and Labatmale -- about 600m between them. That takes you to 3400m of climbing. Then add another 70km on the "flat" from Pau and you could definitely accumulate another few hundred at least.0 -
From my experience of the last three etapes, however accurately I think I have estimated the total elevation beforehand, I have been several hundred metres short of the actual on the day. 4300m does sound a but high but I wouldn't be surprised if it is around the 4000m mark.0
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I made it 4100m
It's 1050m from Pau to Loucrup.
If all up, there's 1650m for the Tourmalet and 1000m for the Hautacam, which makes 3700m, but we know this is not the case (plenty of downs), so 4300m could be correct.
Plan for that. If it's a bit less we'll find out on the day.0 -
got number 6202, which i'm quite happy with. don't need to worry about picking up a puncture in the first section now.
note: if any pieces of glass, thorns or nails are reading; this does not constitute an invitation to join me on the day.
:P0 -
Anyone going with Cyclomundo got a number yet?
I am still patiently waiting and hoping for a low number0 -
Yes. Got one between 3500-4000. Check out the official site www.letapedutour.com0
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Dombo6 wrote:Yes. Got one between 3500-4000. Check out the official site www.letapedutour.com
When did you get yours. i've been checking that site everday for a couple of weeks and, so far, nada
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portuguese mike wrote:Dombo6 wrote:Yes. Got one between 3500-4000. Check out the official site www.letapedutour.com
When did you get yours. i've been checking that site everday for a couple of weeks and, so far, nada
Don't worry, I'm the same - I'm sure that we'll get numbers soon (finger's crossed for something ridiculously low!)0 -
Don't worry, I'm the same - I'm sure that we'll get numbers soon (finger's crossed for something ridiculously low!)[/quote]
Thanks,
to be fair Cyclomundo did say not to expect to see it on there until May.pm0 -
with just over 9 weeks to the event....I think its time I started some training for it :shock:
On a more serious note, I have had my place for some time, but just after I got it a family engagement popped up for July and I decided not to ride.
The family do has just been cancelled and so I am seriously considering riding..Am I mad?
To give you some history, I have ridden and finished the Etape twice before (the last being 2006 at the top of the Alpe). So I know what to expect. That particular year I started my training proper with the Fred Whitton, so I have a similar time frame.
Having said that I am a stone over my fighting weight and not as fit as I was then. I have been riding regular, but not Etape training level.
Any advice on a training plan would be much appreciated0 -
kmahony wrote:I made it 4100m
It's 1050m from Pau to Loucrup.
If all up, there's 1650m for the Tourmalet and 1000m for the Hautacam, which makes 3700m, but we know this is not the case (plenty of downs), so 4300m could be correct.
Plan for that. If it's a bit less we'll find out on the day.
I rode Campan to Hautacam last year-very little in the way of bumps or undulations other than the climbs
You'll find 3600/3700m a real achievement and difficult enough-no need to talk it up“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best..." Ernest Hemingway0
