Etape 2008

Rich.H · May 2008

Peakraider wrote:

What kind of speed are you aiming to average, Rich? I'm in low 7000 too and will be broom wagon dodging. I'll be on a blue Planet X.

On the run out to the Tourmalet (c.60 miles / 1300m ascent), I would hope to average 18 -19 mph without going mad, especially if I can get into a decent group. After that, who knows

Overall, I would really like to break 7 hours 30 mins, but this is my first Etape so we will have to see how it goes

Rich

MegaCycle · May 2008

Apparently, I'm bib 3507 category C

Anyone know what that means?

popette · May 2008

Hey MegaCycle

It means that you're betwen 40 and 49 and male and that 6000 people are starting behind you 8)
I'm not declared fit as yet. Not sure I'm going to make the whole 100 miles but I'm definitely fit enough to do the first 60 and wait for the broom wagon at the bottom of Tourmalet. Anything on top of that is a bonus. I mean, if I did make it to the top of tourmalet, then it's 20 odd miles of coasting down and then just the small matter of climbing Hautacam.

MegaCycle · May 2008

Thanks. Where do you find out this stuff? the Etape website is rubbish!

Does anyone know how we are supposed to get our bikes back from the top of the Hautacam? Apparently we can't put them on the bus. It's all a bit unclear to me.

Piggy · May 2008

Seem to have a choice of 2 numbers at the mo - 2 Mark Davies's - both cat C! One in 2000s and one in 3500s so either fine.

If we're with a package company (I'm with Graham Baxter) do we get numbers and so on through them - communication's not their strong point...

Popette - how's the compact? Finally changed to triple - scarily did most of it myself so will probably fall off

popette · May 2008

Piggy wrote:

Popette - how's the compact? Finally changed to triple - scarily did most of it myself so will probably fall off

hi piggy,

good numbers there.
The compact is still going well - I feel no difference from my old bike which had a triple; probably because the new bike is much lighter and has amazing wheels on it. Fitting a triple sounds quite scary - wish I had the knowledge and confidence to try something like that. Perhaps time to buy a book on that subject.

Do any of you have visions of what it's going to be like? What do you think you'll be like when you get to the top of the tourmalet? Will you shed tears? I've started to have a vision of the end - it's me, lying flat out on lovely grass in the sun - I've finished it. I'm a bit of a wreck but I'm ecstaticly happy and I'm drinking.

Piggy · May 2008

Vision of the end - relief I think first off, then delight, then sleep, then champagne - tell you tomorrow if I get through the 100 miles of the Clarion Sportive!

Did the triple as part of a 2 day bike maintenance course with Alf Webb (see www.bike-inn.co.uk) - it was great - took bike to bits, cleaned, changed cables, changed from compact to triple - now understand lots more about how it works. Time to practice on the kids' bikes!

dombo6 · May 2008

popette wrote:

[
Do any of you have visions of what it's going to be like? What do you think you'll be like when you get to the top of the tourmalet? Will you shed tears? I've started to have a vision of the end - it's me, lying flat out on lovely grass in the sun - I've finished it. I'm a bit of a wreck but I'm ecstaticly happy and I'm drinking.

I have a vision of packed crowds cheering and shouting my name as I charge up the Tourmalet to the summit, taking the racing line on the bends as I'm going so fast.

Reality, I'll be twiddling for two hours in the 30x25 granny, weeping and dribbling like a baby, while the broomwagon honks and bumps me from behind like the truck in "Duel".

As to the end, plan is to turn around and meet our pick up vehicle at the bottom of Hautacam. I believe the organisers may close one side of the road to let early finishers off the mountain, but I won't be one of those. I'll need lights.

velomagic · May 2008

Looks like CycloMondo riders got numbers posted on the Etape site.

pedylan · May 2008

Got my number after a nervous weekend of wondering. Looks like there are quite a few of us in low 7000's.

Obviously we don't have Popette's charm but I had hoped we could at least match her influence.

Lookout for 7144 on a Scottish jersey casting many a nervous look over his shoulder in the first 50km.

Incidentally I'm number 226 in the Caledonia - wonder if I can swap them?

MegaCycle · May 2008

Graham Baxter tours told me today that they will pick me and my bike up at the summit of the Hautacam (who am I kidding! As if I'm going to make it that far!)

how do I find out about these categories? ages etc? I can't find any info anywhere?

urrrrrrrrrs · May 2008

hello everyone

Can I join in the fun :shock: ?,

I used to post on here last year but for a few reasons stopped posting ,but now i'm back !!!!!!. If anyone remembers i was/still am a london cabbie

who took up this dammed wretched sport

last year,in an attempt to get fitter and healthier and also been in remission for the Big C for the past 10 years.,for which i am now ,thankfully discharged

I joined a cycling club(Kingston Wheelers) last july and with the help of them,they were to keep me on the straight and narrow !!!,it was decided that i should do some sort of event to celebrate the end of my Cancer(testicular) and to help me with my weight loss,the event I was to do was the ETAPE !!.

so how's the training going?,well like most of you i have been getting the steady miles in over the winter & spring,I have just got back from a few days in Majorca and a taste of mountains & warm weather riding :shock:

,seriously though i did 175 miles in 2.5 days ,climbing 2900 metres in total,,one of the days i climbed 1000 metres straight from sea level for 10.5k at an avg of 7.5%(the climb of sa calobra).,it was hard work in the heat,i had to stop 4 times,but I made it !!

iI have a series of sportives lined up

DARTMOOR CLASSIC 11 May 160k
HIGHCLERE CASTLE 8 june 200k
DRAGON RIDE 15 june 180k

i am also going over to the pyrenees to do a reccy for 4 days on the 20th may and have beeen given some scenarios to work on,whilst out there & i'm also entered the Ardechoise 2008 ''LA VOLCANIQUE 171k ',which is a 1 day event in the massif central on the 21st june

I have a new bike, a spesh roubaix expert 2008 with a triple

which is very nice to ride,so hopefully thats it and its all systems go !!!!!!!

i will report back from the pyrenees over the late bank holiday weekend

Gerry

p.s my weight has come down from 21st 9lbs and now weigh in at 16st 8lbs(2 to go)

p.p.s I too have finally got an etape number 7160,better move my @rse !!!!!

pedylan · May 2008

Hi Urrrrrrs, welcome back and well done with the weight loss and bike miles.

Those guys in Kingston wheelers must be a bunch of sadists if the Etape was their idea. :twisted:

Look forward to your recce report.

stjohnswell · May 2008

urrrrrrrrrs wrote:

p.s my weight has come down from 21st 9lbs and now weigh in at 16st 8lbs(2 to go)

Wow! Great work Urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs!

happyhenry · May 2008

Hi, want to check I've got this right. The Broom wagon times are the right hand colujmn here, yes?

http://www.letapedutour.com/2008/ETDT/p ... eraire.htm

So, assuming I don't cross the Start line until 7.30 (my number is around 7,000), then I have 4 hours 5 mins to cover the 64 miles to the foot of the Tourmalot. Thats just under 16 mph.

Then 2 hours 40 mins for the 10 miles to the peak (just 4.3 mph).

And 10 hours 20 mins to the end (or 9 hours 50 less that first half hour)

Have I got that right?

popette · May 2008

urrrrrrrrrs wrote:

hello everyone

Can I join in the fun :shock: ?,

Hi urrrrrrrrrs,
Welcome back - I only just started posting last year but I do remember your name. Well done on what you've acheived so far - brilliant!
See you in Pau

kmahony · May 2008

happyhenry wrote:

So, assuming I don't cross the Start line until 7.30 (my number is around 7,000), then I have 4 hours 5 mins to cover the 64 miles to the foot of the Tourmalot. Thats just under 16 mph.

Then 2 hours 40 mins for the 10 miles to the peak (just 4.3 mph).

And 10 hours 20 mins to the end (or 9 hours 50 less that first half hour)

Have I got that right?

This is my breakdown based on getting started at 7:20. (in KMs)

                KM-Sec  KM-Tot  Cutoff  KPH-Sec  KPH-Tot  
Labatmale       53.3     53.3   09:35   23.7     23.7
Loucrup         27.1     80.4   10:38   25.8     24.4
St Mar Campan   22.3    102.7   11:34   23.9     24.3
Tourmalet       17.1    119.8   14:00    7.0     18.0
Arbouix         37.1    156.9   15:10   31.8     20.0
Hautacam        12.3    169.2   17:20    5.7     16.9

It seems fairly quick for the hilly first section and very quick for the gradual rise upto the start of the Tourmalet, but lots of time after that. I think that'll suit me??

urrrrrrrrrs · May 2008

popette wrote:

urrrrrrrrrs wrote:

hello everyone

Can I join in the fun :shock: ?,

Hi urrrrrrrrrs,
Welcome back - I only just started posting last year but I do remember your name. Well done on what you've acheived so far - brilliant!
See you in Pau

muchas gracias popette

as i said i will report back on my reccy later this month

Guys & gals
i've been given the following scenarios by a cycling coach to work on out there,my friend doesnt arrive till the wednesday lunchtime and we shall have a hire car to get around,i think its pretty much full on and to see how I recover.each day ready for the next
My friend who is coming with me ,speaks fluent french,lived and raced in france,his family have a place there and is whippet thin !!!!! got my work cut out

tues 20th - arrive mid afternoon,put bike back together and go out for a gentle spin
weds 21st - afternoon -ascent & descent of the tourmalet :shock:
thurs 22nd - Full Day first 100k flat section + climb of tourmalet to La Mongie :shock:
fri 23rd - both climbs of tourmalet and hautacam,on tired legs and be finished by
3.30pm as have to dismantle and pack bike and drive to Tolouse airport
for flight to Gatwick

midnight - pray that the local chinese take away is open(joking)

jmetape · May 2008

i attempted the 2006 etape, spent much of my time in the broom wagon. I'm preparing like heck for this one. Am coming from the states. i lucked out and got a low number--2317. am hoping that allows me some big time between me and the broom wagon.

for all those nervous about the broom wagon--replace you're worrying with preparation. believe me. i spent more time pre-etape 2006 calculating times, etc then i did on the bike. get outside and pedal.

i really think i can do this one. barring a mechanical failure/crash--i think it's manageable. the logistics are much, much better than in 2006. In '06, I slept 30K away from the start, had to manage that, etc. this time i'm at the roncevaux in pau. i just feel much, much better about this one.

who knows what the mountains are going to do to me. there aren't a lot of mountains around here to train on. even the longest hills are < 2k. but, i'm going to ride 3-4 times a week, and do intervals at least one day a week on those hills. up and down. up and down.

i just wanted to express encouragement to everyone who is nervous. i healthy dose of nerves is a good thing. but, don't over do it. yes, the lower the number, the quicker you are to the start line. and, yes, that's unfair. but... be prepared. ride. and enjoy

dombo6 · May 2008

jmetape wrote:

be prepared. ride. and enjoy

Exactly my sentiments. The timed itinerary is great for plotting on a map but time on the bike is the best prep.

Look forward to a great day, good company, closed roads, cheering spectators, beautiful scenery. If I get caught by the broomwagon so be it, chances are I'll be feeling like cr@p if caught so glad for the lift.

BTW is anyone familiar with Hautacam? My Michelin map shows a dotted line heading NNE from the summit back towards Lourdes. Is this path rideable on a road bike I wonder?

Peakraider · May 2008

Dombo6 wrote:

BTW is anyone familiar with Hautacam? My Michelin map shows a dotted line heading NNE from the summit back towards Lourdes. Is this path rideable on a road bike I wonder?

Don't think so. But even if it is paved, the little lanes between the other side of Hautacam and Lourdes make 13% stretches on Hautacam feel tame. Don't do it.

andyp · May 2008

jmetape wrote:

for all those nervous about the broom wagon--replace you're worrying with preparation. believe me. i spent more time pre-etape 2006 calculating times, etc then i did on the bike. get outside and pedal.

A good comment.

Every year I read the fears of those doing the Etape and it is always the broom wagon that seems to be the biggest one (although personally I'd worry more about the climbs and the heat!).

I think it's great that so many people attempt the Etape each year so please take this as advice rather than anything else. The run out to the foot of the Tourmalet is one of the aspects of the event that you can train for easily in the UK. The skills you need are the ability to ride at a steady/fast pace in a group and there are literally dozens of cycling clubs in the UK who do this week after week. So please, if you are worried, get in touch with your local club and join them on their club runs and, if you can, on the local chain gang. This will give you the skills and fitness needed to easily get to the foot of Tourmalet in good shape and well ahead of the broom wagon.

fnb1 · May 2008

How are we all, everyone have their travel plans made??

If of interest I will be driving to Lourdes on the Friday and will have space for 1 or 2 'bike verus baggage handler averse Etapists'. Drop me a mail if interested,

popette · May 2008

Argggh, just back from the hospital and they didn't have the results of my echocardiogram so still not sure what the problem is. The consultant will phone me on Monday next week. So frustrating as I'd been building up to today and I'm still not any the wiser.
Anyway, I found out that should everything be ok with my heart, it's going to be 2 months before I can get the treatment done (I need to take drugs for that long before they can do the procedure) so I won't be finishing the Etape this year. He prefers me not to start it as well.
P'd off.
Hopefully, I'll be ok for the Wild Wales Challenge in August and will do that as my major event of the year. I can just relax a bit now, enjoy cycling in the sun etc.

MartinJ · May 2008

Sorry to hear Popette that you didn't get the go ahead to train for the Etape. I understand the frustration having had to pull out of all the sportives I had booked last year because of injury.

Enjoy riding in the sun and building up those base miles that will stand you in good stead for later this year / next year.

Muzak · May 2008

Hi

How are people getting out of Hautacam at the end other than leaving a car there the day before? Assuming it is not possible to be picked up by a car on the day due to the road closure / sheer number of people etc.

Thanks

pedylan · May 2008

Muzak wrote:

Hi

How are people getting out of Hautacam at the end other than leaving a car there the day before? Assuming it is not possible to be picked up by a car on the day due to the road closure / sheer number of people etc.

Thanks [/quote

I'm not that clear either, we do need some definitive info. When I first had my entry confirmed I emailed Cyclomundo to ask if it was true there was only one road up and therefore no cars at top. They emailed back to confirm this will be the case. They suggested either using car park at bottom or parking in a gite they are renting near the foot. These could be a problem with congestion as you say.

Either way, when will bikes be allowed off the mountain? Presumably they can't have finishers hurtling down when others are toiling upward?

ded · May 2008

2 months before I can get the treatment done ... so I won't be finishing the Etape this year

Unlucky Popette, I know how you feel - I wasn't supposed to be Etaping but Marmotting, but I too am out of action (see this thread). I hope everything goes OK for you - I should be fully patched up by mid-July or so (but no significant bike until then - can't hold the bars!) so I too am aiming for a late season sportive comeback!!!

rendo · May 2008

My bib number is finally listed, well it could have been up there for ages, i just thought i'd try my first name to see what result i'd get. and they have listed my first name under NOM, which i assume is surname. so if any others don't have a number yet, you could try that.
Number is 7148, which im a bit dissappointed with. how do they work those out, i wonder?

just like to add my 2p on the climbs for those who have concerns,
i'd get to the bottom of tourmalet with a fair bit left in the tank, and certainly don't try and match others pace on the climb. get into a rythym where your well with your capabilities. these climbs can be really enjoyable if your not at your max.

i seem to remember in recent years, they do let you down of the hill while others are still finishing. maybe others will be able to confirm this. i don't think 8000 cyclists at the finish all trying to get down at once is particularly safe either.
I hope to get back down and cycle to lourdes, and get picked up from there. don't think i'll feel like cycling back to my accommodation somehow.

SunWuKong · May 2008

With regard to getting from hautacam.

In 2006 my wife drove up to Alpe D'Huez before the roads were closed and parked up, no problem. If you're on your own then obviously you will have to get the car up there the day before, if you have someone with you they should be able to get up there if they get up early. They do post up the times that the various roads will be closed.

Etape 2008

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