Etape 2009
Comments
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Spot on Steerpike.
I'm an Etape novice and have asked many stupid questions and got very helpful replies on this site. Surely this is the whole point of the forum. If it causes you a problem don't read the bloody thing.
By the way, I'm not unduly worried about the broomwagon, even though I am a big lad and not particularly fast. I have trained long and hard and barring something unforseen I should be fine. I'm really looking forward to the buzz on the day, the crowds, peloton, heat, scenary and Ventoux!
Another by the way, I think that 7.20 time looks fine.
Big slow lads are entitled to be on the road too!!! :P0 -
popette wrote:The mens times are really, really tough!
Gosh, Popette, you are right. With those times, I see that I have 1hr 15 more than a bloke of my age would have to get a gold, and 2 hours more to get a silver!
In the Circuit of the Cotswolds on Sunday I think I only had an extra 22 mins!
Woo hoo!
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What have I missed? Where are the times for this year's Etape? I've seen the standard itinerary, but nothing that shows Gold and Silver times. Is this available or are we just working things out based on last year's timings?0
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yes, as far as I know, we're still looking at last years times and guessing that this year will be something similar.0
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FransJacques wrote:No offense but with times like that my recommendation is to sell your bike and join a knitting circle.
No offense FransJacques, but you don't know much about knitting do you? If you're not up to scratch you get the Knutters (the hardcore with titanium-tipped, carbon needles and Superfine merino wool) on your case because you can only knit a tea cosy (teapot for one size) in the time it takes them to do a XXXL Arran sweater with matching scarf and gloves.
They tolerate you at first but they don't suffer fools gladly, and then one day it all goes off ...0 -
Perfect.0
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Thanks for the knitting tip - I wont take you up just yet.
I am 54 and in my first cycling season (just a bit of context). so the etape is new territory - and a bit of a laff/diversion from other games in the alps.
my real sport is mountaineering. it's considered bad form to sneer at people who get a problem with having a 1000 foot drop under their feet when skitteriing around an iced up ridge.0 -
AlunP - comment was in jest, about the knitting that is, maybe tiddly-winks is more your speed
I think the days of direct negative comments on another poster are long gone so why people take it seriously is beyond me. How can anyone comment on a course they don't know? It could have been chip-and-seal or billiard asphalt the whole way, only you know if you're ready. Was touching how many came together in your defense and got all tut-tutty, but in their tough posturing they missed the point so, for the somewhat dense, I'll make it again:
Stop wishing to get swept up be the broom wagon. Worrying about negative outcomes is the same as wishing for them because the act of worrying requires us to visualize failure. Instead, when you're out training, visualize yourself crossing the line with your arms up.
Re-read the thread and the most constant theme is fear. That's why I suggested the ban on this broom wagon concept, the embodiment of negativity and fear.
I've done 6 of these things with 1 gold and 2 silver so what do I know?When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
What you know or don't know was never the question. At least not for me. It was your condescending attitude toward others that struck me as unnecessary and not productive. I do not read fear in this thread. I read uncertainty, which is quite natural for those who have not ridden the Etape before. So why not offer words of encouragement about training, pace, hydration, and other things that might actually help? Perhaps you'd rather be an ass.0
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Just to leap to FransJacques' defence, I think the point he is making is that it is just another ride - not really that different to a UK sportive. Do the training, think positive and the rest will look after itself. You should be doing it because you enjoy it at the end of the day, nobody is holding a gun to your head. On a positive note, it looks like a seriously easy route up to the Ventoux. So you've basically got one big mountain to worry about. Make sure you make full use of the closed roads and the many fast French wheels to follow in the early stages and build up a nice big buffer over the broom wagon, and you'll have nothing to worry about. Then enjoy the challenge that is the Ventoux. Good luck!0
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Well, MatHammond, all I can say is exactly. That is the message we should send to folks doing it for the first time, and quite sadly what was lacking.0
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just read on here that James Cracknell is doing Etape http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=15049
(he's got a rubbish number - I thought they would have put him with the celebs at the front).
matHammond, I see where you're coming from and I agree with you - my feelings toward the Etape are massive excitement. I feel I have prepared well and I can't wait to do it; I even look forward to the pain on Ventoux. However, there is bound to be a slight nervousness of getting a puncture, getting caught by the broom wagon and two years of preparation coming to an abrupt end. Surely this small fear is natural for a first timer? However, as I said, my overwhelming feeling is excitement, and not fear. And my biggest fear at the moment is not the broom wagon but how the f*** am I going to sleep the night before??????0 -
FransJacques wrote:
I've done 6 of these things with 1 gold and 2 silver so what do I know?
What do you want? a paper hat?
In the last 8 years I've ridden The Ventoux over 100 times.
Last Tuesday I rode the Etape route all alone - I did under 7 and a half hours but I died a thousand deaths on the Ventoux - I nearly turned back at Chalet Reynard because it was hurting so much. A climb which I can normally do in under 1h30 took me well over 2 hours.
The Etape is for everyone mate. Some people will do under 7h, some will just scrape home infront of the broom waggon and some will fail miserably.
The Etape would be a totally boring crock of shit if 9000 riders completed the thing in 6 hours.
What's your beef with amateurs wanting a crack at someting the pro's do?
Craig0 -
I ended up in the broom wagon on the Morzine sportive on Sunday. Not as bad an experience as expected.
Hopefully never again.
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Scary because that's a good time and because from Bedoin and can see the summit just above you, it looks so close and it would be hard to imagine it'll take 2 hours or more.craigenty wrote:A climb which I can normally do in under 1h30 took me well over 2 hours.
Some think the route to the Ventoux is flat but it's not, it'll be tiring. Looks to me like you might be able to get on the wheels but it won't be the same wheel all day as the hills on the way will break things up more and more. The Col des Abeilles out of Sault is a real leg drainer.0 -
Just had a 6 month check up ECG and all was well! Cardiologist wished me best of luck for the Etape. My resting heart rate is 36! 0
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I'm in this too number 4889 thought I'd say hello. Looking forward to it although the hill at the end will be a tough challenge.
Anyone know the total ascent ? I've seen varying reports from 3000m up to 3600m ?0 -
Well done popette.
36 - very impressive.0 -
Popette - A resting pulse of 36!....that is seriously low
"At the top of his career, Miguel Indurain had a physique that was not only superior when compared to average people, but also when compared to his fellow athletes. His blood circulation had the ability to circulate 7 litres of blood around his body per minute,[1] compared to the average amount of 3-4 litres of an ordinary person and the 5-6 litres of his fellow riders. His Cardiac Output is 50L a minute, a fit amateur cyclist's is about 25L a minute Also, Indurain's lung capacity was 8 litres, compared to an average of 6 litres. In addition, Indurain's resting pulse was as low as 28 BPM, compared to a normal human's 60-80 bpm , which meant his heart would be less strained in the tough mountain stages.[2] His VO2 max was 88 ml/kg/min; in comparison, Lance Armstrong's was 82 ml/kg/min and Greg LeMond's was 92.5 ml/kg/min."
arrJimLad - I lie your attitude..."Looking forward to it although the hill at the end will be a tough challenge" 0 -
Good question, what is the total ascent for the ride..................anybody?0
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anyone else under the weather?
I've got a sore throat - had it for about a week now. I'm having a few days off the bike - not allowed to touch it until Saturday and then will see how I feel for the 3 counties short route on Sunday.
Must get better! :roll:0 -
Thansk Popette, get better before you ride :roll:0
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popette wrote:anyone else under the weather?
I've got a sore throat - had it for about a week now. I'm having a few days off the bike - not allowed to touch it until Saturday and then will see how I feel for the 3 counties short route on Sunday.
Must get better! :roll:
It's not the worst time to be sick as you'll be back to full strength in time and a rest now is probably not too bad.
Can't believe there's little over 2 weeks to go. I've got 2 or 3 medium length rides to go, then I'm done. Will find out on the Ventoux whether I've done enough or not.0 -
Going to the docs this morning - daughter has a blister which looks just like chicken pox. Nursery confirmed it is rife.
:?
I have already had it but wonder if the immune system has to kick into action in some way in order to fight it off. Perhaps this could be while I feel so weak?0 -
as a legal stimulant, I plane to take these on the day of the race:
http://www.superliving.co.uk/pharmacy/y ... ?Itemid=19
...purely on the strength of having had them once when I was ill and they really picked me up.
On a different note, is there any sense in having the route in a garmin - Im thinking of leaving mine behind as I can't believe there will be any point at which I am lost! Guessing it the route will be blindlingly obvious - especially with thousands of others to follow.0 -
Bit the same here Popette.
Body caved in a bit after the Dragonride. Took most of the week off, went back and had a good week training last week, but have relapsed a bit this week. Off to the doc this afternoon, hopefully just for some comfort pills! Greg Lemond reckoned that many of the cyclists on Tour who were popping merely needed the mental lift and could have been given an aspirin and it would have done them!
Not too worried though, I agree with TheStone, the work is done now and a rest is not a bad thing.
Getting near now. Great0 -
Sparklehorse wrote:
On a different note, is there any sense in having the route in a garmin - Im thinking of leaving mine behind as I can't believe there will be any point at which I am lost! Guessing it the route will be blindlingly obvious - especially with thousands of others to follow.
I prepared a route for my Garmin - it's not about avoiding getting lost (who could?) but I have put in coursepoints with information about where I need to be and when. Feed stops, elimination points etc. The profile view might also come in handy if I'm getting desperate and want to see how much longer I've got to go on a climb.0 -
Sparklehorse wrote:On a different note, is there any sense in having the route in a garmin - Im thinking of leaving mine behind as I can't believe there will be any point at which I am lost! Guessing it the route will be blindlingly obvious - especially with thousands of others to follow.
You won't get lost, but I like to plot the summits, feed points etc on the garmin.0 -
Besides that you can look back at the file and see how you were going at different sections.
This hot spell should help a bit to get used to the warm weather. I'm bit jealous I'm not doing it again this TBH.0
