Etape 2009

crown_jewel

I just wanted to say good luck to all of you riding this year. I am very jealous as the excitement from last year comes back to me. Ride well, be safe and enjoy the day!

Slow1972

joesteve wrote:

Anyone any advice. Is there a general stick to the right unless you are overtaking or is it just a free for all?

Well it was a bit of a free for all in places last year. Later on it thinned out and the continentals naturally tend to stick to the right. Make sure you know your left from your right in french and if in doubt be vocal. Perhaps work on the basis that if you think someone really hasn't seen you, then tell them. A gentle hand / tap on their hip / backside gives the same message. Better that than stay silent and they take your wheel out because they haven't seen you.

Obviously this is where your practice of riding in close bunches should come in. If you are drafting I'd err on the side of caution and not overlap your front wheel with the rear of the bike in front if you can avoid it, because if they havent seen you and move sideways quickly they'll take you out. Likewise, look before you move out. But there will be places where you will be in a tight bunch, just hold your line and make sure you dont just look at the wheel in front but look further up the road ahead instead. Then you should be okay.

bahzob

Anybody know standards for gold etc yet?

weeve

"Training" done - bikes now in packed up in big boxes ....so if you see someone with the boot open and 2 x Look bikes fly out the back ...and a bloke crying ...that'll be me ..No way they going to fit in the hire car Mind you KLM will probably loose them so could yet be on a $199 decathlon special .

Got the glamour of Formule 1 motels for 3 days prior to event so looking forward that ..35 degrees with no air con. Good last minute training apparently....

popette

I'm not going until Friday evening but as some of you are heading off already, just wanted to wish everyone the best of luck.
I hope that I get the chance to meet some of you over there - say hello if you see a big girl wearing assos, white helmet, ponytail & on a red felt (number 6461)
I'm really looking forward to reading all of your stories when we get back.
Take care everyone

Road Red

Heading off in the car on Friday morning. Can't wait now, its going to be a blast.

I'm number 4,853. Easy to spot, big Irish lad with the L plates and the stabalisers! After a couple of days in the sun my Celtic skin should have a nice beetroot complexion as well. Say hello as you pass me on the hills. I'll be travelling steady but will get there in the end!

Good luck to everyone, have a great day.

dombo6

joesteve wrote:

I watched the Cyclefilm Road to Ventoux last night and couldnt help feeling one of the biggest problems is going to be avoiding crashing into people. A lot of the roads looked quite narrow. Some of the towns looked pretty hazardous with some very narrow roads, lots of speed bumps, the odd roundabout and some sharp turns.

Anyone any advice. Is there a general stick to the right unless you are overtaking or is it just a free for all?

The worst of the road furniture will be padded, and roundabouts, central islands often have gendarmes waving you to ride either side. Tight urban environments will have officials urging you to slow down.
Tends to be a free for all at the beginning but we had one stretch along the valley to Hautacam last year where we were all tucked up on the right in a long line. Nobody at all on the left despite the closed road.
Best of luck to everyone, it's a great day on the bike and just remember, however bad you're feeling, somebody near you will be hurting more!

Hugh A

There's usually a bit of a scramble at the start as faster riders try to get to the front and slower riders keep a steady pace. Generally the French keep to the right and overtake on the left but just try to be aware of people around you.

Early climbs are often the trickiest bit as there are widely varying speeds and the etape seems to have more than it's share of club cyclists going like the clappers on the flat then slowing rapidly on the climbs, usually right in front of you.

Oh yes - always look behind and indicate before stopping. Chances are there will be a dozen or so clamped to your back wheel if you haven't been keeping an eye out.

Enjoy and good luck to everyone going!

TomF

I'm now somewhat alaarmed that my dear other half has told me today that (1) her colleague has suspected swine flu and (2) she isn't feeling v well today.

And we're driving down together. Eek..!

Sparklehorse

I have a Garmin 205. Can anyone supply me with an idiots step through of how to setup the training partner as the broom wagon? Bear with me, I haven't used my Garmin very much!

I can do step 1:

1. Download tcx file of Etape route from MapMyRide

popette

Sparklehorse wrote:

I have a Garmin 205. Can anyone supply me with an idiots step through of how to setup the training partner as the broom wagon? Bear with me, I haven't used my Garmin very much!

I can do step 1:

1. Download tcx file of Etape route from MapMyRide

wasn't sure how to do that either - I didn't know if it were possible, as I haven't ridden the course before.
What I have at the moment is this - www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=10258
It shows the route with a number of course points which should give a sound and bit of text when you get to the points - For the text I have written the cut off time for that location. So when I get to nyons, I should get a beep and a message flashing up on the screen which tells me the cut off time for Nyons.

If anyone does know how to set up virtual partner, I would also be interested in that.

Sparklehorse

Popette - that's a useful looking route - I may use this too if you've no objection, providing I can use in a 205. I've just checked the elimination times on the official site. Have I got this right - the eliminations are theoretical eliminations to let you know if you should speed up - with the twp official elimination points (physical get off bike and get in the van) points of Sault and Bedoin?

TheStone

There's 2 main elimination points where they bring down a barrier to eliminate lots of people. The elimination car also drove up the final climb last year and took people out. Seemed a bit unfair to me as some were very close. I managed to stay just ahead.

I have a tcx course for the 205. I've never got the training partner to work properly, but I've marked on the summits (with my own categories) and water stops. I'm hoping instead of prompting 'Summit' it should give me the time of elimination. Maiil me if you want it and I can send it on.

That said, if it takes 20min to get started, you've got what I think is a very easy target of 7h26 to get to Bedoin and a really hard 2h44 to get up Ventoux, For me this makes the early eliminations a bit meaningless (if I'm anywhere near them, I'm not making it.)

Have cleaned the bike and done a final tune up. Will commute on it tomorrow, then I'm done, but we're not heading out till Saturday.

Good luck all.

VilanovaRider

popette wrote:

Take care everyone

+1 to that.

And in the words of @johanbruyneel (12.32pm Jul 11 from TwitterBerry);

"Accept - then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it"

drober20

Hi Popette, Sparklehorse,

I have made a course (.tcx) file of the Etape broom wagon times which I could email to you (or post somewhere?). I've used the technique to guide me round a few Sportives this year and it seems to work. The course file needs to be loaded and started at 7a.m. (when the race starts) - it waits 40min and then starts the broom wagon automatically which appears as your virtual partner. The summits of the cols and the food stops are included as course points.

Let me know if you're interested,
drober

p.s. I have no idea whether this will work on a Garmin 205 - I have the 705

richa

Sparklehorse wrote:

Have I got this right - the eliminations are theoretical eliminations to let you know if you should speed up - with the twp official elimination points (physical get off bike and get in the van) points of Sault and Bedoin?

Nope. Elimination is immediate if you are caught by the broomwagon which keeps to that elimination schedule. (They want to reopen the roads).

popette

drober20 wrote:

Hi Popette, Sparklehorse,

I have made a course (.tcx) file of the Etape broom wagon times which I could email to you (or post somewhere?). I've used the technique to guide me round a few Sportives this year and it seems to work. The course file needs to be loaded and started at 7a.m. (when the race starts) - it waits 40min and then starts the broom wagon automatically which appears as your virtual partner. The summits of the cols and the food stops are included as course points.

Let me know if you're interested,
drober

p.s. I have no idea whether this will work on a Garmin 205 - I have the 705

whooops, thought I'd pm'd that
thanks
karen

videolip

Hi,
anyone who is flying BMI from Manchester to Lyon on Friday or Saturday should be aware that due to the small aircraft ( Embraer) that there is a problem carrying the bikes, even if booked. Airline trying to sort out ground alternative, but if you have not been contacted by the airline, it's important to do so. PM me for a specific contact number... And I thought the training was the hard part. :oops:
Peter

mrushton

Those Embraers are great but more like a private jet not a 737 in that they only seat about 50 people in a 1-2 seat configuration.

Re speed, everyone sets out full-blast. If you aren't used to riding in bunches, stay out of the way (keep to the right). Some the French/Italian riders often ride as groups and work together, v.useful if you see this and take your turn.Dont overlap wheels, don't get behind people who constantly freewheel and on the hills beware of people in front who when/if they stand up to pedal, initially go backward. if overtaking, a tap on the rider you are passing lets them know you are there or shout out that you are passing (there will be french phrase). When you get to the first climb I will lay odds that there will be a bottleneck as the wannabees who set off full gas suddenly slow down. Be aware and change down as soon as you see the queue. Look out for handsignals from riders ahead and avoid road furniture. Be careful and have a fantastic time. Lots of people will fail but more will succeed and I expect you all to be in the latter group

FransJacques

thanks for the driving information, that's extremely useful for my (reluctant) support team to wait for me.

the weather is moderating a *little* but not a lot: http://www.meteorologic.net/meteo-franc ... date_get=5

After the bake-fests we had in '06/'07 and the heat on the 3 Ballons and Vaujnay earlier this summer I doubt anyone here with thick northern european blood will need *any* armwarmers /gilets /knee warmers /toe covers, etc.

The forecast above implies heat still building after 3 pm so the slower you go the hotter it will be on the Ventoux - but typically with no cloud cover all day the termal wind will be pretty whipped up by 3-4 pm. Remember that the breeze coupled with a strong front led them to close the route above Chalet Reynard in 2000 but even at the top I had my jersery fully unzipped, although once at the top, I didn't exactly hang around - They gave us a piece of Gore Windstopper to put up our jerseys and told us to git along to Maulacene where the finish village was.

The glider pilot's community uses the following site for wind forcasts. When there's a proper Mistal on there's big blue arrows pointing south down the Rhone valley and delta-ing out between Marseille/Nimes.

Also, the ski forcast that someone posted up top should have a wind estimate. But as long as it's not too strong the wind will be my best climbing aid! They don't mind if you take your helmet off and put it on your bars, I do this all the time and I have a holey cycle cap to wear to keep the sun off my noggin.

Is anyone going to stop at the Simpson memorial? The poor guy might be in need of another bidon.

popette

FransJacques - would be interested in that wind forecast website if you have the link. Cheers

craigenty

If you want help beating the broom waggon - pray for a strong Mistral wind.

Craig

FransJacques

Ah yes sorry, the link would have been useful for the wind arrows - serves me right for multi-tasking at work: http://www.xcweather.co.uk/FR/observations

Unf they don't show the station on the top of Mt V but try Orange as a good proxy on our route as it's at ~330 meters. If you click on any dots/arrows you toggle between wind info or wind & weather info.

Notice a) how much hotter Orange is than Montelimar :-( , and b) how similar the models are to the link I posted above. Not THAT many models around....

craigenty

Orange is only 25m asl. Montelimar is 99m.

We're at 360m here in Faucon and only 11km from the bottom of the Col de Fontaube.
It's fairly normal for Orange / Avignon and anywhere on that stretch of the Rhone to be 4-5 degrees warmer than here.

I have a forecast which gives high 20's and moderate winds for Malaucene over the weekend and Monday.

Craig

MaxCap

Is the broom wagon schedule posted anywhere? If not and somebody has it it would be great if you could PM me. Will be v useful for pacing.

Regards
Max

RR75

Any advice on how much to pump the tyres? A little more/less than normal for the heat/altitude?

Thanks

popette

MaxCap wrote:

Is the broom wagon schedule posted anywhere? If not and somebody has it it would be great if you could PM me. Will be v useful for pacing.

Regards
Max

here you go Max
http://www.letapedutour.com/2009/ETDT/p ... eraire.htm

jakefh

Just a quick well-wish (for those still here )

Been reading this post since about p3, and it's nice to have a sense of community before even doing the event. This is my second etape (did last year - just), and don't have the excuse of not doing enough km's this year

Still at work - leave early Saturday. Hoping the weather gets a touch colder!

Did the Colombiere two weeks ago and it brought the mental anguish of the Tourmalet back. Roll on the Ventoux :shock:

Have fun people - what will be, will be.

Jake
#6464

popette

weather is changing for Monday - few clouds now. still hot though

FransJacques

"Any advice on how much to pump the tyres? A little more/less than normal for the heat/altitude?"

My 2p is best not do *anything* different so that your bike doesn't feel any different than normal (unless you habitually run 75psi and you weigh 190lbs to which I'd say best to put in 8 bar).

The heat will not be extreme and having pre-ridden the course there's not a lot of technical descending, we're not talking Apine switchbacks here. Remember what Cycle-fit said in their powerpoint - look away anyone who takes themselves too seriously - "AVOID COMFORT BRAKING – this heats up your rims, scrubs off too much speed and makes you look ridiculous." Again, not my words, call Cyclefit in London to complain!

From a bike setup, bike fit, nutrition, clothing etc. this is just like any other ride you'll do. Throw your leg over the top tube the same way and pedal with the same intensity. Don't worry about the broom wagon, if it's meant to catch you it will. If you're stressed and have to ride balls-off from KM 0 to beat it then you'll blow anyway, just sooner. That's endurance sports.

One of the objectives of covering the weather in detail is from a clothing and nutrition perspective, but again, it doesn't warrant anything radical - hot weather, and we've had some good doses in June to practice in - is just about less of the first (clothing that is) and more of the second (liquids that is).

Thanks Craigenty from clearing up the alt at Orange, not sure where I read 330m from, what would put a serious dent into the vertical of the final climb....if only.