Etape 2009
Comments
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Got an email from cyclomundo - they have only just sent the forms off to the organisers - that's why you cant see your bib number on the etape site.
Would appreciate any info on logistics of finish in serein - eg can one's spouse get a car up there?
(Offtopic)
happy to contemplate these and other matters over an orange juice in Pitlochy this weekend. Am wondering if its possible to turn up on sat eve and get a tent pitched at the pit. campsite - looks very convenient for the start on the map.0 -
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AlunP wrote:Would appreciate any info on logistics of finish in serein - eg can one's spouse get a car up there
If I were meeting a spouse I'd complete the descent into Malaucene and do it there. It's just another 10 minutes on the bike, you can be sure about access and there are many more facilities.0 -
Wasn't there an Etape on the Ventoux some years back that was stopped due to the weather being too bad on the descent from the finish?
Popette
has your husband actually done any long,hilly rides in prearation? I'm not talking mad ascents/descents, just a similar distance to the Etape but with some suitable rise/falls along the routeM.Rushton0 -
Training so far, highlights include: Chshire Cat (67miles), Easter week in Lourdes including return trip to the Solour and then Bagneres de Bigore to the Aspin, Bank holiday Weekend in Derbyshire with daily 40 mile plus up and down dale. first 100 miler last weekend (flatish around Cheshire, but bikehike said 1000M climbing over the day). This weekend is a 100 miler down to my parents place in Ruthin via the Horseshoe pass. Intend to do a 5x repeat on the horseshoe the following weekend, with another 2/3 days riding either the cambrians or snowdonia. Aim to do the pontcysyllte aqueduct challenge on the 31st. Nice busy May! Not sure about next step, but am trying to get out a couple of times each week to do long fat burning rides - Would REALLY like to be under 100kg for the etape. Any ideas/recomendations of rides??If I can feel the pain in my arse, I mustn't be hurting my legs enough.0
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I'm sure the experienced Etappers can come up with a plan but I'd want to ride the full distance (179km) over a hilly route. I noticed from the parcours that you actually climb from 120m (350ft) to +1900m (6000ft). That altitude gain will prob.affect performance as you get higher and become more tired. I'd want to be doing 200km (if you go over distance you know you can do it) thro eg the peak District which is your area. cat and Fiddle, Peak Forest, tideswell,Hathersage,Sheffield,Edale and back. Not mad,excessive climbs but rather long steady ones altho' the Edale>Rushop Edge is approx 10% and thro' rolling terrain so you get used to changing your pace.M.Rushton0
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mrushton wrote:Wasn't there an Etape on the Ventoux some years back that was stopped due to the weather being too bad on the descent from the finish?
Popette
has your husband actually done any long,hilly rides in prearation? I'm not talking mad ascents/descents, just a similar distance to the Etape but with some suitable rise/falls along the route
has he bollox!! well yes he has but no, he hasn't done any long hilly rides - yet. Last year, his longest ride before the Etape was 60miles! This year, I have him booked in for a few sportives - so he's doing etape caledonia 80 miles, not too hilly and the polka dot challenge - 100 miles and plenty hilly. I may get him lined up for another one as well. (See how it's me sorting it all out - I think if I wasn't doing it for him, he wouldn't be that interested). He did an hour last night on his bike - he's going to clean it tonight, perhaps he's starting to realise that he's got to pull his finger out.0 -
altyteacher wrote:Training so far, highlights include: Chshire Cat (67miles), Easter week in Lourdes including return trip to the Solour and then Bagneres de Bigore to the Aspin, Bank holiday Weekend in Derbyshire with daily 40 mile plus up and down dale. first 100 miler last weekend (flatish around Cheshire, but bikehike said 1000M climbing over the day). This weekend is a 100 miler down to my parents place in Ruthin via the Horseshoe pass. Intend to do a 5x repeat on the horseshoe the following weekend, with another 2/3 days riding either the cambrians or snowdonia. Aim to do the pontcysyllte aqueduct challenge on the 31st. Nice busy May! Not sure about next step, but am trying to get out a couple of times each week to do long fat burning rides - Would REALLY like to be under 100kg for the etape. Any ideas/recomendations of rides??
Hiya, we have some great hills near us altyteacher - a 50 mile loop I like to do is altrincham, adlington, pott shrigley, brickworks, kettleshulme, windgather, erwood res, derbyshire bridge, C&F, drop down to lamaload then nab end and back via bollington.
I'm hoping to do some more of the polka dot route in the coming weeks as well - the bottom half of that route looks like a nice circuit of about 50 odd miles. Brickworks and up to windgather is a good gradient - I expect similar to what we'll be getting on Ventoux.
I'm thinking of doing the 3 counties challenge - it's about an hour and half drive for us to get there IIRC. It's 3 weeks before the Etape so just about right before we start tapering, 120 miles ish (I think) and lots of hills. White rose challenge looks good timing wise as well, coming at the end of June.0 -
Felt strong after 10 miles eh? Well maybe remind him that's about the distance of the *real* climbing part of the big mountain itself, so he's just got to factor in the almost constant gradient plus all those extra miles beforehand and he's all set.
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Popette/mrushton - Thanks for the advice. I just feel like I am hiding a little going for either the big distance or the hills - need to get a grip and combine both. Think a good hit around Shrigley/Bollington this evening is in order, then Saturday maybe in and out of Holmfirth (love that road over Saddleworth Moor from the west)If I can feel the pain in my arse, I mustn't be hurting my legs enough.0
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altyteacher wrote:Popette/mrushton - Thanks for the advice. I just feel like I am hiding a little going for either the big distance or the hills - need to get a grip and combine both. Think a good hit around Shrigley/Bollington this evening is in order, then Saturday maybe in and out of Holmfirth (love that road over Saddleworth Moor from the west)
is that the a635? just looking on Memory map to find it. Holmfirth - did some riding around there on the Brian Robinson Challenge but have never gone there from Altrincham. I need to start looking at new routes too - I don't seem to have tried anything new for a while.0 -
at least you have hills near by!!0
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would buying a new lighter bike make up for 2 stones in excess baggage??0
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No. If you're riding a steel clunker and swapped for a £8,000 wonder you'd probably only save 6lbs, under half a stone. Remember that lard needs valuable oxygen too when you're pedalling. Shed the fat and you free up oxygen for the muscles and heart.0
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dmb4 wrote:would buying a new lighter bike make up for 2 stones in excess baggage??
Not quite, but I am a LOT quicker on my new road bike compared to my 'roaded' mountain bike - abot 3-4mph quicker over almost any distance. Though I have lost about 2 stone since Christmas too!
Popette - it is indeed the A635, really consistant gradient and a nice surface. Looking at getting the train to Glossop, ride over to holmfirth, thence Greenfield, then back. If there is time before the return train, option of Snake pass too. Should be 1600m climbing in total in 50 miles even without the Snake.If I can feel the pain in my arse, I mustn't be hurting my legs enough.0 -
Bikehike for Saturday's plan (the long version): http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=7705If I can feel the pain in my arse, I mustn't be hurting my legs enough.0
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You don't have to over the Snake. turn right out of the station. To the lights and straight on. You are now on the Chunal Rd that goes to Hayfield. It's a fair pull to the top (Monks Rd on the right) and if you turn around and go back down you can take a left that takes you back to the Glossop Rd/mini roundabout and then right back to Glossop. Ask for a day ranger ticket for the train as it might be cheaper.M.Rushton0
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off up to glossop myself this weekend, stting off from stocksbridge, over the strines, snake, glossop, holmnmoss and back through langsett. Looks like it will be WINDY
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Is it just me or are others avidly checking Google Earth street view to see if they have loaded up the Etape route yet? Have noticed that the Aspin is on now, cannot recall it being there a few weeks ago. Would be nice to actually see the route from a riders eye view (and yes, I am still intending to get the training DVD). On a similar line, I am getting slightly addicted to finding cyclists films of their ascents on youtube!If I can feel the pain in my arse, I mustn't be hurting my legs enough.0
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altyteacher wrote:dmb4 wrote:would buying a new lighter bike make up for 2 stones in excess baggage??
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Popette - it is indeed the A635, really consistant gradient and a nice surface. Looking at getting the train to Glossop, ride over to holmfirth, thence Greenfield, then back. If there is time before the return train, option of Snake pass too. Should be 1600m climbing in total in 50 miles even without the Snake.
if you are a glutton for punishment, might I suggest the road that runs parallel to the Holmfirth-Greenfield Rd. Take the climb out of Holmfirth and you'll come to a bend (pub on right) with Meltham signposted to the right. take this road, descend (mind the bend at the bottom) then slight climb into meltham and take the signed left hand road just after the crossing. this goes up to wessenden Head. Quieter road, slightly steeper and longer. It brings you back onto the main road at the lay-byM.Rushton0 -
altyteacher, take my word for it, you dont want to see the DVD of Mt Ventoux in advance. It's just miles and miles of pretty steep uphill through a forest until the last few km, when you hit the moonscape. Admittedly that bit is pretty cool but the great majority of the limb is just a massive slog wihout much to look at.
Got our numbers yesterday at long last -we're all in the 4000s, so no shortage of people to draft!0 -
sedliak wrote:altyteacher, take my word for it, you dont want to see the DVD of Mt Ventoux in advance. It's just miles and miles of pretty steep uphill through a forest until the last few km, when you hit the moonscape. Admittedly that bit is pretty cool
Got our numbers yesterday at long last -we're all in the 4000s, so no shortage of people to draft!
if it's a hot day, the rock won't be cool. It's like opening the oven door.M.Rushton0 -
I t will be a real culture shock comming from our sunny climate0
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Anyone staying in Orange? How do you get to the start from there so early in the mornnig if you don't have access to a car?
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Am having regular flashbacks to my last, and so far only, ride up ventoux. Did not seem that steep up through the trees that time, though it may have had quite a lot to do with the 750cc of Honda power between my legs! Probably spoilt me a bit as I generally feel like I have abot 7cc of beer and haribo power in my legs at the moment! [/quote] If I can feel the pain in my arse, I mustn't be hurting my legs enough.0
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As a novice cyclist and a first time Etape participant I decided that a quick recce of Mt. Ventoux last week would be a good idea. A few thoughts that some novices out there may find helpful.
If, like me, you haven't seen a French (or any continental) climb before, the length of the climb is what is strikes you. The gradient we can understand but not the relentless challenge provided by a long climb. Starting out with a fresh pair of legs I found the climb physically ok, got into my bottom gear and ground out a rythym,no stop needed to the top. But it was more of a mental challenge, as any time you raised your head all you could see was the road continuing up endlessly. You need to be ready for that. Try not to look at your computer too much as the speedo moves very slowly!
I also did the Col du Notre Dame, which I found reasonably easy. 7.8kms, of which about 1.5kms are actually flat or downhill. Some steepish bits all the same. The descent is great, highlighted by a road sign which tells you of a 7% incline(decline?) for the next 7kms, wonderful.
A word of warning, on the way into Sault there is a 5km climb up to Aurel. I thought this was a reasonably serious hill and as it's not highlighted in the profile, may come as a shock to people. Again, if mentally you are aware and prepared for it it will be ok.
Onwards and upwards!0 -
ooh - more names & numbers have started appearing.....
Where are you looking popette0 -
dmb4 wrote:ooh - more names & numbers have started appearing.....
Where are you looking popette
http://www.letapedutour.com/
use the french version of the site, click inscriptions and la liste d'inscrits and put your name in.
Still no number for me :-(0 -
thanks popette, number is 2215 excellent!0
