L'Etape - perfect final preparation - the Devil Ride?

Scott08

Having got this wrong the last time I am keen to get a good long ride in on the weekend before l'Etape this year and am thinking about the Devil Ride. Partly as it seems to be the right level of challenge - hard but not stupidly so at around 100 hilly miles, fairly near the Midlands, and really well organised with good atmosphere (did it last year when it was held in Aug). Also has free camping and other cycling events over the two days too so makes the trip well worth it.
Last time I used marathon running type tapering techniques and did my last big ride three weeks before the day. BIG mistake :roll: I found out that cycling and running don't need the same taper and I felt very stale on the big day compared to others that built up to it properly without totally over-doing it. Am now 100% convinced that the weekend before is essential to a successful etape. If you are peaking for l'etape you will definitely get big benefit from a good long ride a week earlier while if you leave too big a gap you will lose the edge.
So the questions are - anyone else up for the Devil Ride and are there other good options the weekend before that are reachable from the South or Midlands?

popette

I think everyone is different. I personally wouldn't like to do a 100 mile ride the weekend before as I know it takes quite a bit out of me. It sounds like you're probably a bit fitter and a bit more experienced than me.

I think my biggest ride will be 3 weeks before Etape - three counties challenge, 120 miles, 3800m climb. My taper for all my other events has started five days before - I do a short session with some hard 1 min intervals on the wednesday, start eating more carbs from thursday, a short ride on friday, a check the bike ride on Saturday and then the event on Sunday. I have an event this Sunday so last weekend I did a very hilly 50 mile ride so not exactly taking it easy but not enough to wipe me out.

Just checking through the sportive calendar - seems that the devil ride is the best available for you on that weekend.


I love all Etape chat

richa

I reckon your peak of exhertion should be 2 weeks before. Then 1 week before I will probably do a 4 hour club ride. But not a 6hr hilly sportive.

This worked for me last year. Two years ago I had 3 weeks taper and it was too much.

popette

RichA - just read some of your marmotte blog from last year - I hadn't realised your marmotte was so dramatic! Good luck with it in 2009 - your weight loss graph is very impressive.

Scott08

Interesting how we are all different! If you read some articles and training guides you could be excused for thinking there was one right way to prepare for big rides.
For something as off the scale as the Etape, Gran Fondo Campag or Marmotte the real pity is that there is nothing in the UK that can truly prepare you for the climbs. Some UK events boast that they are tougher or have more climbing than these mosnters, but the reality is that nothing in the UK comes close as it just doesn't have the massively long uninterrupted climbs of the Alps or Dolomites, and nothing has anything like the altitude :-( I guess the answer is to ride more in Europe ;-)
Having said that I have foud that the growing UK scene is just soooo much better than it was a few years back, when all we had was Audax rides. I have nothing against audax, I just enjoy sportives with their higher pace and much much better support, signage, atmosphere etc a lot more and find them that bit nearer to the Etape style experience.
I have tried training plans over the last couple of years based on a last big ride at 90% effort three weeks before, two weeks before and one week before, and have found the one week approach to be by far the best for me, as long as I don't go all out. With three weeks I felt very stale come the big day on the Etape and while two weeks was better I still felt a bit flat and sort of like my fitness was lipping away. Undoubtedly this was all in tghe mind! Whereas one week left me feeling in good form and still confident come the day of the Etape. If you are fit enough for tghe Etape you should be well capable of recvering in plenty of time as long as you haven't overdone the pace at the last ride. I follow the last big ride with 1 hour easy riding on the Tuesday with something a little shorter and brisker on the Thurs with a couple of good hard climbs, but not too long.
This year I will be travelling out on the Friday, riding for around 40-45 on Saturday including a long staedy climb, with a gentle spin on the Sunday to stay nice a loose.
So it looks like the Devil Ride for me. I have heard from the organiser via email that the final route is 106 miles with about 2/3rds of the Etape's climbing. Perfect :-) There is also a shorter option of 52miles if it all seems a bit much come the day of the ride, especially as I intend riding one of the Saturday events - possibly the grass track racing, but maybe the 2hr MTB ride - just for a bit of fun! There is also a hill climb time trial, but that sounds a bit serious.

Rich.H

Don't underestimate the Devil Ride. It was one of the tougher events I did last year and that included the Etape.

My final sportive before the Etape last year was the Circuit of the Cotswolds. This was two weeks before....

The weekends leading up to the Etape for me last year went as follows;

Gran Fondo Cymru - Polka Dot - no event - Dragon Ride - Cotswolds - no event - Etape

Worked for me but you are the best person to judge what is correct for you

Rich

altyteacher

I am thinking of a gentle spin out on the Manchester to Blackpool the weekend before the Etape. 60 miles reasonably flat with a few mates. Driving down to Riems Friday evening and onto Montelimar /Saturday. Bit of a spin on both Saturday and Sunday to get the journey out of my legs I reckon. All my training suggests that I seem to have best power after about three days of rest/easy spinning.