Riding a stage of the Tour - Not the Etape

CyclingBantam

Hopefully someone may be able to help me out here.

I'm thinking about riding a stage of next years tour about this time next year with my Brother. Now I am aware of the Etape etc however am really wanting just to do it of our own back and as we are not really wanting to do a mega hard mountain stage that wouldn't be suitable for us. We would like to be able to experiance what the Pro's have to do etc (No we won't be on Cera!).

We will be looking to do the most northerly stage from next years tour due to ease of getting there etc however does anyone have any experiance of doing anything like this. Where can I get hold of a detailed route of the stages (I've looked for this years routes however can't find anything down to the detail needed to ensure we get the right route.

Also, does anyone think this wouldn't be worthwhile? Are the roads likely to be to busy to get any enjoyment or do they tend to be smaller roads that are used?

Any advice/comments welcome!

Thanks

Ben

whyamihere

Problem with the northern stages is that they're windy and as flat as a pancake. The Etape's held on a mountain stage because it's a good challenge, and interesting.

CyclingBantam

whyamihere wrote:

Problem with the northern stages is that they're windy and as flat as a pancake. The Etape's held on a mountain stage because it's a good challenge, and interesting.

I appreciate that, that is what I am wary of!!!

Saying we would go for the most northern is probably inaccurate, I would probably look for a 'hilly' route. Depends on how next years tour looks to be honest.

cougie

I'd really not bother with just riding a stage for the hell of it. You have all sorts of logistical problems - how do you get back to the start ?

Maybe have a look at the maps and see if you can find a 'lesser' mountain stage - thats much better - harder - but when you see the views and the names painted on the road - it'll give you goosebumps.

You may as well just get the ferry over and ride around for 6 hours - theres nothing magical about French roads.

Maybe travel to Grenoble and ride up to Alpe d'Huez from there - its not far and theres only one big climb - but it is the most famous tour mountain.

mrushton

cougie wrote:

I'd really not bother with just riding a stage for the hell of it. You have all sorts of logistical problems - how do you get back to the start ?

Maybe have a look at the maps and see if you can find a 'lesser' mountain stage - thats much better - harder - but when you see the views and the names painted on the road - it'll give you goosebumps.

You may as well just get the ferry over and ride around for 6 hours - theres nothing magical about French roads.

Maybe travel to Grenoble and ride up to Alpe d'Huez from there - its not far and theres only one big climb - but it is the most famous tour mountain.

As he says. Go with a good tour company eg gpm10 and do one of their tours or stay in one location and ride different roads. I'm doing this in the tarentaise in June, staying in one location and riding out. GPM are a fun tour company, but the cycling is serious if you really enjoy the cycling. The other two are hotels,one in the Pyrenees,one in the Alps

www.gpm10.com

www.pyractif.com

www.whiteroomchalet.com

Eau Rouge

If you want to go a little nearer to home, you could do the route of one of the Classics instead maybe? A few fo them have sportives the day before the Pro race now.

guilliano

Just go stay in an Alpine hotel, somewhere like Chamonix is a good base. Then you have some great road riding, but you can choose how hard to make it. Get a decent map of the area and you are away!

mrushton

Problem with Chamonix is there is only one road thro' it. You can use the train that runs from St.Gervais to Martigny. If you stay at the Hotel Eden at Le Paz, you are about 100m from a station and 5 mins out of Chamonix

CyclingBantam

Thanks a lot for all the advice guys. It has given me a lot to think about. Sounds like a stage might be pointless. I may try and look at the Chamonix suggestions.

Thanks again.

robthehungrymonkey

I can see the attraction of doing one of the actual tour stages... There's probably one that's suitable?

On another note a quick plug for my girlfriend's parent's apartment in Chamonix...

http://www.hialpine.com/

The prices are quite a bit cheaper in the summer...

mrushton

You'd better marry her if that's 'your' inheritance. Looks v.nice, but Chamonix is limited unless you use the train or have a car in which case you can get out to a lot of good areas and poss. watch a stage or two of le tour. It's also busier in Summer than in Winter which seems incredible for one of the top 10 ski resorts in the world.

robthehungrymonkey

mrushton wrote:

You'd better marry her if that's 'your' inheritance. Looks v.nice, but Chamonix is limited unless you use the train or have a car in which case you can get out to a lot of good areas and poss. watch a stage or two of le tour. It's also busier in Summer than in Winter which seems incredible for one of the top 10 ski resorts in the world.

MARRIAGE! :shock:

7 Years and counting, not happening any time soon!

Cham is great, but you need to kind of know what you're doing, I wouldn't recommend it for beginner skiers, but for anyone else it's EPIC! I've done quite a lot of snowboarding including a season in Canada and there is nowhere in the world (without a heli) that comes close.

Never actually been in summer, am thinking about it this year and if I go I will take the bike and see what it's like. However, as said earlier i'd probably get the train out of Cham, but I can't imagine it's too far to travel to get somewhere a bit quieter. It's probably a good base.

mrushton

It's equally stunning in Summer, just packed with german and japanese tourists/walkers etc. main climb is the Col de Montet over towards Switzerland, but you can get thro' Les Houches and Servoz over towards megeve. Train will get you to Martigny (foot of the Grand Col St.Bernard) or St.gervais,, which is near Megeve/Sallanches

robthehungrymonkey

I just stumbled across this

http://www.cycling-challenge.com/map-of ... ng-climbs/

Whilst googling the suggestions by mrushton, very useful for anyone thinking of going to the alps to cycle!

58585

You can find plenty stages on here: http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/srchkey/tour+de+france
You'll maybe not get the current years stages until after they've taken place though.
I can't find the link just now, but there were a couple of guys who rode the whole route of the tour for charity one year, there is plenty good info on their site.