Etape target times?

RR75

What target times does everyone have for the 2009 Etape? More to the point, what should I be aiming for?

Is it realistic to go for 7 hours, given:

I started cycling this year (previously high level of fitness from fell-running and Army days) and have done 3000km since January including
- Dragon Ride 7.40 (with plenty of juice left in the can)
- Tour of Exmoor 6.30 (again, still felt pretty sparky throughout)
- and still improving fast

TheStone

It's a good target.
Personally, like last year, I'll just aim to get round.

Be a bit careful on the amount of climbing. The Etape is 3500-3700m. The 2008 Dragon was only 2500m and I think Exmoor is similar.

RR75

Thanks!

Exmoor was 3760, Dragon was "approx 3,000"

On the plus side - more peloton riding
On the minus side - Ventoux itself, unrelenting

Slow1972

You also have to factor in that on the Dragon Ride you had as much down as up.

In the Etape you have a net gain in height of approximately 1800m so you miss the corresponding descent which would ordinarily bring your average speed back up.

You're right about the benefit of peleton riding though, although from my one experience of the Dragon Ride, there was a fair bit of that there too (one the basis that if you're sat in a bunch of 8 people the drafting benefits won't be much less than a bigger bunch).

My experience at the Etape last year was that although yes there is of course a huge peleton effect near the beginning, its amazing how much 8,000 people get strung out along the way. Well before the Tourmalet on flattish roads the "peleton" was down to single file in a lot places with sizeable gaps to bridge between bunches. (Which you may have to do if the peleton isnt going as quick as your 7 hour target pace requires)

FransJacques

This ride is all about arriving to the bottom of the Ventoux in good shape.

Go fricken fast over the first 148 kms, choose your groups well and sit in and draft like a protected rider (think Contador). But even from Mormoiron this thing starts to be draggy up hill. The climb to me is really the last 22-23 kms so will take 1.5+ hours, so work back from there.

Also the heat, if it kicks in, will be killer. Bikram yoga style heat can easily take 20% off performance, it takes more off for me personally. If anyone remembers the pain of Bales in 07 or Huez in 06 or the Marmotte this year please share. Overall tho, this isn't that big a deal because everyone's in it, you just have to take more time to do Landis-style water dumping on your head and down your back and try NOT to avoid water stops if you can.

When not sure about the quality of water from a road-side spring, you can devote 1 bottle solely to cooling water and the other to drinking.

Kléber

FransJacques wrote:

When not sure about the quality of water from a road-side spring, you can devote 1 bottle solely to cooling water and the other to drinking.

Most have "non potable" warning signs. If in doubt, I'd be minded to drink it because it's better to avoid dehydration, having the runs the next day is a small price to pay. Within reason of course, don't scoop water from a ditch or river, but a clear fountain spring might be ok. Often even a "non potable" water fountain is crystal clear, it's just not fit for daily consumption but once off should be ok.

RR75

Quite agree - water nasties takes 8 hours to get to you, deyhdration or heat exhaustion as little as 30 minutes.

bahzob

Taken a look at the Dragon vs Etape profiles.

Looks to me like the section from Montelimar to Bedoin looks pretty much the same as the Dragon from start to Neath (just before Cimla climb). (If anything the Dragon looks slightly the tougher of the two and average speed on Etape should be helped by bigger groups/better roads (+ no traffic lights/cops!).)

Then there is just the little matter of doing the Ventoux. This is a tricky one to guesstimate.

One way to think of it is 21km at around 1/2 to 2/3 speed of Bwlch2. However its also not going to be too different in time terms as the time from Neath to the finish of the
Dragon.

(I know at least for me this works, it took me 1hr 45mins from Neath to finish Dragon and I can do the Ventoux in around this time or less after a few hours previous riding.)

So I would guess that a pretty good rule of thumb for the Etape will be same time as long Dragon route. (Obviously all assuming weather will not throw us a wobbly).

Famous last words I know...

FransJacques

RR75 wrote:

Quite agree - water nasties takes 8 hours to get to you, deyhdration or heat exhaustion as little as 30 minutes.

I love the practical decision making criteria you have to go through in the army or sportiving when survival is important - fu&£ my body now or fu&£ my body later.

Priceless.

Kléber

It's amusing, it's only a one day ride across some scenic countryside. Still, if you're thirsty have a drink.

jhop

RR75 wrote:

What target times does everyone have for the 2009 Etape? More to the point, what should I be aiming for?

Is it realistic to go for 7 hours, given:

I started cycling this year (previously high level of fitness from fell-running and Army days) and have done 3000km since January including
- Dragon Ride 7.40 (with plenty of juice left in the can)
- Tour of Exmoor 6.30 (again, still felt pretty sparky throughout)
- and still improving fast

I know the Dragon ride was different this year, as of course is the etape every year BUT my experience of Etape versus Dragon (2007 and 2008) is to add an hour or two on.

For me it has been like comparing non league football and the Premiership!

I find that Gold in UK hilly 2-3000 m events equates to etape survival with no broom wagon worries but no chances of silver.

bahzob

jhop wrote:

I know the Dragon ride was different this year, as of course is the etape every year BUT my experience of Etape versus Dragon (2007 and 2008) is to add an hour or two on.

For me it has been like comparing non league football and the Premiership!

I find that Gold in UK hilly 2-3000 m events equates to etape survival with no broom wagon worries but no chances of silver.

Most years I would agree but not this. Look at the profile of the etape, the first 150km are, if anything, easier than the Dragon. Yes the last 21km are up Ventoux but the Dragon was 20km longer and its last 40km included several climbs.

Not just an academic exercise, those new to doing continental climbs can needlessly psyche themselves out of a good performance if they get too worried about the unfamiliar.

Sfelt

RR75, I did exactly the same time as you on this years dragon ride, but I failed to finish the Etape last year, got stopped at the bottom of Hautacam, late start, punctures etc
Im fitter and my head is better prepared this year, I reckon get a good nights sleep, eat and drink well, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.
Oh another thing its a bloody great day out on the bike