Etape 2010
Comments
-
SunWuKong wrote:mabarbie wrote:I'm number 9690, not good!!
Still, could be worse, not sure how at the moment, but could be worse. Just means more training so I can speed past people on the mountains
Seriously, me thinks the Marie Blanque is going to be a bit of a log jam and being at the back means getting stuck there too. After the Marie Blanque things should spread out, or is that too much hoping?
If those who mention 3 hills beforehand are correct it may not be too bad. In 2005 there was a log jam on the first hill due to quite a narrow road. It meant everyone caught near the back had to walk for a bit with loads of people worried about the broom wagon. The Marie Blanque was busy with lots of walkers but as long as they stayed on the right it wasn't too bad.
The other thing I could do is turn my number upside down, get rid of the 0 and hey presto 696. Will anyone notice!? Will I get disqualified??
The tought of spending 30 minutes waiting for everyone to travel loads of K's before I even turn a pedal is not a nice one, but having to almost catch up to the broom wagon and pass it makes the day more of a chore then an event to be 'enjoyed'0 -
My number not out yet either.0
-
6736 for me, a 1st timer as well so could have been worse.0
-
Number out: 9681 - 10000 is my group, other half there too. Great. Guess I'll have some work to do. Not worried about me provided I don't get held up by traffic, but not ideal for my other half as she is a slow starter. She can ride all day but is a steady, constant pace rider rather than quick. Not much we can do except hope the training pays off and its all worth it!0
-
I was in a state of shock when I got my number. I comiserate with you and your other half, I'm in the same pen. If ever I needed a kick up the bum to train harder, getting 9690 has done it. Now I can't leave anything to chance that I can't control, so more training especially early in the mornings to replicate the early start on the 18th, get my body used to waking up early. Going to Scotland week after next, it's not the pyrenees but there are loads of stretches of 14-16% so I can get ready for the Marie Blanque, which is the mountain I'm really scared of.clanton wrote:Number out: 9681 - 10000 is my group, other half there too. Great. Guess I'll have some work to do. Not worried about me provided I don't get held up by traffic, but not ideal for my other half as she is a slow starter. She can ride all day but is a steady, constant pace rider rather than quick. Not much we can do except hope the training pays off and its all worth it!
Make sure you both know the route well, there are a few hills before the Marie Blanque, especially just after Gan.
Best of luck to you both, just keep up the training and don't let the bib number beat you before you've started, use it as extra motivation and beat the bib number!0 -
We have worked hard and will not be beaten by the terrain. My concern is mechanicals and traffic. Dragon ride Sunday is our "Dress rehearsal" and then still time to get some more quality training in.
Not ideal but we will manage!
Good luck to you too - what will you be wearing? I'll be in my favourite top - Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here - so say hi if you see us!0 -
I'll be wearing a white and blue Xacobeo Galicia top, so see you then!clanton wrote:We have worked hard and will not be beaten by the terrain. My concern is mechanicals and traffic. Dragon ride Sunday is our "Dress rehearsal" and then still time to get some more quality training in.
Not ideal but we will manage!
Good luck to you too - what will you be wearing? I'll be in my favourite top - Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here - so say hi if you see us!0 -
clanton wrote:We have worked hard and will not be beaten by the terrain. My concern is mechanicals and traffic. Dragon ride Sunday is our "Dress rehearsal" and then still time to get some more quality training in.
Not ideal but we will manage!
Good luck to you too - what will you be wearing? I'll be in my favourite top - Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here - so say hi if you see us!
I've just found out i'm 8667! Not too happy about that but could be worse. How do they determine what number you are? I have noticed i am a category c rider, what does that mean?
Good look to you guys doing the Dragon Sunday, i to will be there, hoping to ride it hard to give me some idea how my fitness is. The only positive thing i can think of by having a high starting number is that i will be overtaking lots of peaple on the climbs....................i hope! 0 -
a week of cycling in the south of France has highlighted that this will really be a tough day out. My ride here has been 45miles with 1200m of climbing, but big descents as well. I've found out my hands go numb on fast descents, so have to relax more. My last ride here was 25 mins quicker than the first, so knowing the route is essential.0
-
Yesterday I had the pleasure of taking part in L'Etape avant L'Etape. An event organised for 200 cyclists, it rode the Bourg de Peage to Mende stage with police escort and support.
Superb event and I'm looking forward to the second etape in July. Yesterday was 215km with 3500m climbing, the finish line being at the top of Mont Jalabert.
Anyone riding the official Etape really should take the time to spend a week or so in the mountains of France or Italy. To not do so will spoil your day.0 -
I suppose if you have the means and the time then getting some big hills in over in France or Italy would be good. However I think that if you can get biig rides done in the UK and are fine in the saddle for 9 hours you can grind out the Etape.
But yeah 6 weeks to go so if you can do big climbs all the better.0 -
Perhaps in an ideal world we'd be training in France on a regular basis but I've finished the Etape in '07, the '08 Marmotte and the Cingles last year with training only in the UK so it can certainly be done without!
Dragon ride went well for me, exceeded my hopes in terms of time so all looking good for the Etape - just need to dodge the walkers on the Marie Blanc!0 -
What time did you do the Dragon in, Clanton if you don't mind me asking?
I too rode it as part of my preparation for the Etape, but unlike you the Etape will mark my first venture into 'proper' mountains.
I'd hesitate to say I found the Dragon easy, but I did it in 6.49 fairly comfortably, so interested to see how that matches up.
Cheers, F0 -
My total time 6h38 which I was pleased with - I had a good ride and am in good shape by my standards. If you managed your ride comfortably then the Etape will be no concern for you at all!
The Dragon ride is the closest the UK gets to Alpine type sportives. The gradients are similar on average and although the climbs are very long they are steady. It is very much a case of finding the right pace - ie a pace you can maintain for the whole ride and taking it steady. Keep hydrated and keep eating and you will get around with no issues.0 -
Thanks Clanton, nice to know I'm on track.0
-
clanton wrote:My total time 6h38 which I was pleased with - I had a good ride and am in good shape by my standards. If you managed your ride comfortably then the Etape will be no concern for you at all!
The Dragon ride is the closest the UK gets to Alpine type sportives. The gradients are similar on average and although the climbs are very long they are steady. It is very much a case of finding the right pace - ie a pace you can maintain for the whole ride and taking it steady. Keep hydrated and keep eating and you will get around with no issues.
After a bit of advice Clanton. I did the Dragon in around 7.10, (which i was pleased with), would you climb the mountains of the etape at the same intensity as you did the climbs on the Dragon? I climb at around 85-88% of MHR, will i be able to sustain than in the Etape i would i need to keep the HR a little lower?0 -
Quite a few British rider numbers have appeared today.0
-
The route and elimination times are up
http://www.letapedutour.com/2010/ETDT/p ... eraire.htm
Generous 12.5 hours to complete this year. Indication of route difficulty or number of riders?0 -
freddy2 wrote:The route and elimination times are up
http://www.letapedutour.com/2010/ETDT/p ... eraire.htm
Generous 12.5 hours to complete this year. Indication of route difficulty or number of riders?
Great find and post. I feel a lot happier now that I have seen this. If I can't get round in that time I've just been wasting my time for the last 6 months plus, with rubbish training.
Interestingly, are there only two elimination points? They also seem to be very close together! Never done this before so my question is, if I get past the second elimination point in good time, can I then ride at my own leisure, or does the broom wagon actually sweep behind if you go really slow?0 -
The times in red on the right are all rolling elimination times in line with where the broom wagon will be, so no, a slow-as-you-want ride after the second main point wouldn't be an option.
I'm more concerned with how they are hoping to get 10,000 riders away in only 40 minutes - that sounds like a pretty tall order..0 -
Didn't think so, but thought i would be the first to ask.
I'm in the last pen and not only does the fact that I have to cross the line in under 40 minutes concern me, but the route seems to twist and turn in Pau quite a bit. It seems to me that until we hit the D2 out of Pau, picking up any sort of speed will be quite dificult.0 -
alp777 wrote:clanton wrote:My total time 6h38 which I was pleased with - I had a good ride and am in good shape by my standards. If you managed your ride comfortably then the Etape will be no concern for you at all!
The Dragon ride is the closest the UK gets to Alpine type sportives. The gradients are similar on average and although the climbs are very long they are steady. It is very much a case of finding the right pace - ie a pace you can maintain for the whole ride and taking it steady. Keep hydrated and keep eating and you will get around with no issues.
After a bit of advice Clanton. I did the Dragon in around 7.10, (which i was pleased with), would you climb the mountains of the etape at the same intensity as you did the climbs on the Dragon? I climb at around 85-88% of MHR, will i be able to sustain than in the Etape i would i need to keep the HR a little lower?
That is fairly similar to my climbing - but the terrain will affect this too, and heat will be a factor. On the plus side the long descents do give you time to recover and refuel.0 -
mabarbie wrote:Didn't think so, but thought i would be the first to ask.
I'm in the last pen and not only does the fact that I have to cross the line in under 40 minutes concern me, but the route seems to twist and turn in Pau quite a bit. It seems to me that until we hit the D2 out of Pau, picking up any sort of speed will be quite dificult.
In 07 I was in the 7000 ish pen and we went over the oline just under half an hour after the start - they were fairly efficient and we got underway pretty well. I didn't have any major bottlenecks once we were out of Foix.
There is quite a long way till the Col du Marie Blanc so the field will spread out before then, closed roads mean you can use the whole road so I'm hopeful the hold ups will be ok.0 -
Hi all.
I am not riding this year due to other commitments. However, I am VERY jealous!
Last year I did end up in the broom wagon, within sight of St Esteve ,just shy of the forest section of the Ventoux - damn annoying after about 150km! After the event I did notice that the elimination times that had been posted on the website of the etape, and therefore that I was aiming at, were slower than those published in the start village and handed out at registration by (at the final elimination point and the top of the mountain) about 30 minutes! And it took me about 30 mins to cross the line too. Not a lot of help at this stage I know but it is something that newbies should be aware of. But I am sure most of you are less fat and more fit than I was (and unfortunately still am).
There is no obligation to hand over your bike and climb into the wagon either - something I was not aware of really. You can continue to ride, just that you will then be an individual non-competative rider and will not recieve an official time or completion medal, though you can still complete the route at your own pace on what will then be a fully open road without medical or mechanical support.
Best piece of advice for the day - eat, then eat a bit more, and as long as you can keep it down, maybe try to eat just a little bit more!
Good LuckIf I can feel the pain in my arse, I mustn't be hurting my legs enough.0 -
I made a mistake, the total time allowed is 11.5 hours not 12.5. Those of us in the last pens will have something like 11 though because of the amount of time it will take to get over the start line.0
-
mabarbie wrote:Didn't think so, but thought i would be the first to ask.
I'm in the last pen and not only does the fact that I have to cross the line in under 40 minutes concern me, but the route seems to twist and turn in Pau quite a bit. It seems to me that until we hit the D2 out of Pau, picking up any sort of speed will be quite dificult.
Chill Winston.....
Getting out of Pau won't be a problem and you'll see everyone rattling along at a fair lick at the start, be it adrenaline or just a desire to get up the road.
Don't get too hung up about the starting pen stuff either. They know what they're doing. You've done the training, as long as you eat and drink consistently (and avoid mechanicals) you will complete it and avoid the broom wagon. Fact.0 -
Does anyone understand the 3rd column under " Kilometrage " starting halfway down opposite Escote with the entry " 11.9 " and then carrying on ...cos I dont !!
Thx
0 -
Don't know, but could it be where the different broom wagons start as there may be more than one with the first starting at Oloron Ste Marie, the second near Arbeost and the third at Argeles Gazost? Just guessing!Casbar wrote:Does anyone understand the 3rd column under " Kilometrage " starting halfway down opposite Escote with the entry " 11.9 " and then carrying on ...cos I dont !!
Thx0 -
For anyone interested, I've put the route onto BikeRoute Toaster for download. I've adjusted the speeds to give an estimated time of 11:11 which should give you some idea of where the broom wagon is if you load it into a 705 as a TCX and use Virtual Partner. Use with caution though!!
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=1415160 -
