Etape Du Dales

Papapete

I am signed up for the Etape Du Dales in May, and having been to Yorkshire yesterday to see friends, have noticed that there is no flat :shock:

Now I am expecting a tough 112 miles, but exactly how tough?

I would appreciate any help / advice from people that have done this before (eg what gradient of hills (up and down))

Trying to get myself prepared, and making sure I have done enough training on hills to complete this without walking.

Cheers

ugo.santalucia

It's one of the toughest in the calendar... maybe there's no Hardknott, but it's packed with steep climbs... not one for softies

Good Luck

andy162

It is a tough route. Some of the climbs are steep ie. Garsdale Station, some drag, Fleets Moss & Tan Hill. The thing that makes this ride tough is all the " inbetween bits". There are very few parts where you not having to put in a proper effort.

Every time I've done it I've ended up soaked at some point too. Signed up for this years though so there must be something I like about it.

Good luck!

Will Young

This is without doubt one of the toughest on the calender. A real hard day out. The wind is often a killer also. As Ugo says, there may not be a Hardnott but this is a serious challenge.

nickwill

I believe it was originally conceived partly tp provide an alternative event for those who did not get in to the Fred Whitton. Enough said!

Papapete

andy162 wrote:

It is a tough route. Some of the climbs are steep ie. Garsdale Station, some drag, Fleets Moss & Tan Hill. The thing that makes this ride tough is all the " inbetween bits". There are very few parts where you not having to put in a proper effort.

Every time I've done it I've ended up soaked at some point too. Signed up for this years though so there must be something I like about it.

Good luck!

Well thats me putting extra effort in over the next 5 weeks! I can take my time on the climbs, but the fact that I'll not be able to roll on the flat for a few miles will be the killer.

Still, I'm really looking forward to it :?

ledburyloafer

the worst climb, mentally, is the last one, directly after the last feed stop, not steep but goes on and on, but once over that you have a good drop down to the valley floor and a fairly fast run back to the finish, mind you after the 2nd feedstop you go up Coal Rd with in a mile....tough climb, brilliant day out though I did the FWC and EDD back to back a couple of years ago, and to date the EDD is still the sportive that I thought I wouldn't be able to finish, not got Hardnott or Wrynose but is still as tough as the Fred in its own way, needs full respect!

thetrotter

ledburyloafer wrote:

the worst climb, mentally, is the last one, directly after the last feed stop, not steep but goes on and on

Agree with that. Very long and exposed to the elements. Worth bearing in mind that some of the descents (particularly Fleet Moss and down from the Coal Road) can be dangerous particularly in the wet.