Etape du Tour 2013

caledonian1

update...just noticed this from official site....

Registration will open on the 28th of November.

You will find all details (entry fees, dates and number of places) on this page during the next weeks.

There is only one race this year and places could be attributed very fast.
Your entry could be guaranteed, you could reserve this entry through the specialized travel agencies listed below.

xcmad

Really hope we can get to ride the D'Huez x2 on the Etape

VilanovaRider

http://www.letapedutour.com/ET1/us/registrations.html - it's official.

davidof

Hope the resurface the Feclaz -> Revard road, it was a pot-holed cart track this summer.

xcmad

So what is this route like then davidof? Apart from the potholes... worth doing?

niedermeyer

About as uninspiring as you could imagine- plus its the same weekend as Marmotte. Booooooooo!

xcmad

Bloomin heck. Oh well.

May just stick to Spain and Colorado as my cycling destinations this year then

Tricky10601

Well I must say, I don't imagine I will be trying my first ever Etape on this route...as others have said...looks kinda boring to me....especially given this is the 100th running of the tour....not worth jumping across the pond for that route...I'm very disappointed....what gives?

davidof

xcmad wrote:

So what is this route like then davidof? Apart from the potholes... worth doing?

I've only ridden Aix-les-Bains -> le Revard -> St Jean d'Arvey -> Aix les Bains but the bit of road from le Revard down to le Feclaz left my arms shaking with the very rough tarmac and potholes. It will be easier going up but I've ridden on strada bianchi that were more pleasant.

I've plotted the course here:-

http://www.trainingloops.com/etape-du-tour-2013.htm

The Bauges are fantastic cycling but I agree, it is not iconic, the Marmotte will give you that in 2013. I think the climb up to le Semnoz will catch some people out as it is quite steep.

threerock

Agree that this may not be iconic next year but views from top of Semnoz are superb. May not have the kudos of other climbs but will punch above its perceived weight in climbing. I wnet up Semnoz from North and East This summer (staying nearby) but didnt go from the West so cant vouch for all the course....

xcmad

OK thanks, your reviews have brought me back.... Etape now on the maybe list

willy b

Very disappointed about this. I even email ASO to get them to confirm and had this response:.

letapedutour <letapedutour@aso.fr> wrote:

Hello,

No, in 2013 there will be only 1 act.

Regards

Fair enough have this as one Act, but to only have one is a shame! :?

othello

I really thought they would keep doing two acts, and when the route was announced did wonder if they would have Ventoux as act 2. How hard would that be as an Etape -- 240km with Ventoux at the end. Epic.

I think plenty of people will get caught out with the last climb. But I agree it's not the iconic route, though good to vary it sometimes.

Rodrego Hernandez

Looks like a great route, easy logistics, lovely start town, nice roads and plenty of challenges.

Have heard others moaning that it's no challenge. Unless they've been a top 100 finisher I'd suggest that maybe instead of clogging up the roads and making up the numbers they try to challenge the front of the event?

The Etape is always a great event and I've no doubt this will be any exception. All you moaners can stay at home and then talk down to anyone that rides it and tell them that it was much harder in your day.....

lee_d_m

Considering La Marmotte and L'etape back to back, any idea how that would work out logistically, can one register for l'etape two days before the event ?

niedermeyer

lee_d_m wrote:

Considering La Marmotte and L'etape back to back, any idea how that would work out logistically, can one register for l'etape two days before the event ?

You can register for the etape on Friday afternoon (generally opens about 14:00). About 2hrs 30 from the Alpe to Annecy by car if the roads are clear.

oneof1982

Might not be for me next year. Was hopng for Ventoux. Having said that anyone who hasn't done one, well worth it as an event. Think I'll come over a week or so later and sit on AdH with a deck chair and picnic, and then hot foot up to Paris for the evening finish.

dp_1410

lee_d_m wrote:

Considering La Marmotte and L'etape back to back, any idea how that would work out logistically, can one register for l'etape two days before the event ?

Thinking of doing the same. Logistics of getting numbers seems the toughest part. Booked a hotel in Annecy just in case I can convince myself its a good idea!

sunburntknees

dp_1410 wrote:

lee_d_m wrote:

Considering La Marmotte and L'etape back to back, any idea how that would work out logistically, can one register for l'etape two days before the event ?

Thinking of doing the same. Logistics of getting numbers seems the toughest part. Booked a hotel in Annecy just in case I can convince myself its a good idea!

I attempted this this year and failed, but it is doable. You will probably be able to sign on for the Etape on Friday and sign on for LM on the Thursday or on the morning of the event (I did this and there were no queues). It would mean three or four days of chugging up and down the peage and twisty mountain roads though (ie. not very relaxing!).

dp_1410

Can somebody else pick up your number for you for the etape. Seem to remember reading about plenty of other half's being roped in last year?

I am the god of hell fire

dp_1410 wrote:

Can somebody else pick up your number for you for the etape. Seem to remember reading about plenty of other half's being roped in last year?

Photo ID mandatory for me in 2011 but run by locals yoof's not MI5 so perhaps possible to get registered by proxy - just dont rely on it

dp_1410

okay. thanks for the replies. may involve a drive from alpe d'huez on Friday then to grab my numbers....

Boleynboy

I think ASO have picked a much easier route for next year as so many riders (including me)! struggled with Act 1 this year, and the cut off times went out of the window. The etape is obviously a good earner for them but it was in danger of shooting itself in the foot by being too difficult and putting people off of riding it, and running two events was obviously not cost effective for them this year, so they have cut it to one to try and increase demand.
Saying that, I rode most of the climbs on the route as I stayed in Annecy for a week after the etape, and it has some truly breathtaking scenery. The Semnoz is an awesome climb, but it is the only one to be really worried about.
I swore I would not do another after this year because it was just such a slog for me ( even with all the training I did to prepare for it), but I think this route will be far more enjoyable to complete, and a circular route is even more of a bonus, so it looks like I will be going back on my word again!

t5nel

I am the god of hell fire wrote:

dp_1410 wrote:

Can somebody else pick up your number for you for the etape. Seem to remember reading about plenty of other half's being roped in last year?

Photo ID mandatory for me in 2011 but run by locals yoof's not MI5 so perhaps possible to get registered by proxy - just dont rely on it

On arrival for act 1 on Friday night this year my half of the group were running late and the cut off time of 8pm for signing in was looking doubtful. The ASO people giving out the numbers were being very reasonable and letting some of our guys who had already arrived registered on our behalf based on emailed photos of passports (we had already sent off our scanned doc forms that they also checked).

That said when we did get there at 8.30 and it was all shut...once we explained that we were staying in La Toussuire and didn't fancy a trip down they opened up again and issued our numbers.

All comes down to the people on the day I think.

Tim

willy b

Now I've found out the Marmotte is on the Saturday and Etape on the Sunday think that is my plan. Do both, thus making it more worth while going down there

goco

Never having done this before, and considering it for 2013, anyone got any advice around how to go about booking? DIY, or go with a package from one of the tour operators? Any recommendations on which operators are good? Looking for quality rather than value....

Appreciate any wisdom offered.....!

willy b

Both years I have just done it myself on the webiste and managed to get a place. i did stay up until midnight until entries went live though!

niedermeyer

Boleynboy wrote:

I think ASO have picked a much easier route for next year as so many riders (including me)! struggled with Act 1 this year, and the cut off times went out of the window. The etape is obviously a good earner for them but it was in danger of shooting itself in the foot by being too difficult and putting people off of riding it, and running two events was obviously not cost effective for them this year, so they have cut it to one to try and increase demand.
Saying that, I rode most of the climbs on the route as I stayed in Annecy for a week after the etape, and it has some truly breathtaking scenery. The Semnoz is an awesome climb, but it is the only one to be really worried about.
I swore I would not do another after this year because it was just such a slog for me ( even with all the training I did to prepare for it), but I think this route will be far more enjoyable to complete, and a circular route is even more of a bonus, so it looks like I will be going back on my word again!

A huge percentage of the actual starters finished Acte 1. A good friend of mine works for one of the tour companies; of the 30 people starting with their tour group, only 1 failed to finish inside the cutoff. Don't be misled by the numbers- I was in Pau for the start of Acte II and if there were more than 5000 starters, I'm a Dutchman. My mate said that ASO had reserved large blocks of numbers within the 10,000 available for agencies - he reckons about 4000 - but only about a third of these were taken up.

As for being too difficult - the last time the Etape started to decline was because it was getting too easy and the climbs weren't famous enough. 2002 - Roselend Saisies Aravis Colombiere; 2003 Pau to Bayonne over 2 unheard of and unpronouncables (Col de Buggery anybody?); 2004 (last one I did) 237km to St Flour, the only proper climb was Puy Mary. They came back with a vengeance in 05 with Izoard and Alpe D'Huez, and numbers and the iconic status were restored.

Looking at even those 2002-2004 stages they were monstrous compared to this one. With the limited climbing on the 2013 stage, cut off speed should be about 22km/h, which means that a 7 am start will have the last riders finishing by 1 pm. Is that really worth shelling out £00's for? Unless you are over there anyway, I'd give it a swerve.

Even the French aren't going to be attracted when they can do a tougher epreuve close to home most weekends for half or less of ASO's asking price. I can see this being a complete fiasco. Etape de Legende 2007 anybody?

niedermeyer

willy b wrote:

Both years I have just done it myself on the webiste and managed to get a place. i did stay up until midnight until entries went live though!

I'd get a good nights sleep this time if I were you. And have a lie-in the next morning. I can't see this one selling out (both events last year you could sign up the day before)

t5nel

niedermeyer wrote:

A huge percentage of the actual starters finished Acte 1.

Well in more objective terms. There were 5688 starters and 4422 people who got a time so 78% finished
BUT for reasons you will need to ask the ASO about a huge number of people were not broomed up and carried on finishing with a time that *should* have meant they were swept up.

The actual number of people who finished inside 10hrs (the nominal maximum time based) is 2884 so 51%. I should point out that some people could have got times > 10hrs and avoided the broom if they started in an early pen. But I think 10hrs is a good cut off point as this is the time from when ASO guaranteed the final starters would leave by to the time they said the finish closed.

So 51% or 78% or somewhere in between I am not sure if this is huge (or not) compared to previous etapes