Etape du tour entry

Midgetic

Does anyone know what the chances are of getting entry to the etape du tour by registering yourself through the aso website rather than paying a company?

Pretty keen to enter but going to be on holiday in the area so I don't want a package with hotel etc - just an entry

js14

Midgetic wrote:

Does anyone know what the chances are of getting entry to the etape du tour by registering yourself through the aso website rather than paying a company?

Very easy as they had places on offer up to at least Xmas 2012, if my memory serves me right. However if you want one of the first 4000 places at the lower rate of 75 euros, you need to get your entry in early on the first day that registration opens, 12th November this year. I can't find the exact hour anywhere but usually it is from mid-morning UK time. You should create an account on the ASO Challenges site beforehand as this is time consuming and servers often crash and then you have to type in all your details again. For the Etape registration, be prepared to give your finishing position and total number of finishers in any comparable sportives as this can help you get a lower race number and an earlier start time.

Midgetic

Thanks that's really helpful. I read that registration opens at 11am although not sure if that's french or uk time

triquin

I think you will find that is French time. I am planning to start trying at 10.00 hrs.

dandrew

!0 is correct. Seem to remember that the site was a bit crazy @ 10, with long waiting times but eventual registration

js14

I just tried to connect on the ASO Challenges site and found I was put on a waiting page automatically. The page says I am in the queue ready for the start of registrations at 11am CET, 10am GMT.

Update: 10:39 GMT and I'm in, still at the 75 € price.

alanjay

Joined the queue about 8 am - it let me in at 10.25. Managed to grab one of the early bird discounted entries so happy days..

t5nel

I joined the queue at 10 uk time currently > 1000

apparently 3000 in front of me so possibly cheap entry available...Still not decided if I am going to pull the trigger or not. Logistically an alpine route would have worked much better for me

dandrew

I am in! Asks for your finish number from previous years if you have one. Just estimated mine. Just got to do the training now!

t5nel

Hmmm I've been shafted a bit...

Waited and now I have a generic page that when I try and register takes me back to the start of the queue again :-(

Were you guys logged in before you started queueing?

triquin

No, you couldn't get onto the page to log in.

ericthered

t5nel - I've had the same thing happen to me :-(

t5nel

Sorry to hear that Eric - these things seem to be a little hit and miss

oh well.....

I am back in the queue but expect the 75E has finished now. Probably less of a rush to decide then.

triquin

t5nel wrote:

Sorry to hear that Eric - these things seem to be a little hit and miss

oh well.....

I am back in the queue but expect the 75E has finished now. Probably less of a rush to decide then.

75E still available at the moment! Just got in

jasonbrim

Mine cost 95 and I registered about the same time...clearly my luck ran out.
I somehow lost my place in the queue when I tried to sign my dad up as well - created his account and then it send me back in the queue (although with only 1000 ahead of me, which was better than when I tried again from my other computer to see and it put me at 3000).

Just more waiting now...

ericthered

I'm in at €95. Happy to be in at all having missed out on the Marmotte.

jasonbrim

And we're both in! Can't wait - got my compact c/s and 11-28 cassette all ready. Might buy some DA C24s (currently have DA C35s) for this as well :-)

js14

EricTheRed wrote:

t5nel - I've had the same thing happen to me :-(

I had a similar heart stopping moment when I tried to log in - maybe I entered the wrong password - but found a few clicks on the brower's BACK button got me off the queuing page and back to the login page.

As of 13:15 GMT, there are 4200 people signed up. Perhaps places are going faster this year?

Jubbster

I cocked up on the time thing but got in for €95. This will be my first Etape and I'm mega excited already.

I might do the L-B-L next year too (has anybody else done it??)

Anonymous

In at 95€. Bring it

Ed F

coriordan wrote:

In at 95€. Bring it

See you there 8)

Anonymous

surely not THE Ed F!?

js14

Just over 6400 entries so far. Not bad for ASO: half a million euros banked in less than 24 hours!

JSS

JS14 wrote:

Just over 6400 entries so far. Not bad for ASO: half a million euros banked in less than 24 hours!

How did you work out how many entries? Just got an entry this morning after finding the site less than responsive yesterday morning...

willy b

coriordan wrote:

surely not THE Ed F!?

Yeah, the Ed F

See you all there.

js14

JSS wrote:

How did you work out how many entries?

Top secret! No, you can find the information if you spend a lot of time hunting around on the French version of the site. Latest update: 7100, which I guess doesn't include the tour operators' places. Last time, the total reached about 11000 before entries were closed in early January.

bernithebiker

I don't think I can make it this year, will be working on the Tour de France and the two clash, but thought about getting an entry just in case - still plenty of places left at 95E.

Looks like a good one, but the whole car/bus drop off thing is a right pain in the ass, I remember 2012 at Pau. 3 long motorway trips for nothing.

(N.B. If you drive make sure you have change in the car for the way back - (peages), I didn't and was faced with a twice as long journey on A and B roads. I tried to sell my 2 remaining gels to get a few euros together, but only scraped up 1 or 2 (embarrassing!)

Was saved by a guy hitching back with his bike just outside Luchon - I let him in on condition that he paid the tolls! Nice bloke too…..

Boleynboy

bernithebiker wrote:

I don't think I can make it this year, will be working on the Tour de France and the two clash, but thought about getting an entry just in case - still plenty of places left at 95E.

Looks like a good one, but the whole car/bus drop off thing is a right pain in the ass, I remember 2012 at Pau. 3 long motorway trips for nothing.

(N.B. If you drive make sure you have change in the car for the way back - (peages), I didn't and was faced with a twice as long journey on A and B roads. I tried to sell my 2 remaining gels to get a few euros together, but only scraped up 1 or 2 (embarrassing!)

Was saved by a guy hitching back with his bike just outside Luchon - I let him in on condition that he paid the tolls! Nice bloke too…..

Why didn't you use a credit card? Never bother with cash at French tolls any more, quicker with a card too!

cyclopath

Here's a better idea.

Go to saneftolling.co.uk and get yourself a Liber-t tag, stick on your windscreen and drive through the fast lane at the tolls.
They will bill you later though. But, not having to queue is a bonus. Made the trip to/from Annecy a breeze.

bernithebiker

I didn't have my wallet at all. I didn't want to leave it in the car, and I wasn't going to carry it round with me!

(I had completely forgotten about the tolls, as there aren't any in Brittany).

goldengraham

Has anyone managed to book any accommodation yet?

I cant find anywhere in Pau so was wondering whether to wait until nearer the time for any last minute availability or just book somewhere in Lourdes now.