Etape du Tour 2017

cc78
cc78 Posts: 599
edited July 2017 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
The Dauphiné newspaper reports that the 2017 Etape will start in Briançon and finish at the Col d'Izoard, climbing the south side (ie through Casse Déserte). Sounds good.

Date TBC but it will apparently be "after the 14th of July".

http://www.ledauphine.com/hautes-alpes/ ... l-d-izoard
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Comments

  • Ed F
    Ed F Posts: 79
    Something like this?

    https://www.strava.com/routes/767156
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    That looks a bit long for L'Etape.
  • cc78
    cc78 Posts: 599
    I have to say I didn't realise it was as far as that... odd as the Dauphiné is usually pretty reliable

    find out in few weeks I guess
  • grimpeur
    grimpeur Posts: 230
    Yeah, that is the route that was suggested in the Dauphine, quite a long one but then only in comparison to recent Etapes which have been pretty short. If it does the Briancon - Embrun - Barcelonnette - Vars - Izoard then that is really the only option for a route, although it might not take the main road from Briancon to Embrun.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    I've heard that Gap will be a good place to book accommodation.
  • JSS
    JSS Posts: 55
    Route will be announced tomorrow. The Izoard is a brutal climb and will be a tough one for Etape riders, especially if the climb is in the heat of the day.
  • Nevis2
    Nevis2 Posts: 28
    Nah..anyone who names a col Iz zo 'ard is just trying to put us off....
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,601
    14641961_1187038888009741_7967699476786865461_n.jpg?oh=03e4dcbe11aafa3ea37645bef0edb506&oe=589FD0BE

    Sunday 16th July
    178 km, 3,400m climbing
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Interesting route, and nice that it's almost a loop, but as it's almost 100km before any decent kind of climb, you want to be as far up the front as possible, and in a good group if you want to set a fast time.
  • JSS
    JSS Posts: 55
    Initial look at the route looks like it's going to be tough climbing during the peak heat of the day. There is a long, long drag (perhaps 60km) of uphill to the top of the Col de Vars, followed by a rapid descent and then a climb up the 'easy' side of the Izoard. Which is not really very easy.

    For a good club rider this will be a decent test. For those doing a long ride for the first time, it will be pretty tough if the weather is on the warm side. That last climb is long and unforgiving.

    I'll do a proper write up tomorrow when I've had a chance to go through the route in detail.
  • Rodrego Hernandez
    Rodrego Hernandez Posts: 1,436
    Ha ha! Easy side of the Izoard. Course it is ;-)

    Looks like a pretty tough route. Tough climbs at the end, potentially a hot day and plenty of rolling false flat early on to tire the legs out.
  • Bikequin
    Bikequin Posts: 402
    Looks easier at first glance than the last two years route (although not the 2016 actual course) - although its 30k longer than the Etape has typically been for the last few years.
    You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quin.
  • JSS
    JSS Posts: 55
    I've done my annual route analysis. I think with the climbing in the last 100km and the likely heat at that time of year that this is a really tough Etape. Looking forward to it!

    http://www.sportive.com/etape-du-tour/5 ... f-climbing
  • grimpeur
    grimpeur Posts: 230
    Ha, I see you revised down your climbing estimate from 5000m to the actual and relatively benign 3529m. Presume you used Strava routes for the original estimate?

    I honestly don't think is is that bad a route, nothing outrageously difficult and all the gradients are sensible. Some of the lower parts of the Izoard vary in gradient a bit but overall I didn't find it that bad when I've ridden it. The heat might well be an issue but that is true of riding anywhere in the Alps in summer. Descent off the Vars into Guillestre is lovely.

    There have been much tougher Etapes recently, particularly the ones in 2012 and 2015 featuring La Toussuire
  • Bikequin
    Bikequin Posts: 402
    The heat would struggle to be worse than it was on the Joux Plane this year!
    You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quin.
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Bikequin wrote:
    The heat would struggle to be worse than it was on the Joux Plane this year!

    Absolutely, that was a shocker. I reckon the enterprising chap selling cold drinks half way up made a fortune!

    All this talk of heat though for 2017; it could just as well be cold and wet, the Etape has a habit of picking those days....!
  • MBCaad8
    MBCaad8 Posts: 127
    Ahm oot!

    First 97km look to be boring as
  • JSS
    JSS Posts: 55
    grimpeur wrote:
    Ha, I see you revised down your climbing estimate from 5000m to the actual and relatively benign 3529m. Presume you used Strava routes for the original estimate?

    Yes, Strava well off the mark, unfortunately. One of the tour group organisers got in touch with me to point out the error of my ways.

    I still think it is a tough day on the bike if it is hot. Otherwise it looks like a fun day out as the scenery around there is fantastic and it will be a lot more fun on closed roads.
  • Toks
    Toks Posts: 1,143
    A five minute wait and I just registered!! 8) 8). A few newbie friends have registered too so I'm glad the rumoured ~4700+ metres of climbing :shock: didn't manifest. Should be a good one. I'm still in chill-town mode. The training grind begins end of next month :wink:
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    5 minute wait, and then got in OK. Think it's a good route with

    A bit odd that there was no space (that I saw) for entering results other than the Etape (other sportives) to justify performances.

    Hoping for a SAS 0 based on last year's Etape, but you never know with Aso, it's a bit of a lottery, they buggered up my entry for 2016 and put me in SAS 8.
  • JSS
    JSS Posts: 55
    [quote="bernithebiker"Hoping for a SAS 0 based on last year's Etape, but you never know with Aso, it's a bit of a lottery, they buggered up my entry for 2016 and put me in SAS 8.[/quote]

    You definitely want to be in an early group on this Etape. I think there will be quite a few crashes early on and probably some hold ups for anyone at the back.
  • cc78
    cc78 Posts: 599
    the Izoard swung it for me... I'm in
  • fluided
    fluided Posts: 114
    I'm looking a registering for this where would be the best place to stay
  • hnefi
    hnefi Posts: 15
    Working in Switzerland for a year, and I'm legitimately considering signing up for this.... Closed roads, Col d'Izouard, etc etc... May never be back to Europe and get this chance.

    Question for all of those who have done it already - I'm a fairly athletic multi-sport guy but a *beginner* cyclist. Done a few century rides already (Tour de Leman which is about 190km rolling) but nothing close to that distance that includes two cols. You think it's realistic to enter and be able to complete L'Etape if I start training soon?

    EDIT: just realized, is it permissible to ride one of these races with a disc brake bike? With the whole UCI regulations thing? I don't know if those rules apply to amateurs as well as the pros.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,107
    Hnefi wrote:
    Working in Switzerland for a year, and I'm legitimately considering signing up for this.... Closed roads, Col d'Izouard, etc etc... May never be back to Europe and get this chance.

    Question for all of those who have done it already - I'm a fairly athletic multi-sport guy but a *beginner* cyclist. Done a few century rides already (Tour de Leman which is about 190km rolling) but nothing close to that distance that includes two cols. You think it's realistic to enter and be able to complete L'Etape if I start training soon?

    EDIT: just realized, is it permissible to ride one of these races with a disc brake bike? With the whole UCI regulations thing? I don't know if those rules apply to amateurs as well as the pros.


    Yes it's realistic they are mass participation events rather than races although the guys at the front will be at a high level. If you've ridden 190km you could probably complete the event already. No officially you can't use a disc braked bike - however I am not sure anyone is going to actually grab you and stop you.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • Bikequin
    Bikequin Posts: 402
    You were allowed to use disc brakes in this year's etape - an e-mail went out about 2 weeks beforehand specifically stating that you could.
    You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quin.
  • hnefi
    hnefi Posts: 15
    Right but was that before or after the UCI pulled the ripcord on the disc brake trial for pros this year? IIRC that was during paris-roubaix, which is early in the season?
    So then the ban would have been in place during l'etape this year too... Weird. I will probably still register and figure it out then. Worst case I have a good n+1 excuse.
  • gavinbay
    gavinbay Posts: 144
    Guys - I'm very local to this year's route as I live in Serre Chevalier (5km from Briancon) for all the winter season (start to cycle in late March/April as the snow goes), then a couple of months in the summer and again in the autumn, I'm out here at the moment.

    I've just signed up for the Etape as have quite a few friends coming out, though knowing my luck it will be raining, trust me it's not always hot and sunny here in the summer, in fact afternoon thunderstorms are almost a daily occurrence!

    I've been regularly cycling in this part of the world since 2011 - I've done Izoard (both ascents) over ten times, and have to say the from the South the route the Etape takes is far tougher!!

    I've done Vars four times though always from this side not Barcelonnette - and have cycled round Lac Serre Poncon on the site the Etape will take two or three times.

    So if coming out I can also recommend a few other climbs, my local hill is the Col de Granon which is deemed to be the toughest climb in France, last week I did Ventoux and the Granon and they are on a par!

    Re accommodation here in Briancon / Serre Che is the best place to stay - I'm various friends who have different types of accommodation and things are booking up for the week as after the Etape we have two stages of the tour on the Wed and Thurs.

    So feel free to ask questions etc and I'll do my best.

    This is always a good warm up ride, The Boucle d' Izoard

    https://www.strava.com/activities/162268629

    and then the Granon https://www.strava.com/activities/757559602
    Cycling Routes in the Hautes Alpes Serre Chevalier Briancon
  • Bikequin
    Bikequin Posts: 402
    Hnefi wrote:
    Right but was that before or after the UCI pulled the ripcord on the disc brake trial for pros this year? IIRC that was during paris-roubaix, which is early in the season?
    So then the ban would have been in place during l'etape this year too... Weird. I will probably still register and figure it out then. Worst case I have a good n+1 excuse.

    Yes initially they followed the UCI and said that they would be banned, but then a couple of weeks before the event changed their minds and said they would be allowed.
    You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quin.
  • gavinbay
    gavinbay Posts: 144
    Today I'm going off to cycle from Guillestre down to Embrun round Lac Serre Poncon then on to Barecelonnette then up over Col de Vars from the South side which I've not done before - once I've done that will be able to work out the total elevation of the Etape as I've done the other section (Queyras / Izoard) a fair few times.

    Just waiting for it to warm up some more was minus 2 over night
    Cycling Routes in the Hautes Alpes Serre Chevalier Briancon

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