L'Etape 2012
Author
Discussion

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Who's going?

I entered today.... now all I need is a road bike and it'll probably be wise to spend a little time in the saddle!

http://www.letapedutour.com/ET1/us/the-race.html

yikes

matt-ITR

892 posts

218 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Hoping to do both and the Marmotte. Just waiting to get the OK.
If it all goes to plan it will be a good week.

The Stiglet

2,063 posts

223 months

Saturday 19th November 2011
quotequote all
Janosh said:
Who's going?

I entered today.... now all I need is a road bike and it'll probably be wise to spend a little time in the saddle!

http://www.letapedutour.com/ET1/us/the-race.html

yikes
Will be doing this but not with the Etape. We're doing stages 7,8,9,10 and 11 with the Tour de Force. One guy is going to do all this then the 2nd Etape stage in the Pyrenees, now that's yikes

I guess we all better start training soon!

Janosh

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Saturday 19th November 2011
quotequote all
Agreed - that second stage in the Pyrenees is serious... I can not believe that the Alps Etape with almost 5km of vertical climb is considered the easy option!

The Stiglet

2,063 posts

223 months

Saturday 19th November 2011
quotequote all
Janosh said:
Agreed - that second stage in the Pyrenees is serious... I can not believe that the Alps Etape with almost 5km of vertical climb is considered the easy option!
There's a 20% gradient - that's enough to fall off backwards!

Raoul Duke

938 posts

192 months

Sunday 20th November 2011
quotequote all
Pah 20% is for wimps....;)

Looking at the act 2 myself at the moment and testing myself against the Tourmalet, gulp... Need to decide if i should be lazy and do an organised trip via Sports Tours International, or do it independantly. Prefer travelling independance normally but something like this would perhaps benefit from someone else sorting out the finer details.

matt-ITR

892 posts

218 months

Wednesday 23rd November 2011
quotequote all
Enter both Etape's this morning, just waiting for the Marmotte entries to be released now.

I am going to do it myself, but Sportstours come well recommended, if a little expensive.
Not sure how I am going to work out the logistics of Marmotte & Act 1 just yet, could be a tight squeeze to get signed-in on time.

Raoul Duke

938 posts

192 months

Thursday 24th November 2011
quotequote all
Matt, can i ask how your going to sort out getting your bike from the finish line etc?
Spent a bit of time looking at accomodation locally and apart from rooms booked up by the tour operators there is next to nothing available in Pau. So to go independantly my only option is to stay somewhere fairly local - there's plenty of accomm within 30km - then drive to the start line in the morning and leave the car in Pau. However I cant see any rider + bike transport back to Pau from the finish line, only the shuttle which runs the night before to allow you to leave your car at the finish line which isn't practical if your staying out of the town.
Do you know of any shuttle service that can be booked that will carry bikes back? Not sure that i fancy riding back to Pau from the finish line to collect my things after completing the event!

matt-ITR

892 posts

218 months

Thursday 24th November 2011
quotequote all
Which event do you mean? Etape Act 2?
I've not looked into the logistics of that one yet, Act1 & Marmotte are more tricky and need to be worked out first.

Last year for Etape Act 1 I met up with another brit. I met him at the finish the day before, we then drove to the start stayed there 1 night and after the event we drove back to the start.
Worked out pretty well, although we had to wait ages for all the riders to finish before being allowed to leave.

Raoul Duke

938 posts

192 months

Thursday 24th November 2011
quotequote all
Yes its Act 2 that i'm looking at entering, sure that the will be plenty of people around to share a lift back to Pau with, but its one of those things that i would prefer to have sorted in advance rather than take a chance on. Suspect that there is a ready market for someone with a mini-bus and trailer to make some cash ferrying riders and bikes back to the start.