L'Etape du Tour

[flight147z]

Anyone else in for 2020? I am

Link

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I've not done it before but I'm really looking forward to it.

I booked entry only, so I need to sort my own accomodation, flight and transport.

I'm also planning on hiring a bike rather than paying to transport my own there

I think I'll fly to Nice on either Thursday night or Friday and then come back on Monday afternoon

I've not done any cycling in the mountains before so will need to get some training in too!

For those that have done it before, how hard is it to avoid the time cuts?

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Do you normally hire a bike or take your own?

I think price wise it makes sense for me to hire one given I don't have a bike box or anything like that

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I'm also going to get an AirBNB - Either for 3 or 4 nights, depending on what day I fly out (I'll fly back on Monday)

The official packages seemed expensive to me so that was the only real option!

Will cycle each day I'm there to make the most of it

Logistically Nice seems like an easy one to plan for compared to some of the locations in the past

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I also wanted to do the Maratona but unfortunately it's on the same date (not sure if that's always the case?) so I'll have to leave that one for another year

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Flights and AirBNB now booked - arriving in Nice at around 21:00 on Thursday night and then leaving on Monday night at around 23:00

Plan is to hire a bike from Friday-Monday then do a test run in the mountains on Friday, an easy ride on Saturday then whatever I can be bothered to do on Monday! If anyone has a recommended place to hire from it would be great to hear. There are a few online that I have found so far with prices between €40 and €200 per day depending on the bike

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Mark83 said:

I'm in too.

This'll be my 4th etape (2015, 16 & 17). We hadn't planned on doing another as, being honest, they're not much fun. Too many people. Feed stations have been rubbish and a scramble. Logistically can be an issue. We had planned a trip to Nice for next year, it's easy to fly to and it's a circular route so we piggy backed the Etape.

We've always taken our own bikes. We're flying to Nice on the Thursday. Our wives are flying out on the Monday and we're all heading home on the Thursday. Accommodation is through Airbnb. Flying with EasyJet.

Starting positions are allocated on your expected finish times. My first etape I was in the 15th pen to start, my last was the 6th pen although missed the start and joined a mate further back. You can move pens but only later/higher numbers.

Cut off times are announced much closer to event. I was timed out of my first etape at the top of the Glandon when the red Skoda passed me 100m from the summit. TBH, I was spandangled. It was high 30s and I had sat on the front along a valley between the Chaussy and Glandon. Riding up I passed people sat in streams, people sat vomiting at the side of the road and in foetal positions with a doctor putting a drip in their arm. At the top, I summited to see hundreds had called it a day, laying salt stained on the grass. Helicopters were taking the extremely affected riders off the mountain while the walking wounded waited for the buses.

Next two Etapes were less difficult. Still hot though and I don't do well in extreme heat. I never sat on the front, lesson learned front the first. Paced myself etc. I'm no mountain goat either, 90-100kg and FTP nudging 300w. I wouldn't trust the feed stations, take food with you unless you like cheese, crackers and fruitcake. It's pathetic. I hope they've improved since 2017. The UK Etape (former Chilterns 100) had great food at their feed stations.

Could organise a group ride on the Friday or Saturday? Something easy. Ride out to Monaco? I don't plan on burning any matches before the Sunday.

Edited by Mark83 on Sunday 27th October 19:19

Edited by Mark83 on Sunday 27th October 19:27

Edited by Mark83 on Sunday 27th October 19:28

Thanks for this - very helpful. I'm up for a group ride - perhaps Saturday?

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Well I've had to change my plans on bikes - I can't really find anything that is available that I fancy using so now I am looking at taking my own!

£60 each way on Ryanair and I also need to buy a bike box to put it in - these seem to start at around £130

I also need to work out if it will even fit in my car

Overall I think it will be a nicer experience completing it on my own bike and possibly a little cheaper too

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langy said:

There are lots of people who hire bike boxes. To buy a decent hard case will set you back around £400

That sounds high - the Canyon one is only £224 (I have a canyon) and I can't imagine that's the cheapest one?

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Mark83 said:

I would rather ride my own bike than hire one.

Looks like I'm driving out with my wife now as we're making a holiday of it, driving on to Italy afterwards. I have a Bike Box Alan that I won't be using so if you live near Hertfordshire, let me know if you want to borrow it.

Thanks for the offer - I'm in the Midlands so unfortunately this won't work but I'm grateful

From doing a little research those boxes appear to be at the top end so I'll take the advice here and rent one I think!

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wattsm666 said:

I’m surprised this still has not been cancelled, anyone else got a view.

I assume they will decide at the same time as the Tour - it can't be long before a call is made on that

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towser44 said:

flight147z said:

wattsm666 said:

I’m surprised this still has not been cancelled, anyone else got a view.

I assume they will decide at the same time as the Tour - it can't be long before a call is made on that

Sounds like you'll be doing it behind closed doors like the Tour :-)

Can't see how the tour can be done without fans. Expect both will be called off in due course.