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Details confirmed for L'Etape du Tour 2019 (+ video)Etape du Tour 2019

Details confirmed for L'Etape du Tour 2019 (+ video)

135km route runs from Albertville to Val Thorens in the French Alps with three big climbs
by Simon_MacMichael
Thu, Oct 25, 2018 12:26
8

As well as the route of the 2019 Tour de France being announced in Paris today, organisers ASO have also confirmed details of next year’s L’Etape du Tour, the cyclosportive that attracts 15,000 riders annually, the largest foreign contingent being from the UK.

Mirroring the route of Stage 20 of the race, it takes place on Sunday 21 July and covers 135 kilometres from Albertville to Val Thorens in the French Alps.

The summit finish will be preceded by two other climbs, the Cormet de Roselend and Cote de Longefoy for a total height gain of 4,563 metres.

Places go on sale from next Monday 29 October via the event’s website.

L'Etape Du Tour
L'Etape du Tour 2019
Tour de France 2019
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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8 comments

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hobbeldehoy | 5 years ago
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The main reason I would prefer my own bike is sizing and customization. I've rented bikes in Majorca before without any hassle. This company (https://alps-bike-rental.com/etape-du-tour-road-bike-hire) rent decent bikes and my tour organizer has a deal with them. But I've heard a number of stories of bikes not arriving with the passenger, damage to bikes etc. I guess I'll make my mind up nearer the time. The last time I flew to Paris then got the train to St Etienne and the total number of riders was nearer 6000. It was before the internet and booking was through a brochure rather than online.

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hobbeldehoy | 5 years ago
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Just signed up for it with Sportive Breaks. I did it 20 years ago next July in 1999 on my steel Carrera Virtuoso I got from Halfords. Route was St Galmier to St Flour over Le Puy de Dome. It was about 140 miles long. This is 83 miles. Presumably the higher altitude is making the difference. I'll do a few hundred milers here in Scotland beforehand on my todd, I think I should be fit enough. My main dilemma this time is whether to take my own bike or use one of the rental bikes.

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crazy-legs replied to hobbeldehoy | 5 years ago
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hobbeldehoy wrote:

My main dilemma this time is whether to take my own bike or use one of the rental bikes.

I did EdT in 2016 and we had a bit of a nightmare with taking bikes out there. Problem was that hundreds and hundreds of people were trying to fly into Geneva on the Friday night and bieks were being left on the tarmac at the departure airport simply due to available space on the aircraft., We weren't the only ones sitting in Geneva airport until very late at night waiting for bikes to come in on subsequent flights.

It made everything very rushed indeed and then we found on Saturday morning that the mech hanger on my bike had sheared. It left a very fraught Saturday of trying to get it fixed, trying to register and then sorting the logistics for after the ride (we drove the hire car out to a town about 40km from the finish town and rode back to our chalet near the start).

If I was doing it again I'd suggest getting out there at least 3 days beforehand just to give time to get everything sorted and to acclimitise to the altitude (and heat - it was absolutely baking in 2016, lots of people suffering heatstroke).

And in spite of the above, I'd absolutely recommend taking your own bike. Rental places will be booked out so any issues with sizing will be difficult to rectify and it's not the sort of event where you want to be plummeting down an Alp at 50mph in close proximity to hundreds of others on an unfamiliar bike...

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lostshrimp | 5 years ago
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Kind of looks La Marmotte without Alpe d'Huez 

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kevvjj | 5 years ago
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2015 all over again... same distance and height gain. It's tough.

the aim is to start as early as you can regardless of the start time issued - you really want to be on the bike no later than 7:30am as the broom wagon is merciless, as discovered in 2015 where no thought was given to thoudands of riders delayed almost an hour by an accident early on in the ride on the first descent. If worse comes to worse you simply refuse to get off your bike but rip off your number (as many did in 2015) and continue on.

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othello replied to kevvjj | 5 years ago
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kevvjj wrote:

2015 all over again... same distance and height gain. It's tough.

the aim is to start as early as you can regardless of the start time issued - you really want to be on the bike no later than 7:30am as the broom wagon is merciless, as discovered in 2015 where no thought was given to thoudands of riders delayed almost an hour by an accident early on in the ride on the first descent. If worse comes to worse you simply refuse to get off your bike but rip off your number (as many did in 2015) and continue on.

I was there in 2015 as well and got caught behind that accident on the first descent. I lost an hour, and went too deep in the valley to make up time, and cracked on the Glandon. Stupid mistake by me, but the broom wagon was, as you say, merciless. 

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Timsen | 5 years ago
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Can I respectfully suggest that if you're worried by the broom wagon, this is not an event for you.

At over 4,500m of climbing this will be a serious day out for anybody.

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othello | 5 years ago
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Assuming the usual set-up, the key is to get to the bottom of Val Thorens before any cut-off time. Then you are safe to tackle the climb at whatever paceyou can manage. Get over the Roseland, and a large amount is downhill. 

 

I'm convincing myself here, as my only previous attempt I got pulled on the Glandon, after suffering in the heat and altitude. 

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