L'Etape do Tour Preparations

For the last 30 years, L’Etape du Tour has been providing the opportunity for amateur cyclists to live the legend of the Tour de France by riding the same route under the same, closed roads, conditions as the Pro’s.

Taking it steady. There’s a big day ahead!

Each year a different mountain stage of TdF is selected and for 2023 the chosen stage is stage 14 between Annemasse and Morzine. This route involves 157km with more than 4,100 metres of accumulated positive elevation gain, including the climbs of col de Saxel, col de Cou, col de Feu, col de la Ramaz et col de Joux Plane. It’s a mighty challenge.

Since the beginning of the year we have been helping a couple of guys to prepare for their Etape challenge. We’ve provided advice on their training plans, organised a winter camp in Spain where we found climbs that provided similar lengths and gradients of the ones they will face in July, and then more recently have hosted them in Wales for some big days on the bike.

It’s not often that the average cyclist has a 4000m + climbing day and so its good to prepare. Building leg strength and conditioning through steadily increasing the climbing kilometres is one side of the preparation. Just as important though is building confidence and belief by carefully ramping up the level of difficulty of riding challenges.

In our most recent Wales camp, we set a goal of a 3000m+ climbing day for the first time ever and a total climbing goal of 4500m over two days.

That’s the last big climb done

Our riders were nervous and a little apprehensive but they trusted in our process and nailed each of the challenges that were set.

It’s days like these that provide mental as well as physical benefits.

We have one last camp with them early in June and then look forward to hearing all about the adventure that their big Etape day will bring in July.