Etape du Tour 2023

Johnny Jukebox

Another hard day out. The final 2 climbs are very tough and the descent into Morzine is steep, narrow and technical. Similar to the finish in 2016 when the Ramaz was skipped for the Etape due to rockfall.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058269414/etape-du-tour-2023

Got the early signup email for this earlier, seriously thinking about it as its something i've wanted to do for about 15 years but kept missing the registration.

Looking through the signup, the transfer to/from Annemase & Morzine are as expensive as doing the Etape itself! Bike rental not cheap either...probably cheaper to just bring my own bike!

Londonirish72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119805461#Comment_119805461

I've done a few Etapes and the Marmotte too. The logistics are often an issue and can add stress to a day when you should be able to relax at the end of a long time in the saddle. For example, this year's Etape finished at the top of Alpe d'Huez but cyclists were forbidden to descend the Alpe after a cut-off point in the afternoon (though quite a few dodged the gendarmes to do so). My friends who did cycle it this year did not get back to their accomodation until late at night and then had an early start to return home - no one seemed to enjoy the experience much.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119822880#Comment_119822880

I checked it out, Morzine back to Annemasse is about 50k on a different road and mostly downhill, so not too bad. I signed up anyway without the transport, will just take it handy and freewheel back afterwards.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119805461#Comment_119805461

No need for a transfer to/from Annemasse. Just stay in Geneva and there is a tram.

You can rent a bike from a few places in Geneva, but its probably going to be cheaper to bring your own indeed.

This is by far the easiest course in the last while in terms of access. I would highly recommend it even though it doesn't have any spectacular climbs. Though Joux Plaine is quite a nice one.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119823486#Comment_119823486

you can freewheel down to Thonon on the lake, then its a 30k flat ride back to Geneva.

at1withmyself

I've done it 4 times and always bought my own bike as I prefer having my own. Well worth doing as great atmosphere on the road and by the spectators.

I think it was 2018 and I cycled back to the start which was 35km and mostly flat and downhill so doable once you refuel at the finish.

Go, enjoy, suffer, enjoy, suffer some more :-) Also I'd recommend going for 5 days plus and doing a spin or 2 beforehand with a rest day afterwards.

The registration at the village can be kinda cool as loads of manufacturers have stands there displaying their latest & greatest, the tour is on the big screen and some food stalls. Not everyone's cup of tea but I always enjoyed it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119805461#Comment_119805461

Podge_irl

Missed the original signup but just got a waiting list bib. Still not 100% sure I'll do it, but considering the start line is about 10km from where I live it seems silly not to give it a go.

retalivity

Less than 5 weeks out from this, anyone else signup in the end?

Flying over to Geneva Thurs morning, back Mon night. Staying in Annemasee, and have a bike rented for the 4 days, the more i looked into transporting my own bike the less I was arsed in doing it.

EDIT:

I see they now have the official route on the site and strava

https://www.strava.com/routes/3100782509427308996

https://storage-aso.lequipe.fr/ASO/institutional_aso/edt-parcours.pdf

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120156465#Comment_120156465

helpfully two weeks after I posted this I tore my MCL (having previously torn my ACL in the same knee) and recovery has been meh, so I'm still very unsure I'll make the start line.

Johnny Jukebox

That was a blast. Last 2 climbs were very difficult and the heat was unbearable.

Delighted to have completed it and will probably be back for more next year. Its one of the great events.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840170#Comment_120840170

I'm still recovering, the heat from about noon onwards was something else. I was so close to abandoning when i got to the top of Ramaz, sat there for about 20 mins contemplating what to do, decided to descend and see how i felt. Pressed on and struggled up the Joux Plane, I was one of many who just got off the bike and walked a few k in the middle. Glad that I did persist and finished it, thought to myself that evening it was a 1 and done, as it was so difficult, but starting to row backwards on that already!

The amount of people on the road was great, the French really do go all out for cycling, even massive sportives like this. And the amount of food/drink/gels etc. available everywhere was fantastic, by the 2nd half of the day i was well down the pack but there was still plenty of everything you needed at every stop.

Took me 10.5h in total, 8.5h on the bike

https://www.strava.com/activities/9419853219

There was a fcuk up with the transport back afterwards, ended up cycling back from to Annemasse from Morzine myself. Thankfully it was mostly downhill, and the legs had recovered after 45mins rest, pasta and a pint in Morzine. Another 53k, so did 210k for the day!

retalivity

A month on, finally got around to putting all the videos together of my jaunt around the Alps with 16,000 other people...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJlxq0GxWr0