Tour de Etape

backtothecaves

Anyone ever done, or know of anyone else who has done this?
Someone asked me to join him for next years Etape. It looks pretty tough, This year they are doing a 172km stage, which ends with a 21km climb. I'm not even sure how I could train for that, short of doing it on a turbo trainer. It's always been a dream of mine though, so it might be a good chance to go with a group.

didds

i've several chums that have done it/attempted it.

Its a serious undertaking... it has something like 12000 starters, 8000 finishers. Lots of big climbing, lots of fast descents.

but if you have the time to train its a great adventure by the sounds of it; a mate that is about to do his second hired a coach for his first effort. now, like everything take this stuff with a pinch of salt, but this coach's advice was to my mate

"If you are not already doing 140 miles a week training by MAY then forget it".

Another chum that lives in St Albans once famously answer the phone to mutual friend and told him "can;t chat, just off for a training ride. To Brighton. and back

I got the impression from all my mates that did it/attempted it that its not the milage that difficult to do here in the UK, but depending on where you live its the hills/mountains that are difficult to train for.


didds

backtothecaves

Thanks for the comments. It sounds pretty serious. The guy who asked me is very fit but he doesn't even have a bicycle yet so I am doubting his ability to do it now I've seen your comments.
The big thing for me is the hills as you've both said. I live in Nottingham so the best I could do would be to go to the Peak District and find some long hills.