Etape du Tour

[DerekL]

Hi,
I have just entered the 2010 Etape du Tour and was looking for some training tips. I am not a club cyclist but on a good week can do about 100~125 miles commuting. (I have to say that the roads on my commute are fairly flat) I know that the road to Pau will be hard so any advice will be gratfully received. I am doing this as a 50th birthday present for myself.

Thanks

DerekL

 

[addictfreak]

Could have gone for a lap dance instead it would be easier lol

 

[davidg]

polar have some stuff on their website, which y ou have to register on
this would be fairly basic stuff though....I would buy a book a create your own

 

[TheDoctor]

Do not underestimate the challenge. That's the warning out of the way.
Now, the advice bit.
You need to be comfortable riding all day, so do some long rides.
You also need to be able to climb. I don't know where you are, but find the longest hill near you. Ride it repeatedly - you're going to be climbing for a good couple of hours at a time.
Make sure the bike is in good nick. Beg, buy or borrow some lightweight wheels - they'll make the climbing easier. And get some good low gears.
And get fit. Get light. The thing that made most difference when I did Ventoux was losing 10kg. The carbon bike helped, as did the low gearing, but not dragging those extra kilos up made all the difference.
Enjoy it! It's a challenge, but it's doable. Have a search around on CC, and you'll find people who've done things like this and posted about them.
Oh - and

 

[Crankarm]

Hi,
I have just entered the 2010 Etape du Tour and was looking for some training tips. I am not a club cyclist but on a good week can do about 100~125 miles commuting. (I have to say that the roads on my commute are fairly flat) I know that the road to Pau will be hard so any advice will be gratfully received. I am doing this as a 50th birthday present for myself.

Thanks

DerekL

All the above posts. Don't give yourself a heart attack as after all you are in the most at risk age bracket especially if you don't ride that much only 100-125 miles over a week isn't enough really. You don't say which area of the country you are. You need to put a lot more road miles in and search out hills - The Devil's Staircase in Wales, ride it a few times in succession or in the Lake or Peak Districts. Most on the Etape de Tour will be decent club cyclists or more so unless you seriously get fit and light you are going to struggle. A fellow club rider who is a pretty decent rider did it this summer and he found it hard. Why not ride Ventoux on another day at your leisure with a couple of friends?

What you are anticipating doing is like passing your driving test then wanting to take part in the Monaco Grand Prix .

 

[Garz]

*Disarms Crankarm*

Let's not completely gun the poor man down eh!

 

[Tim Bennet.]

I did the Etape du Tour in my first summer as a roadie and at about the same age. If you get the miles and hills in, it's perfectly do-able.

Make sure you also know enough about feeding and drinking on a long ride and have a good grasp of bike fettling (gears and punctures) as this is the downfall of many as well.