Etape du Tour 2017

What a palaver!

Think I'll risk it then. I can't see an admin person in France being too interested but if they were, my medical records would show that my heart's been assessed beyond doubt, what with an ECG flagging up "suspected left ventricular hypertrophy", before a follow-up echocardiogram merely confirmed the symptoms being explained by having a big heart. (Awww!)

One boring thing to consider is that you can fake a form, but if you have a crash and need to make an insurance claim, it may be found out...

Jealous of you Etapsters. Did it in 2014 in Pyrenees and it was a complete blast (Tourmalet + Hautacam). Dress for crazy weather though - we had sun, rain, hail, snow. Descending the Tourmalet in the sleet without a waterproof top (handed over to brother who had forgotten his as I had a marginally warmer microfleece and I'm a feckin saint) was an utter nightmare. Grown men whimpering by the side of the road, bikes with high speed wobbles cos their arms were shaking so much (hint - grab the top tube with yer knees).

Brilliant route this year - returning to Briancon via a route that won't have all the slower Etapsters coming up will be a godsend.

Good luck all. Send pix.

People should be getting their bib and starting pen numbers by now. I have mine which gives me an 08:00am start which I'm hoping will allow me to get farther up the road before the merciless heat kicks in.

My start time last year was about 09:30am which meant more frying time out in the Alpine sun.

just got mine....pen 11, 8.22.30 start time. Number 11,070...how many entries are there???

same as me

there is @Klar @HoKe and @TheArchitect as well

Pen 7, 7:52 start. Is there leeway on starting in a later pen? (Bro is in pen 8.) And if so, will chip time still work OK if I'm after a time?

There is only an 8 minute difference in your start times. There are a thousand people per pen So if you were at the front of your pen and he at the back of his that would stretch it out a bit.

I'm guessing you want to ride together so just wait for him at a prearranged spot and you'll be fine.

The broom wagon will be your Nemesis but only if you blow-up or linger too long.

Pens 7-8 should be alright.

Or is it the case that you want to get into his pen?

It would just be nice to at least start riding together. I'm caught between enjoying the occasion and being a bit competitive; we're not too different on the flat and I'm inclined to start conservatively anyway, but I'm quicker on the climbs, so we'll split up eventually.

The organisation seems pretty efficient to me. I reckon they would take a dim view on trying to jump up a pen but jumping down maybe you could say you overslept?

But yes those timing chips know everything you do.

Cool, cheers. Yeah, might be like London Marathon where they're not so bothered about people starting in later pens rather than earlier ones. Will see what I can negotiate.

Having ridden the Etape with a mate, I wouldn't bother waiting for your brother. The peloton is a maelstrom and you'll soon get separated, even if you do manage to hook up. (I'd definitely advise against waiting at the side of the road for him close to the start, you'll never get the space to get back into the peloton until pretty much everyone is passed you).

A mate who is out there now has just messaged me to say that he'd done 40 miles on the flat today and it was 35 degrees.

It was pretty toasty when @Doctor_Cake and I did it. Not sure it was that toasty...but on the valley floor it was bad.

We saw 40 degrees a few weeks back in the valleys. Not fun.

Same here, gate 7, bib 7492.

Will be on the crackyon and forum skinsuit.

This will be perfect to top up my sexy tan lines...

Mad envious of you all. Take loads of pics.

But not of the Broom wagon

i got 8.07 start (gate 9), but have friends in 8.22 (gate 11) and 8.37 (gate 13)...

given the crazy volume of people, and what @andyp said, sounds like meeting up after starting is not a goer.

what are the chances they could jump forward into my gate (we'd like the advantage of the extra 30 minutes head start over the broom wagon!!), given said crazy volume of people? do they do strict checks?

alternatively, should i try go into the later gate, and will they let me in..?

do they do strict checks?

You are electronically timed it may be viewed as cheating.

Perhaps you could all meet up at the first feed station?

I was in pen 13 last year and was going good but then I lost a lot of time on the poxy Jeaux Plan but the broom wagon didn't sweep us up.

If you are already on the last mountain the broomy will (generally) let you go.

Packed and ready to go, tomorrow me and @TheArchitect will be driving down to France. We will probably do a little exploring before the l'etape.

What day you and your crew going to be in France @amey?

Tomorrow! Till Sunday 23rd in Briancon.

Quiet on here. Beautiful weather in the Alps and really looking forward to le depart. Warm-up hills since Thursday have included Alpe d'Huez, Croix de Fer/Glandon and Les Lacets de Monvernier. (Rest day today.) Loving it!

Bon chance everyone for tomorrow.

The ron cooper still looking mint

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