Ever wondered how a classic Tour de France climb like the Col de la Croix de Fer or the Alpe d'Huez (both on this year's tour) compare to the likes of the Wicklow Gap or the Conor Pass? Or how a big Alpine sportive like L'Etape du Tour compares with say the Wicklow 200? Read on, and have Derek Handley let you know what's in store!

l'Étape du Tour 2015 – Route Preview

Derek Handley

On Sunday 19th July a bunch of us from Orwell will join 15,000 others taking part in this year's Etape in the French Alps. I thought I'd buck the trend and write something about the event BEFORE it takes place. I'll try to give a rough idea of how the climbs in the Etape compare to an Orwell club spin or Irish Sportive.

The Etape is a nomadic event which gives amateur cyclists a chance to experience a stage of the Tour de France a few days before the pros do it – on closed roads with police outriders and cheering crowds like the real deal. This year the organisers have chosen Stage 19 of the Tour, which the pros will ride on Friday 24th July (5 days after we amateurs have had a go).

It's a hilly affair which packs just over 5,000m of climbing into 140km. To put that into context, the Wicklow 200 has about 2,800m in 200km whilst our own Orwell Randonnee was threatening 2,350m in 155km before rain stopped play. Barring one flattish 28km transition, we'll either be climbing or descending all day. The route is very similar to the 2012 Etape and, whilst not long, they say it will be one of the tougher Etapes, especially if it's a hot day. Hopefully we won't have to contend with the 40 degree temperatures which faced the Marmotters on 4th July.

After a short roll-out from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne it's straight down to business with the 16km ascent of the Col de Chaussy - maximum gradient 12%, average 7.4%. Chaussy is a lesser known climb making its Tour debut this year, but it looks spectacular. There's a stretch of balcony road clinging to a cliff-face near the summit which should be particularly memorable:

Anyone who has cycled to Sally Gap (from any direction) will have overcome short pitches in excess of 12%, but the thing about these Alpine climbs is that they are relentless. They just go on, and on, and on at a fairly constant gradient, with no let-up in the climbing or opportunity to recover every few minutes. It's a matter of finding a tempo you can tap out for an hour or two and digging in. A comparison with some familiar local climbs gives some idea of relative gradient and duration (vertical axis in metres, horizontal in kilometres):

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But comparing elevation gain (aka amount of climbing) is only half the story. The other thing you need to factor-in is that the Alpine climbs are at far greater elevation (altitude) than we are used to in Ireland. High altitude causes your heart rate and breathing to speed up as your body seeks to adapt to thinner air, and potentially leads to dizziness or feeling weak. Comparing the three climbs again at their actual altitudes makes the point:

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The descent off Chaussy to the food stop in La Chambre, back down in the Maurienne Valley, will be a welcome relief. We'll get in some descending practice in the days before the event because you can't really practice this type of descending in Ireland, either in terms of duration or technicality, i.e. the steep hairpin bends. What goes up must come down, so the descents are as relentless as the ascents. There are three major ones on the route and each will last for 20-25 minutes – think in terms of that steep couple of kilometres after Glenmacnass Waterfall heading towards Laragh, but lasting 10 times longer. You can hit top speeds you just don't reach in Ireland - or not for long anyway. It can be reasonably terrifying initially but you do get used to it after the first few minutes. The trick is to relax, don't over-use your brakes (or your rims might overheat and blow a tyre) and remain vigilant for what's coming up ahead and what's going on around you with other riders.

With the first descent in the bag, we then go north along the valley floor for about 14km, turn around, and head back to Saint Etienne des Cuines – directly opposite La Chambre across the valley. Ironically this 28km flat stage could be my undoing if I am not careful. Whilst you need to latch onto a group for all the usual reasons to do with conserving energy, and you want to take advantage of the only flat section of the course, it's all too easy to get sucked into a group that's just a little bit too fast for your ability. I made this mistake in a similar transition further down the Maurienne Valley in last year's Marmotte and it was nearly my undoing – I had a rough time on the following climb (the Col du Telegraphe) and wondered in the noonday heat if I would be able to finish at all.

Next up is the second climb of the day, and it's the Biggy – the 23km ascent of the legendary Col de la Croix de Fer incorporating its Siamese twin, the equally legendary Col du Glandon at about 19kms up. I'll be wobbling up this combo for at least 2.5 hours. This is the side of the Glandon the Marmotte descends down, so we'll be doing part of the Marmotte route in reverse. That means I know all too well what awaits us – a decent road in shaded woodland at a mellow 7% until about half way up when the road becomes exposed above the tree line with no shelter from sun or wind. It also narrows significantly, disintegrates into a dodgy (but homely) Wicklow County Council surface and pitches up to well over 12% for the last 3kms to the top of the Glandon. Still, I'd much rather be going in this year's direction as I have yet to fall UP a hill.

Here's the view from my handlebars going in the other direction near the top of the Glandon last year (spot the -15% gradient on the Garmin, bottom left):

After cresting the Glandon and partaking in a much-welcomed food stop, there's a small drop before the final few kilometres climb at a civilised 6% to the top of the Croix de Fer (the Cross of Fire). Here's Bradley Wiggins and friends taking it on during Stage 11 of the 2012 Tour:

There's a nice 14km descent off the Croix de Fer to the base of the third (and smallest) climb of the day, although a recent Strava post warns us that the first two kilometres are very challenging – poor surface and very technical. The Col du Mollard is only about 5.7km at an average of 6.8%, with a short ramp at 11%. I say ‘only 5.7km' in the context of the Etape – but the Mollard is comparable to any number of climbs we're used to in Ireland. Here are a few around Dublin and Wicklow, with the Conor Pass thrown in for the TKAS aficionados:

But again, you have to factor-in the different elevation – not to mention the foregoing delights of Chaussy, Glandon/Croix de Fer:

The final climb of the day follows a 15km descent off the Col du Mollard. La Toussuire is a decent climb of 18km at about 6%, with a few steeper pitches en route to the ski resort at the summit.

It is a relative newcomer to the Tour (first appearing only in 2006) but became immortalized by the Chris Froome versus Bradley Wiggins stand-off during the 2012 Tour. Froome had been shepherding Wiggins along but was clearly the stronger climber and appeared to make a brake before being hauled back by team orders. We'll never know if he dropped Wiggins accidentally or on purpose. Froome “accidentally” dropping Wiggins on La Toussuire:

 

As you can see from the chart below, the climb is similar in length to the climb from Laragh to Sally gap, but considerably higher and steeper. Out of curiosity I threw in Alpe d'Huez too, as that is the finale to La Marmotte and is a real mental test when you arrive at the base of it having already completed a real tough 160km. La Toussuire is 4km longer but not as steep (6% versus 8% averages) and comes after only 125km (albeit with a similar amount of climbing in the legs), so I'm hopeful that it won't be the head-wrecker that the Alpe was last year – but I don't want to tempt fate too much and will be treating it with all due respect and caution.

So, pulling it all together, how does the Etape stack up against an Irish sportive like the Wicklow 200? Well, a picture paints a thousand words so have a look and decide for yourself:

Having said that, I think this particular picture does some disservice to the Wicklow 200. Sure, if you cycled both at similar intensity the Etape is tons harder – but in reality you don't (at least I don't). In all honesty last year's Wicklow 200 was one of my toughest ever days on a bike, going at a fair clip in poor weather conditions. The Marmotte drained me too, but in a different way, as I rode well within myself all day to make sure I would get to the base of Alpe d'Huez before the cut-off time (which I managed with 17 minutes to spare, and then suffered and suffered again all the way up the Alpe). Please Toussuire, be kind to us this year!