The organiser of the Etape du Tour has announced that entries have opened for this July’s events. Because of the usual huge demand for places on what is arguably the reference cyclosportif event, there will be two separate “Etapes” organised for the first time in the history.
The first “etape” will be the short, sharp 109km Alpine stage between Modane and Alpe d’Huez, taking in the Cols du Télégraphe and Galibier; while the second, almost a week later, will be the far longer, and arguably tougher, 208km stage between Issoire and Saint-Flour.
The events offer different challenges, with the first crossing the high mountains of the Alps and the second covering the rolling hills of the volcanic central region; organisers challenge some of the most ambitious amateur riders to complete both.
In the past the single “etape” has been open to a maximum number of 9000 riders, which creates issues for riders and the host towns. “In order to put rider comfort first,” say the organisers, “the size of the field is limited for each event to 6,000 participants.”
Entries can be made via an online form, open to overseas as well as French riders, on the official website www.letapedutour.com; there is also a paper form available in the November issue of the organiser’s sister publication: French magazine Velo.