By Breathe Bike?- (Twitter @BreatheBike) So the Etape and the Tour de France are over! An epic 3 weeks for British cycling culminating in Wiggo’s win. Looking at the Etape Act 1 from Albertville to Les Toussieres I have a confession to make. This was the toughest 8 hours on a bike I have ever experienced! It made last years Etape from Modane to Alp D’Huez look like an afternoon ride to the cafe and back and for anyone who has ridden the Marmotte, well, this Etape was equally as tough. With a cool start to the day and some rain immediately before the flag dropped, this weather continued over the Col de la Madeleine with many punctures however Mavic seemed very organised this year and there seemed to be plenty of assistance. Once over the Col and down into the Maurienne Valley the temperature started to rocket and already on the Glandon and Croix de Fer riders were starting to suffer from cramp. The Mollard was the ‘easy’ climb of the day however with a super technical descent made a little easier with the closed roads. Plummeting down to St Jean de Maurienne the heat was really starting to have an effect and must have been up near 30 degrees. For me the last climb to Les Toussieres was a grind and eventually crossing the line in 8 hours 3 mins, 45 minutes later than I had targeted. The one disappointing thing in this years Etape was the food at the end. In the Alps we are able to ride a cyclosportive every weekend, mainly organised by ski resorts ‘club des sports’ and each weekand the food after the event is of a high standard. NOT at the Etape! A packet of cakes, a strawberry flavoured water, an apple and a banana! Not good enough Monsieur ASO, must try harder. So onto the Tour! Back in Chamonix we had a full Chalet for the TdF, and with 2 stages in the region, on the non tour days we took on our own mini Tour de France over the Cols in the region. So for me my Etape recovery ride was our regular loop over the Col de la Colombiere and the Col des Aravis. Tour day and we’re over on the Col de la Grand Colombier. This is an epic climb and seems to be getting the reputation as one of, if not the toughest climb in the Alps. I was amazed that they got the Tour caravan over some sections of the climb. It was the first time this climb had been used in the Tour, having previoulsy be used in the Criterium dauphine and the Tour de l’avenir. Epic views down the Aix les Bains and the lake. Its a region we need to explore further. Following this we were over again to to the Albertville to Les Toussieres stage and placed ourselves on the lower slopes of the Madeleine to watch the Sky Train. Last day in the Alps for our guests and we opted to take on the Joux Plaine which had been used in the Criterium Dauphine earlier in the year. We have a suspicion that the JP will return to the Tour in 2013 for the 100th TdF. Its not been used in the TdF since 2006 and Landis’ drug fueled ascent. After a quick pit stop in Morzine we went over the Col de la Jouxe verte. This is the back road up to Avoriaz. Much more spectacular than the main road and brings you out just short of the TdF finish line in 2010. So an epic few weeks in the Alps especially for us Brits. Congrats to Wiggo and Team Sky:we’re already counting down to the 100th TdF in 2013!
