About the L’Etape du Tour
First held in 1993 this is now organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) who host the Tour de France. L’Etape du Tour is a mass participation cyclosportive that allows amateur cyclists to race over the same closed roads as the Tour de France stage.
The 32nd edition will be held on 7th July 2024, a 138km route that replicates the 20th stage of the 2024 Tour de France, and includes 4,600 meters of climbing.
Standard registration for this event has recently sold out, but there are still opportunities to take part and can be found here. The simplest and hassle-free way is to purchase a package via a Tour operator, such as Sportive Breaks, who I have used previously.
About the route
The 2024 L’Etape du Tour will take place in Nice on Sunday 7th July. Starting a few streets from the beach and finishing at the top of the Col de la Couillole, this 138km ride will feature a combined total of 4,600 meters of climbing. The ascent on the final climb being a testing 7% average gradient, lasting 15.7km. Other climbs to tackle during the day include the Col de Braus (10 kilometres at 6.6%) and the Col de Turini which is the longest at 20.7 kilometres at 5.7% and the highest point being 1,608 metres above sea level, making a total ascent of 4,600 meters. Like the Tour de France, the roads will be closed and only open to those participating in the event.
Zwift and L’Etape du Tour
This year, Zwift is an official partner and to celebrate this and to help those taking part to prepare for the real-life event, will host a series of events starting in February to help those prepare for the undertaking. There will be monthly two-stage Fondos over weekends in February, March, April, and July.
In addition, Zwift will also introduce an eight-week training program for the L’Etape du Tour and add some of the famous climbs from the route to Zwift’s Climb Portal. This feature will allow riders to learn the climbs so will know what to expect during the day. Forewarned is forearmed.
Utilising Zwift’s Climb Portal will be an ideal way to get accustomed to the volume of climbing required, ensuring that when you are at the start line, you are as well prepared as you can possibly be.
Summing Up
I am excited about this collaboration because it provides an opportunity for those who are not blessed with mountains on their doorstep the opportunity to train in a safe environment on the climbs that will be tackled on the route. This is a truly unique and special experience.
