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Etape du Tour 2016 Review

11,158 cyclists complete this year’s Etape in Morzine

featured in Events reviews Author Alice Gregr, Morzine Reporter Updated

They came and they conquered… Despite temperatures close to 40 degrees, 11,158 cyclists completed this year’s Etape du Tour which ended in Morzine.

Almost 16 thousand people entered this year’s Etape du Tour, one of the world’s most famous amateur cycling races. The 122km race from Megeve to Morzine allows people like you and me to ride in the footsteps of our cycling heroes just weeks before the Tour de France attempts the same route.

It was unbearably hot, hugely busy, at times completely petrifying but all in all one of the best days of my life. 11,158 riders crossed the finish line after a race that saw us battle temperatures of almost 40 degrees.

It’s safe to say that the Etape du Tour is a massive event. Even collecting your bib is a day out in itself. An entire village was created in the mountains above Megeve to welcome the thousands of people who had signed up. There was disappointment in the weeks before the event as the route was changed due to safety concerns on the Col de la Ramaz. However this didn’t seem to dampen spirits as we neared the race start.

On race day itself we were segregated into pens according to our numbers at the start line in Megeve. People started arriving in their droves as early as 04:00 in the morning on Sunday. The first riders set off at around 07:00 with the last of us between 08:30 and 09:00. The nerves were palpable but the music, energy and enthusiasm of the supporters who had turned out to cheer us on helped to ease us towards the start line. The race began with a gentle descent from Megeve to Flumet, which allowed the pack to spread out a bit, but it was still pretty challenging to navigate your way around so many other people.

The first climb of the day took us over the Col des Aravis. It’s a level 2 pass lasting about 12km with an average gradient of 5 percent. This is when it became clear we were going to be facing a very hot day indeed. However the atmosphere continued to be lively, energised and fun with riders from around the world talking to each other, supporting each other and most importantly thoroughly enjoying the event. There were regular cries of “left” or “a gauche” as people tried to overtake and “moto” every time a support bike wanted to pass. From here we descended down into La Clusaz and the first of 3 food stations. The route then took us to Le Grand-Bornand and the base of the Col de la Columbiere where the temperature began to rise.

One of the best parts of the day was the hundreds of people who lined the streets from Megeve all the way to Morzine to cheer the riders on. From the very start to the very end there was a person pretty much every 5 metres which helped keep us motivated to reach the end. A massive thanks to all of these people! I doubt we could have done it without you. Only 5 percent of the riders who took part were women and this was recognised with the consistent cheers of “Allez fille! Allez!” (go girl go!) all along the way!

From the top of the Col de la Colombière there is a huge descent all the way down to Sconzier and Cluses. This was perhaps one of the most difficult parts of the day and unfortunately the hot-spot for accidents. Police lined the road to slow riders down after a number of cyclists lost control on the bends. It was a challenge to ride down safely with so many people tackling the descent at different speeds. However, it was incredibly well supported with each incident being seen to speedily and efficiently.

After this the ride heads to Mieussy and the base of the Col de la Ramaz, which sadly had to be eliminated from this year’s Etape. It may however still feature in the Tour de France if officials can get it ready in time. It was then a long flat ride to Taninges and on to Samoens and the base of the Col de Joux Plane. Most riders reached this point at lunch time so really when the temperatures were at their highest.

The Joux Plane is relentless. It’s a climb of around 12km but with an average gradient of 9 percent. This is when I began to realise the true enormity of what we were doing. People struggled with the heat and the intensity of the climb, many stopping to walk, take shelter in the shade or recover before attempting again to reach the top. Again, the support of local people and the organisers was amazing. Many people came out from local houses and farms to throw cold water on to the backs of those riders who wanted it and the inspirational signs along the roadside gave you an extra bit of incentive. One even made me smile with 2 kilometres to go… “Even Froomey’s legs are hurting at this point”. Riders were also encouraging each other, which, at this point, really made the difference.

Sadly, after months of training, not everybody made it to the top of the Joux Plane. The heat got too much, meaning only 11,158 of the near 16,000 finished the race. For those who did reach the top it was a 8km descent into Morzine and to the finish line at the Palais des Sports in the centre of town. The last 200 metres was something quite special. People lined the edge of the last stretch cheering on friends and family and there was an amazing party atmosphere at the finish line. The winner of this year’s race was Tao Quemere who completed the race in a mere 3 hours and 33 minutes. The oldest to take part and complete the race, from what we could hear over the tanoy, was an 80-year-old man.

As I sit here writing this, a day after the race (with heavy legs), I have to say - I had expected the race to be tough but it was far tougher than I had ever imagined. It was amazing to ride with so many like-minded people in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Everyone was there to achieve one thing: to conquer the Etape du Tour. And whether you finished or not, that’s exactly what we did!

Search the full list of results for the 2016 Etape.

Location

Map of the surrounding area