Entries for next year's Etape du Tour are filling up fast, with 12,500 entrants already confirmed. Just a few hundred places remain for the 2014 Etape, which will follow the route of Stage 18 of the 2014 Tour de France from Pau to Hautacam in the Pyrenees.
With 148km of riding on closed roads, the Etape du Tour is as close as most of us will get to sharing the experience of the pros as they take on a stage of cycling's most prestigious event. The 2014 edition features a 17km ascent of the iconic Col du Tourmalet (2115m) before a final climb up the Hautacam (1520m) - so that "pro" experience is likely to include a certain amount of suffering. But the sense of achievement and spectacular mountain views should help alleviate the pain, along with a glass or two of wine of course.
To sign up and be among those lining up at the starting gates on Sunday 20 July, visit the event website at www.leetapedutour.com. Entry costs €95.
For those who have already signed up, now is the time to start working out logistics for your trip. Accommodation in the start and finish towns can fill up fast, and chances are you'll want to find somewhere nearby to take a well-earned rest after completing the challenge. The tourist offices at Pau and Argelès-Gazost are a good first port of call to obtain a list of available rooms in the vicinity; you can find their contact details below.
Once you have your accommodation and transport sorted, there's only one thing left to do - and that's train!
Tourist Office contact details:
Pau Pyrénée Tourisme
Tel: +33 (0)5.59.27.27.08
Email: [email protected]
Office de Tourisme de la Vallée d'Argelès-Gazost
Tel: +33 (0)5.62.97.00.25
Email: [email protected]
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