Why does L'Etape get so little interest in the US?
 

L'Etape de Tour is a cyclosportif run by the Tour de France organizers over the same course as a stage of the TDF. (Cyclosportive's, popular in Europe are like a cross between a regular bike race, and a century. It's timed, places, and medals are awarded, and there are cutoff times. Up front its pretty much a like a regular bike race, in the back its more like a fast century).

L'Etape de Tour, literally "A Stage of the Tour" is run just like a TDF stage, over the exact route of one of that year's stages, on a closed course, with neutral support, and the all the same details, such as the red kite at the 1km to go point. The organizers usually pick one of the harder mountain stages, and its typically run on the first rest day of the TDF. In 2007 it will be Stage 15 in the Pyranees and will include 4 categorized climbs and one HC climb.

IMHO, its the most fun you can have on a bike. L'Etape actually draws spectators, particularly in the small mountain towns. Riding through tiny French Villages in a large fast moving pack with the streets lined with spectators is the closest I'm going to come to riding in the TDF, and gives you just a tiny glimpse of what riding in the TDF would be like. Also when the race come through the following week, youll know exactly how slow you are in relation to the Peleton.

L'Etape draws approximately 8500 riders, from all over the world. Yet few Americans, even including avid cyclists that follow the TDF, know that L'Etape exists.

I would strongly encourage anyone to do it. Particularly, if you're going to the TDF anyway. http://www.letapedutour.com/2006/us/index_2007.htm

I've heard of it and definitely plan to do it one of these years.

One concern that I have when entering events like this is getting to start in the front so I don't have to pass 8,000 slower riders. Do you know if there is any seeding by category?

i know they do this for other races as well. i think either the tour of flanders or paris-roubaix (or both) allows regulars to race on the course.

For most American cyclists, it's a major expense to do a cycling tour in Europe. I think the only way to officially get into L'Etape is to go through a tour group, right? I'm wondering if the numbers of Americans in L'Etape has increased in recent years.

Perhaps some enterprising organizer in the US will do a similar "Etape" for the Tour of California or Georgia?

There are plenty of challenge rides all across the US, as well. It's a dream to ride a Tour stage, but some of us can be contented with local rides. For me, it's stuff like the Horribly Hilly Hundreds. It's not Europe, but is a heck of a lot cheaper.

Not sure that answers your question on the popularity of L'Etape or other European challenge rides like La Marmotte or the Dolomiti. Access, time, and funding. I think these are major factors.

My uderstanding is that there is seeding for the top 100 or so. (which will include some professional, and top level amateurs). Beyond that, I believe it depends on when you get your entry in.

They break it up into groups of 1000 (I was in the bin with 6000 through 7000). They send you off in waves, and your time doesn't start until your chip crosses the start line, so its not quite as bad as it sounds.

I did it in 2005. The crowd wasn't really a problem at the start. However when we go to the first climb, there was a section of a bout 1km at 13% on what was essentially a one lane road. The accordian effect from that brought things almost to a stop. (i.e. pedal hard to jump into a gap, track stand for a second, pedal into the next opening, repeat) but after that it opened up pretty well.

Starting towrd the back, I ended up passing about 4000 people, so it actually was motivational to be catching and passing people all day.

Hell yeah, that's a great idea!

Its obviously a significant undertaking to go to Europe to ride, and that's a major limiter. ( I haven't been back mostly due to time constriants with a new job.) However, I think there's also a lack of information. Now that they are working with "offcial" travel agent partners, I think marketing it in the US might increase.

I think some centuries in the US are trending toward the cyclosportif model. BrasstownBaldbuster Century which tracks the Brasstown stage of the TOur de Georgia is essentially the same deal on a much smaller scale .

And in the last 2 years Six Gap has gone to transponders to track time, which I think has a tendency to turn a recreational century into something more like a cyclosportif. (now you can argue whether that's good or bad.)

If I wasn't broke I'd do it.

Sounds like another L'Etape shillmeister to me.

well, i would argue that they have all the people they can realistically handle. 8500 cyclists?! do they really need to increase marketing to americans with that level of participation already?

Guilty as charged. I just think its really cool, and would like others to know about it. I only learned of it from talking to other riders on a bike tour.

Just make sure to rock your Motobecane up those Cols, right? ;)

I learned about La Marmotte from a Belgian coworker of mine. He had ridden it two times. I never heard of it until he told me and now it's one of my long term goals.

i would love to do it but it sounds expensive

It sells out as is. But I think the organizers make more money off their "official Travel partners" that you pretty much have to use to get a slot from the U.S. i'm pretty sure outfits like Custom Getaways are paying the Tour for the privilege of being official partners and getting entry slots.

A coworker of mine from 4 years ago got invited to do that race. He was in his early 50's and rode ALL THE TIME.(still does) Former Masters champion.

He comes flying through my neighborhood and I've run across him on the roads. Wear your helmet, Miro!

The only cycling race that gets attention in this country is the TdF so it's not surprising there's little excitement here for this one. I think my wife would rather watch golf than cycling so I record everything off OLN/VS. and watch it when she's gone.