• Rolling road closures

• Mechanics and technical support

• Motorbike outriders and lead cars

• Timing

• Professional Support Crew

• Digital photo and film

• Event cycling jersey

• Event t-shirt

• Chain Reaction goodie bag

• SiS nutrition pack

SINCE WHEN?

L’Etape du Tour was created in 1993, the idea behind it was to allow thousands of amateur cyclists to share the emblematic parcours of the month of July, as well as the beauty and toughness of Tour de France mountain stages. This concept has not changed in 20 years. The race has become an international reference in the world of cyclosportive events.

FOR WHOM?

L’Etape du Tour is open to everybody Semi-professional cyclists, amateur champions, cycling lovers who are focused on training, but also beginners who want to step up to the challenge… You will find all sorts of riders in this event, and we are happy to welcome everybody. No selection is made according to ability level there is a place for everybody in the peloton.

To participate, it is essential to prepare and train for the race you must prepare adequately, since this is a physically challenging race which requires intensive training. The only requirement needed to validate your participation is providing a medical certificate of fitness to practice competitive cycling.

WHERE?

In the mountains! They lie at the heart of this event, with mountainous routes which allow cyclists to test themselves on the climbs of the various mountain ranges in France. L’Etape du Tour is a travelling race and its location changes every year. It follows the changes in the route of the Tour de France. The roads of the Tour have already led us nine times to the Pyrenees, four to the Alps, three to the Central Massif and two to the Mont-Ventoux, after the first eighteen editions. In 2011, the first year with a double challenge, the two acts took place in the Alps and in the Central Massif.

ON WHAT DATE?

L’Etape du Tour takes place in July. Therefore, it partakes in the atmosphere, the excitement, the craze, the passion present on the roads of the Tour de France. The race is held a few days before or after the professional race this makes it possible for many participants to plan weekly stays which also allow them to view the Tour de France.

WHAT IS THE VILLAGE OF L’ETAPE DU TOUR?

During the two days before the race, this village acts as a gathering point for all participants, where they can pick up their racing material and discover the newest cycling products and services. They also get the chance to discover local colours, flavours and culture the village is free and open to everybody.

HOW DOES THE RACE TAKE PLACE?

• 19 mythical Alpine cols will challenge cyclists over the 7 timed stages, including Madeleine, Glandon, Izoard, Cime de la Bonette and the famous climb to Alpe d’Huez for an epic individual time trial. The Haute Route will continue to highlight the cols and ascents that have created the legend of cycling.

Registration

• Registration is now open on the official website (http://www.hauteroute.org). The organisers have limited the number of paid entries to only 500 participants, in order to preserve the exclusive and intimate nature of the event, and ensure an outstanding quality of services is available to all the riders. The individual entry fee is €1200 with a special offer available to teams, the 9th entry for each 8 paid registrations is free of charge.

The 2012 event will build on the huge success of the inaugural edition of the Haute Route, which was held in August this year. 97% of the 300 cyclists from 27 different countries that took part in the race confirmed that it was a superb adventure and 41% believed it to be one of the top three experiences, if not the best experience of their lives. Organiser OC ThirdPole has announced that the start and finish of the 2nd edition remain unchanged starting from the Jardin Anglais in Geneva on Sunday, 19th August and finishing on the famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France on Saturday 25th August.

The Haute Route concept will be the same, with the most challenging and mythical Alpine cols pushing the riders to their limits. Next August 500 cyclists will cross the Alps from the Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean, in seven timed stages, each featuring some of the most legendary cols in the world. However, the course for the 2nd edition will evolve with three new host venues in the line-up and 11 new climbs. Rémi Duchemin, CEO of OC ThirdPole, commented: “We wanted a redesigned course in order to renew the interest of the riders, but also to integrate new world-famous icons of cycling such as Courchevel and Alpe d’Huez where we will stay two days. The Alps are full of spectacular scenery and legendary mountain cols, and France is known around the world as a cycling paradise. To restrict the Haute Route to the same course each year would be a mistake.

The course of the 2012 Haute Route has evolved from the solid basis of the first edition and includes different formats (classic stages, marathon stages, time trial) with a daily average of 110km and two to three climbs. Jean-Francois Alcan, Race Director, said: “In order that the riders continue to improve during the week, the two least demanding stages are planned at the beginning and the time trial remains in place on the fourth day. The other stages will be longer and involve more challenging ascents, forcing riders to stay focused until the last day.

The Course

This course is outstanding for amateur cyclists: 780km (a slight increase from the first edition of 730km), 19 mythical Alpine cols, 21,000 meters of ascent and five summit finishes. However, the Haute Route is not targeted at professional or elite riders – it is, in fact, the opposite: _”All riders are amateurs and even if the race leaders perform similar times to the professionals, do not forget that for 13% of participants in 2011 the Haute Route was their first cycling event and that 50% had only been participating in cyclosportives for less than five years,”_ said Benjamin Chandelier, the new Event Director.

Below is a summary of the seven stages of the Haute Route 2012:

• Stage 1: Sunday 19th August: Geneva – Megève (120km, 2700m+)

• Stage 2: Monday 20th August: Megève – Courchevel (105km, 2700 m+)

• Stage 3: Tuesday 21st August: Courchevel – Alpe d’Huez (136km, 4700 m+)

• Stage 4: Wednesday 22nd August: Alpe d’Huez Time Trial (14km, 1000 m+)

• Stage 5: Thursday 23rd August: Alpe d’Huez – Risoul (136km, 3700 m+)

• Stage 6: Friday 24th August: Risoul – Auron (98km, 3200 m+)

• Stage 7: Saturday 25th August: Auron – Nice (171km, 2900 m+)

This amazing course is based, once again, on the international reputation and the excellent travel connections of Geneva and Nice, as well as the continued support of Megève and Auron that will host the Haute Route for the second consecutive year. Three new prestigious mountain resorts, each with a strong cycling heritage, will offer riders a well deserved rest: Courchevel with an arrival at 1850m and a start from the foot of the Olympic ski jump, Alpe d’Huez that will be climbed twice (by Villard Reculas during the third stage and for a time trial from Bourg d’Oisans the next day), and Risoul whose affinity with cycling is well established. Rémi Duchemin said: “All the host venues featured in the Haute Route 2012 have a special history with cycling, they regularly host the major professional cycling races or organise beautiful one-day cyclosportives throughout the summer months. I am delighted that hundreds of participants from five different continents will discover or rediscover all these legendary cycling kingdoms.” For more information, click HERE.

There are no high peaks and no climbs longer than 11 kilometers, but the event’s signature feature is a complete absence of flats: there are 2800 meters of climbing over the 135-kilometer course with 67 kilometers of climbing, 67 kilometers of descending and one kilometer of flat, which is broken up into several sections of no more than a few hundred meters.

Date of Event

Registration