L’Etape by Tour de France series is here to make you feel like a Tour de France rider when you take the start of one of our events.That’s why we organize events in so many countries, to give you a chance to live the experience of riding the biggest cycling race in the world!

Let’s dive into this second part of this year’s Tour de France route from L’Etape’s point of view.

Stage 10

On the way to Megève, the Tour de France riders will encounter a quite unusual terrain. The steepest climb of the day only averages 4,1%., which makes it really hard to drop your rivals on such kind of terrain. The long drag to the line in Megève will be burn the riders’ legs until a winner comes out on top.
You can expect a similar scenario in L’Etape Brasil, where the climb of Serra Velha will test you before heading back to Campos do Jordão. If you can make it to the top with the leading group, the finish line is only 4 km further. With a decent sprint, if you are able to overcome this 12km long and 5,4%-steep climb, victory is yours!

Click here for more information on L'Etape Brasil.

Stage 11

That’s where the fun begins for the Tour de France main contenders. Col du Granon is probably one of the hardest climbs of this year’s Tour de France. They’ll have to face the 9,2% average gradient for more than 11 km before reaching the finish line. If only it was the only climb of the day…
Before that, the pros will be going up the combo Télégraphe/Galibier which means 30km of climbing with a little descent in the middle. Do you know what’s harder than 30 km of climbing? 62 km of climbing!
L’Etape Cyprus offers probably the most challenging course of our events. Only L’Etape du Tour de France, of which we will talk in a minute, might be a tiny step higher.
Cyprus is a paradise for cyclists, with its good weather all year-long, its wide variety of roads and the local culture, you’ll definitely have a good time before tackling this beast of a climb.
Luckily, the road up to Mount Olympus is not always going up. Moments of rest will be welcomed in this long ascension towards the highest point of the island. You’ll then be able to enjoy the scenery on the long way down.

Click here for more information on L'Etape Cyprus.

Stage 12

This is the queen stage of this year’s Tour de France. 3 mythical climbs condensed in 165 km, and only 10 km of flat roads on the whole stage. Will the riders recover enough after the tough Granon stage? One thing is certain: there will be no hiding place for the GC contenders on the switchbacks of l’Alpe d’Huez.
This stage was also the one used as L’Etape du Tour de France last Sunday. This is definitely one of the hardest routes of the past few years. 4700m of elevation were a real challenge for the 16,000 riders who took part in the flagship event of L’Etape series.

For a more detailed preview of L’Etape du Tour, read this article.

Stage 13

The Alps are now done and dusted and we are on our way to the Pyrenees. This stage has “victory for the breakaway” written all over which means a lot of riders will be fighting from the beginning of the stage to get their spot in the main group. This stage is great for all-rounders who have a good sprint.

The numerous little climbs of the day look like the profile of L’Etape Ciudad de México. An undulating route but nothing too steep.

This event has been around for a long time in the series and will come back for a 7^th edition at the end of this year. If you envy the riders in the breakaway of stage 13 of the Tour de France, then you might want to check out L’Etape CDMX, as we call it.

Click here for more information on L'Etape Ciudad de Mexico.

Stage 14

One of the hardest stages of this year’s race. That’s probably not what comes to mind when seeing the profile for the first time, but this stage will undoubtably be one of the worst nightmares of the sprinters.
With another victory that should go for the breakaway, the pace at the start will be as high as it can be. To make it worse, the riders will find themselves climbing after only 6 km in. Going up climbs after climbs, it will be hard to recover. If any of the fast finishers of the peloton has to have a bad day during the Tour, it better not be this day.
The route of L’Etape Madrid is fairly similar to this stage, with a lot of climbing spread over the 162 km of the race. El Mediano could have the same effect on your legs as the Montée Jalabert of Mende. If you are willing to take the start of this event, be prepared for the 3000m of elevation and stunning views around the Spanish capital.

Click here for more information on L'Etape Madrid.

Stage 15

A stage arriving in Carcassonne is always a good sign for the climbers, it usually means that mountains will soon be back on the menu. This day, however, should not escape to the sprinters.
Who would have thought that south of France and Texas look the same? At least on the map.
L’Etape San Antonio will take you through the rolling hills west of the city and the beautiful scenery ot the area. You can even ask Alberto Contador what he thought of it, he took part in the event a couple months ago.
In total, that is 161 km and 1900m of elevation waiting for you in Texas.

Click here for more information on L'Etape San Antonio.