Taking place on 8 July 2018, at the 28th edition of E?tape du Tour, cycling enthusiasts will serve as forerunners on the first mountain stage of the 2018 Tour de France, on a route between Annecy and Grand-Bornand. The 169-km stage will see the 15,000 expected amateur riders set off on a challenge to climb a cumulative 4,000m, which will also include the all-new climb to the Glie?res plateau.
The much-in-demand event opens registration on Monday 23 October at 08:00 CET at asochallenges.com.
The E?tape du Tour sportive, organised by A.S.O., will be held on 8 July, while the pro riders will compete in the second stage of the Tour de France 2018 in the Vende?e region. So, while the world’s elite will head into action in the western region of France next July, a much larger gathering will take on the Alps where 15,000 cycling enthusiasts will take on the E?tape du Tour challenge.
For the 28th edition, the riders will set off on a mountain expedition that will lead them to the neighbouring Grand-Bornand ski resort after a few particularly demanding detours. After climbing the Col de la Croix-Fry, where they will enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the Aravis mountain range, they will encounter the 7km plateau des Glie?res climb, with an average gradient of 11%.
To reach the strategic site where the region’s resistance took refuge during World War II, the amateur climbers will not only have to take on the climb, but also the dust on a 1.5km unpaved section. They will continue on with the Col de Romme ascension, then the Col de la Colombie?re at 1,613m above sea level. The downhill run towards Grand-Bornand will be a welcome sight for the riders…
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