Each year, L’Etape du Tour de France provides cyclists with the opportunity to get a slice of the Tour de France experience through a mass participation cyclo-sportive held on one of the Tour de France mountain stages. Around 15,000 lucky riders take part each year – and you have to see it to believe it!
This year, for the first time ever, Zwift is hosting the Virtual l’Etape du Tour de France as part of the virtual TdF. (Zwift hosted a single l’Etape du Tour event in 2019, but there was no corresponding virtual pro race.) This year’s Zwift event series will allow participants to test themselves on the same (virtual) roads as the professionals, like the outdoor event, but across three stages instead of just one.
Ride New French Roads
There’s been a lot of chatter in the past few days about Zwift’s new France and Paris maps. Zwifters keep asking the same question: when can I ride the new roads?
Stage 2 of L’Tape du Tour is your first chance, so mark your calendar for July 11-12!
Stage Details
Three stages will be held over the first three weekends of July alongside the virtual TdF. The stages get progressively more difficult each weekend, culminating in the massive Mont Ventoux climb on stage 3.
16 different events will be spread over each weekend, so Zwifters should be able to find a time slot to fit their schedule. Here are the stage details:
This route is simply a loop up to the radio tower, then back through the Italian Villas and the Esses to the downtown finish line. This was the “main” route created to showcase the Epic KOM when it was released in March 2016 as the largest climb in Zwift.
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This route is simply a loop up to the radio tower, then back through the Italian Villas and the Esses to the downtown finish line. This was the “main” route created to showcase the Epic KOM when it was released in March 2016 as the largest climb in Zwift.
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Route Basics
Length: 29.5 km (18.3 miles) Elevation: 682 m (2,238‘) Lead-In: 0.5 km (0.3 miles) Map: Watopia
BestBikeSplit Model Estimate ride time, IF and TSS, plan your power, and more!
Route Description
Route profile by ZwiftHub – the place to plan and track your route achievements!
Begin in downtown Watopia and head to the Ocean Boulevard tunnel, where you’ll turn left at Sequoia Circle before climbing back into the open air and beginning your climb up the Epic KOM.
The Epic KOM is 9.5km long and averages 3.9%, but the final few kilometers feature some flats and descents, so you know the climbing section average well over 3.9%.
When you reach the KOM banner and wave hello to the ibex, don’t stop pedaling… you’ve still got some work to do! Instead of immediately descending you’ll turn left to take on the daunting Radio Tower climb. This is the steepest sustained climb in the game, and it doesn’t help that you’re climbing on snow/ice, which rolls slower than pavement!
Pro tip: once you get to the top, you can catch your breath before zipping down the steep incline. This is a great place to grab speed-related achievement badges like Speed Demon (40mph), Daredevil (50mph), or even the secret 100KPH badge!
After descending from the Radio Tower you can enjoy a long, almost coastable descent down the Epic KOM’s backside. This will take you to the docks of the Fishing Village, where the road winds up to the Italian Villas and across The Esses before dropping you back in downtown Watopia for the finish.
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Stage 2 (July 11-12): Casse-Pattes 2x (South-West France) 45.8 km, 290m of ascent
French cyclists use the term “casse-pattes” (literally “leg-breaking”) to refer to particularly difficult parts of a ride, or roads that awkwardly change gradient and break a cyclist’s rhythm.Released with Zwift’s France map for the first-ever Virtual Tour de France, the Casse-Pattes route covers the large outer loop of the map in a clockwise direction. The first 12km is pan-flat with two timed sprint segments, but then that rhythm is broken up in the back half by two timed KOM climbs. Â
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French cyclists use the term “casse-pattes” (literally “leg-breaking”) to refer to particularly difficult parts of a ride, or roads that awkwardly change gradient and break a cyclist’s rhythm.Released with Zwift’s France map for the first-ever Virtual Tour de France, the Casse-Pattes route covers the large outer loop of the map in a clockwise direction. The first 12km is pan-flat with two timed sprint segments, but then that rhythm is broken up in the back half by two timed KOM climbs. Â
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Route Basics
Length: 23 km (14.3 miles) Elevation: 145 m (476‘) Lead-In: 0.9 km (0.6 miles) Map: France
You will descend into the fields of vineyards and flowers before it’s time to hit the big climb of this loop: the Petit KOM. At 2.7km with an average grade of 4% its zigzags are just long and steep enough to make your legs really feel the effort! Recover as you descend and ride past the start pens, then it’s one final Marina Reverse sprint to the finish line.
Released with Zwift’s France map for the first-ever Virtual Tour de France, the “Ven-Top” route is named for the massive climb it contains: Mont Ventoux! This GPS-accurate model of the world-famous climb is by far the toughest ascent in game, climbing 1480 meters (4857′) from the beginning to end of the timed KOM segment.
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Released with Zwift’s France map for the first-ever Virtual Tour de France, the “Ven-Top” route is named for the massive climb it contains: Mont Ventoux! This GPS-accurate model of the world-famous climb is by far the toughest ascent in game, climbing 1480 meters (4857′) from the beginning to end of the timed KOM segment.
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Route Basics
Length: 20.9 km (13.0 miles) Elevation: 1534 m (5,033‘) Lead-In: 0 km ( miles) Map: France
Start & Finish
Begins at start pens, ends atop Mont Ventoux at KOM arch
Route profile by ZwiftHub – the place to plan and track your route achievements!
The route begins at the start pens heading east (away from the marina) and immediately onto a false flat. Enjoy it while you can: it’s only going to get steeper! The timed KOM begins approximately 1.8km after the start. From here you have 19km and 1480m to the top of Mont Ventoux, or you can target the first KOM arch at Chalet Reynard which is 13km and 1058m from the KOM start line. (For comparison, the Chalet Reynard KOM line makes this climb very similar to Alpe du Zwift, which is 12.2km long with 1035m of elevation gain.)
When you pass the Didi balloon (not always visible) and see pitchforks on the pavement, you know you’re getting close to Chalet Reynard. Keep pushing for another 500 meters to that KOM banner. Then you have a decision to make: do you have what it takes to push for another 6km and 400+ meters to the top? (Of course you do! You’ve made it this far. Keep going!)
Notice how the landscape and foliage changes as you climb, beginning with rolling hills and pastures, morphing into a landscape strewn with giant boulders and pine trees, and eventually changing to the famous “moonscape” of Mont Ventoux’s upper reaches. Be happy you’re indoors – it gets windy outside!
You’ll pass Tom Simpson’s memorial with 1km to go. Almost there! When you reach the weather station atop Mont Ventoux, you’ve completed the Ven-Top route. But keep riding on the flat loop to turn around, then enjoy the long descent – you’ve earned it!
The L’Etape du Tour events have just two categories to choose from:
A: Women Only
E: Open (Men and Women)
These categories aren’t based on ability in any way – they simply allow the ladies to ride in a women’s-only event if desired.
Is it a race? Only if you want it to be! Keep in mind you’ll be competing against the full spectrum of riders, not just a typical race category (B, C, etc). Make it your personal challenge just to finish a stage, or race all three – it’s up to you!
ZwiftPower for Racers
If you’re planning on racing, be sure you’re signed up for ZwiftPower beforehand since the general classification results (cumulative time) across stages will only be available on ZwiftPower.
Follow the instructions under “Getting Started” here to get signed up for ZwiftPower.
At the time of this post, the L’Etape du Tour events are set up so all riders are placed on the Trek Madone frame. This is due to partnership/sponsorship deals with ASO, and the good news is the Madone is a very aero frame.
But it leaves us wondering: why not at least give us the Emonda (a better climber) for the final Mont Ventoux stage?
Double Draft
These events are set to run in double draft mode, which hasn’t been used much lately for big Zwift events. If you’re not familiar with double draft, it’s a stronger draft effect more akin to what you would experience in outdoor riding.
This will help packs stay together on the flats, since the faster pack speeds in double draft mode make it harder for strong riders to stay away – at least until the climbs begin!
Kit Unlock
Finish just one Virtual l’Etape du Tour de France stage to unlock the virtual Rapha l’Etape kit, seen here:
Eric runs Zwift Insider in his spare time when he isn't on the bike or managing various business interests. He lives in Northern California with his beautiful wife, two kids and dog. Follow on Strava