Etape Australia

The ASO is bringing L'Etape du Tour to Australia, with the surprisingly named L'Etape Australia.

Not much detail is to hand at this stage except it will be held in December 2016 over 3 days in the Snowy Mountains.

(I don’t know what the 3 days could possibly entail since Etape is ostensibly a 1 day event. I do hope horses are involved. And Akubras. Please let there be horses and Akubras.)

Whilst the event was announced a few months ago, I’ve waiting to write something, hoping there’d be some more information.

Sadly, we still don’t have much more detailed info, and whilst I can’t add much value to the official announcement, what I can add is some insight into the location and timing.

Regular readers know that I don’t just regurgitate media releases. Rather, I seek to add my unique insights and experience to these events.

So let’s dig in.

Etape Australia Location and Course

Firstly, I’m puzzled that the event is being in the Snowy Mountains.

I mean, there’s some tough climbs. For example: Khancoban up to Thredbo or Corryong to Adaminaby via Tooma (particularly testing).

Here are some images of the 2013 Chain Reaction Charity Ride from Corryong to Adaminaby. There was a lot of zig-zagging that day.

But, is it worthy of a L’Etape?

I’m going to say no. I could be proven wrong, but that’s my initial thinking.

When I think of Etape, I think of storied and fabled climbs like the Galibier, Ventoux and Tourmalet.

Additionally, access is an issue. From Sydney it’s 5 and a bit hours, and 6 and a bit from Melbourne. That is, it’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

Ok, Bright is about 4.5 hours from Melbourne but you can fly into Dinner Plain and Bright is an easy drive up the Hume Highway.

Etape Australia Accommodation

Then there’s the fact that the Australian ski resorts pretty much shut shop in Summer (with the exception of BUller in order to serve a small cadre of DH and XC MTBers).

Does anyone think the resort accommodation providers including private chalet owners—who will be essential in providing beds for the riders and support crews—and restaurants will open for a few days? I don’t think so. I mean, I could be wrong: the organisers could be staging an heroic effort in convincing skeptical owners that yes indeed it is worth opening.

So I have a question mark on accommodating everyone, though the Etape organisers probably know what they’re doing (at least I hope the Australian company they’ve outsourced this to do).

I hope the event doesn’t start at the base of the Snowys because I can tell you something: the good denizens of Tallangatta, Corryong and Khancoban cannot accommodate a few thousand people.

There will be bemusement and shock amongst the good wholesome folk as they are inundated with lycra wearing city dwellers in their flash Audi 4Wds and whatnot (not that there’s anything wrong with an Audi 4WD. Except for, you know, the dodgy emissions software.)

When the Chain Reaction Charity Ride went through Corryong in 2013, they had around 50 people to accommodate (including support). This was a challenge. Multiply that by 10-50 and it starts to get messy.

Sure, there's lots of accommodation in Thredbo, Jindabyne and Perisher, but will it be enough?

I suspect the organisers are busy snapping up all the accommodation to on-sell (sounds expensive).

My personal opinion is that the most appropriate place for L’Etape Australia is in at the home of Australian alpine climbing: the Victorian Alps. With Hotham and Falls Creek offering super challenging climbs of a length akin to a Tour de France climb (which is what Etape is all about), to me at least this is a more appropriate place.

With Bright, Mt Beauty, Wangaratta, Milawa, Falls, Hotham and DP, Porepunkah and Myrtleford all having accommodation including camping, I reckon there’s more chance of riders being accommodated there.

I suppose that the Snowy’s are a central point to Sydney and Melbourne residents, with Brisbane and other residents able to fly into either Sydney or Brisbane.

Numbers

How many people are the organisers expecting? No doubt their mailing list will be flush with “I am interested” email addresses, but when it comes to laying cold hard cash down on what will be an expensive trip, many people will drop off.

And given the timing of the event and its location, I’m not sure they’ll get the numbers they’re expecting.

Recently, I did the Bicycle Network Peaks Challenge Gold Coast. Here’s an event a mere 40 minutes from Brisbane, 1.5 hours from the Sunshine Coast, and right on the Gold Coast. So not only does it sit in an area with bucket loads of cyclists, it also has easy access to people from around the country to Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Not only that, but flights to the Gold Coast and Ballina airports are relatively cheap and there is plenty of accommodation on the Gold Coast and surrounds. Moreover, this was held in August, when southerners are seeking to escape the punishing southern winters.

And to top it off, the event was a rather epic 235km with over 4200m of climbing. August on the Gold Coast, so perfect for frozen southern cyclists to head north and warm up.

I believe there were only around 1800 registrations (albeit at $300) and even less starters.

Ok, L’Etape Australia will have a fair amount of cachet but it’s no L’Etape du Tour.

Given the recent decline in the AUD, it might be that some cyclists from overseas will pair a visit to Australia with L’Etape Australia, but it won’t be in any numbers like the numbers of Aussies and Americans heading to France for L’Etape du Tour.

Timing

December is usually the time for the Tour of Bright, a super-popular 3 day cycling event.

So, this is kind of competing for some competitors, although I recognise the vast majority of Etappers are not the type of rider who’d do the Tour of Bright.

I think this event would have more logically sat the days after the Tour of Bright. Having raced the ToB, I would have taken a week off, done the ToB then spent a few days in the Alps waiting for Etape. What a great week.

More importantly, December in Australia is the cusp of our Long Christmas.

Most of us start winding down Dec 1, but still have some work to do.

With most people taking 2 weeks off over Christmas, I question the timing. If this is in any period apart from the first week of December (when the Tour of Bright is), the organisers will lose a fair few people due the proximity to Christmas. I mean, who is going to take 5-7 days off start of December and then another 2 weeks off?

Obviously if this event is in the period between Christmas and New Year, the organisers are asking people to commit a week of what is a very special family holiday for a lot of people to heading to the Snowys for s cycling event

That might be ok for some families, but for some it will be a stretch.

I can see quite a few gentlemen vaingloriously trying to convince the household Minister for Household Affairs that this is indeed a valid approach.

And lastly, the weather will be hit and miss, even though it’s December. Rain, snow and sleet are not infrequent visitors to the area in early December.

Transport

Transport to/from the event will largely consist of private transport.

I suspect that the Etape Australia organisers will have shuttle transport from the Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra Airports.

Insofar as transport to/from the start goes, I can’t make any comment or offer insights until the route is announced.

Cost

I’ve read some comments that Etape Australia will be around 100EU (why it would be priced in Euros, if it is, is beyond me).

If the price is right though, around 160AUD seems pretty fair to me, and is on par with the L’Etape du Tour although arguably the L’Etape du Tour is a much more serious event with 10,000 riders and riding in France.

On top of that though, there’s petrol, accommodation and other ancillaries. I’d be budgeting around $1000.

More information

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