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RACE WEEK · 1 WEEKS OUT

ÉTAPE DU TOUR — 1 WEEKS OUT

Don't do anything clever. Eat, sleep, show up. Built around the 175km / 4,500m profile of the Étape du Tour in France.

175 km·4,500 m climbing·8-12 hours·July

THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW

DON'T DO ANYTHING CLEVER.

Race week is about arriving at the start line fresh, hydrated, and calm. The training is done. Hard sessions now cost you more than they give you. Every hour of good sleep in the final 72 hours does more than any workout could.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

RACE MORNING OPENERS

20 minutes on the bike, morning of the event or day before, with 3x30sec at race pace. Wakes legs up without draining anything. That's it.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 1 WEEKS OUT

Monday

45MIN Z1 + OPENERS (3X1MIN RACE PACE)

Legs awake, fatigue low.

Tuesday

REST OR 30MIN EASY

Focus on hydration + sleep.

Wednesday

60MIN WITH 4X30SEC RACE PACE

Final primer — nothing heroic.

Thursday

REST

Start carb-loading today.

Friday

30MIN EASY SPIN + OPENERS

Race check. Kit lay-out. Route review.

Saturday (race day -1)

20-30MIN VERY EASY

Or rest. Whichever calms nerves.

Race Day

EVENT

Pace it. Fuel it. Enjoy it.

DON'T DO THIS

Race-week mistakes are always additive — an extra hard session, extra volume, an unfamiliar food. Do less. The last week cannot make you fitter. It can absolutely make you slower.

EVENT INTEL

WHAT THE ÉTAPE DU TOUR ACTUALLY DEMANDS

The Étape du Tour is cycling's mass-participation crown jewel — one stage of the current year's Tour de France, on closed roads, run by ASO. Varies each year but always hard, always mountainous, always an international field.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

  • ✓Closed roads on full HC / Category-1 climbs
  • ✓15,000+ riders means the start can take 40 minutes to clear
  • ✓Altitude — many editions cross 2,000m
  • ✓Support unmatched: feed zones every 25-30km, full medical
  • ✓Cut-off times mirror the pro race — strict

COMMON MISTAKES

  • ✕Treating it like a normal sportive — this is mountain racing
  • ✕Underestimating heat at altitude (sun intensity + thin air)
  • ✕Saving legs for the final climb and ending up missing the cut-off

PACING

Étape pacing is pro-race pacing scaled to your FTP. Treat each HC climb as its own threshold effort with rigid wattage ceilings. The summit-to-summit interval is often the crux — don't burn matches on the valley transitions.

FUELLING

8+ hours at altitude demands 100g/hr carbs minimum if gut-trained. Altitude suppresses thirst — force-drink on a timer. Feed zones have baguettes and ham — use them but fuel continuously from your own supplies.

KIT

34x32 minimum — many amateurs run 34x34. Clear lenses for the descents. Full-finger gloves for the summits (even in July). A gilet stashed in the pocket is non-negotiable for the mountain descents.

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

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FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 1 WEEKS OUT

Is 1 weeks enough to train for the Étape du Tour?+

Race week is about showing up fresh. No new fitness gains possible in a week. Focus on sleep, hydration, carb loading 48-72 hours out, and mental prep. Any hard session this week costs you more than it gives.

What's the hardest part of the Étape du Tour?+

Closed roads on full HC / Category-1 climbs. treating it like a normal sportive — this is mountain racing — so pacing discipline is the single biggest lever most amateurs miss. Étape pacing is pro-race pacing scaled to your FTP.

How many hours a week should I train at 1 weeks out from the Étape du Tour?+

Drop to 6-8 hours with minimal intensity. The taper protects the fitness you've built rather than growing more. Short, sharp openers to keep legs awake. Nothing aerobically challenging.

Do I need a coach to train for the Étape du Tour?+

You don't need a coach to finish. You do need structure. If you're new to sportives, have a target finish time, have a plateau you can't break, or have a history of peaking wrong, a coached plan pays for itself. Inside Not Done Yet the plan is built backwards from your event date — base, build, peak, taper timed to the week the Étape du Tour runs. 7-day free trial, $195/mo.

What gearing should I run for the Étape du Tour?+

34x32 minimum — many amateurs run 34x34. Clear lenses for the descents. Full-finger gloves for the summits (even in July). A gilet stashed in the pocket is non-negotiable for the mountain descents.

OTHER PHASES FOR THE ÉTAPE DU TOUR

Earlier phase ← 2 weeks out

TAPER