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TAPER · 2 WEEKS OUT

ÉTAPE DU TOUR — 2 WEEKS OUT

Sharpness is banked. Now shed fatigue. 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

SHED FATIGUE.

Two weeks out you're in taper territory. Fitness plateaus or nudges up — you don't lose meaningful fitness in two weeks, but fatigue disappears fast. Short sharp efforts to keep legs awake. Everything else is volume reduction.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

RACE-PACE OPENERS

60min ride with 3x3min at race pace + 3x1min at VO2. Not training — priming. The efforts remind your legs what fast feels like. Nothing more.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 2 WEEKS OUT

Monday

REST

Rest is the session.

Tuesday

OPENERS (60MIN)

Short sharp race-pace primers.

Wednesday

45MIN Z1

Coffee spin.

Thursday

60MIN Z2 WITH 2X5MIN AT THRESHOLD

Final sharpening effort.

Friday

REST

Full rest.

Saturday

90MIN Z2 WITH OPENERS

Short, easy, prep the pre-event day.

Sunday

60MIN Z1 OR REST

Total reset.

DON'T DO THIS

The taper-anxiety mistake: riding harder in taper because your legs feel fresh. Fresh legs aren't a problem — they're the whole point. Hold the line.

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?

COACHED FOR YOUR EVENT.

Not Done Yet is the coached five-pillar system built around your actual event date. Personalised TrainingPeaks plan, weekly calls, expert masterclasses. 7-day free trial.

Apply for Not Done YetHow Coaching Works

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FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 2 WEEKS OUT

Is 2 weeks enough to train for the Étape du Tour?+

2 weeks out your training can't meaningfully change your fitness — you're in taper. Focus on recovery, hydration, familiarisation with your kit + fuelling, and event-day logistics. Don't try to add fitness this close to the event.

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 2 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 ← 4 weeks out

PEAK PHASE

Later phase → 1 weeks out

RACE WEEK