….and the Tour rolls out again! And sportive riders turn their thoughts to the two “Giants of the Road” in the form of the Etape and the Marmotte.

Both these events are brutal and take a rider months of planning, preparation and, of course, training and recovery to get to. Nutrition plays a vital part in a successful ride as does an effective pacing strategy.

This year a number of riders whom I coach are attempting one or the other of these events (but not both, though there are some sportive junkies out there who are attempting the weekend double!) and this Saturday (Marmotte) and Sunday (Etape) will see them at the end of a training taper, having carbo loaded and taped their schedule to the handlebars so to speak (in this age of sat nav and altimeters probably not necessary anymore…). I am lucky enough to know that at least two of these brave souls will contribute to this blog once they have got their breath back. But, in no particular order, I would like to wish the following the very best of British:

Nick Saunders (Marmotte), Mark Davies (Marmotte), Vicki Lee (Etape and on 10 weeks Wattbike training and double daily sessions doing reps up Swain’s Lane!), Tom Sandifer (Etape and I think he wore his turbo trainer out getting to this point – what an animal!), Rod Archibald (Etape after a nice Barcelona to Biarritz warm-up!) and, last but not least, the daysleeper himself Chis Hursey (Etape).

Chapeau to all – watch this blog for their stories next week! Oh, and if YOU want to take up this challenge next year then why not start planning it now? Email me if you want some help going faster – tim@blackcatcyclecoaching.com – and watch my Facebook page and this blog this week for news of the first BlackCat Training Camp in the sun 2014 with Ciclo Costa Blanca!