Cycling in Sydney Australia
Training for the Etape du Tour in Sydney
Hello all,
I have signed up to do the Etape in July 2011. (http://www.letapedutour.com/EDT1/2011/ETDT/presentation/us/index.htm)
I need to start training on some serious hills, although I realise nothing in NSW comes close to the Alps.
Has anyone done any road cycling in the Blue Mountains? I have heard the surface is not all that great and the roads are tight. I just about manage in Sydney but drivers over here are idiots towards cyclists.
Any info on previous experiences would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Dilshan
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Neil Alexander on -
Michael O' asked almost the exact same question before he went on one of these Tour tours. Much hilarity ensued IFIRC. I can't find the thread now but will ask him to do so.
Stand by.
Hey! Big Mike!!
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Permalink Reply by Michael O'Reilly on -
"Tlgraphe and Galibier with a 7% on 33 km. After the Galibier and Lautaret long descent, you will arrive in Le Bourg d'Oisans and start the mythic Alpe d'Huez climb and 21 historic turns."
Fantastic!!!
Two years ago I did an organised tour cycling up some of the big hills in the Alps during the tour, but it wasn't a race situation. And I found it damn hard to find good training areas in Sydders. I think one has to face up to the fact that there is no ways you can duplicate those kinds of hills around here, and instead just do as much distance as you can, maybe laps of the three gorges etc ...?
Or take a week's holiday in Hobart and get up and down Mt Wellington a few times every day :-)
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Permalink Reply by Neil Alexander on
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You are too modest to mention that your profile pic is of you finishing first at the top of the Madeleine.
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Permalink Reply by Michael O'Reilly on
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Everyone's a winner at the top of the Madeleine.
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Permalink Reply by Michael O'Reilly on
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... as for the Blueys, yes the roads are tight and the surfaces nasty. May be better if you go early in the morning but such behaviour is against my religion.
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Permalink Reply by Dilshan Rukunayake on -
Against my religion too!
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Permalink Reply by Michael O'Reilly on
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http://www.sydneycyclist.com/forum/topics/in-search-of-looooooong-h...
Not sure about the hilarity ... but then N/A finds most of my posts risible ...
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Permalink Reply by Gianni Wise on -
What a training ride around Robertson. Get a train to the station - one stop before Nowra. Some serious hills there!
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Permalink Reply by Michael S. (Boxhead) on
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Permalink Reply by sit ubu sit on
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+1 for rides around Kangaroo Valley & Bowral/Macquarie Pass, such as this one (map here), and this one (map here). From memory Macquarie Pass is the longest accessible* climb in NSW - about 11km, although the last few are relatively easy. The pie shop at the top makes it all worthwhile.
Based on how much fun the descent down Jamberoo Pass is, the climb back up must be a beast, so you could do this loop in reverse, i.e. turn around at the top of Macquarie Pass and ride back up Jamberoo.
* There are no doubt longer, harder climbs down in the Snowies, hence the reason I said "accessible".
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Permalink Reply by Tony Williams on -
I too have lost my mind and have entered the Act 1 Etapu up Alpe D'Huez. I live in Mt Victoria at the top of the Blueys so get to ride the hills quite often. I'm also doing Ironman Uk 3 weeks after Etapu and an olympic distance Tri in Wales a couple of weeks before etapu so I am training like a madman at the moment! I try to avoid the Great Western Highway as much as possible apart from a work commute to Leura I do a couple of times a week as an easy recovery ride. The roadworks through Wentworth Falls and down the hill makes it a very scary ride. I ride a lot out towards Jenolan through Hampton and also towards Bathurst, plenty of hills on those routes. Mt Vic Pass is probably comparable to the steepness of the AD'H but only 2.5 k's long. repeats on that hill are on my list. Scenic Hill from Lithgow up to the Bells Line of Road is also very steep and a bit longer. Hassan's walls road through Brown's Gap from Hartley is steep as an alternative to getting to Lithgow. The hill up to Mt Wilson off the Bells Line is a nice ride. The hill down out of Megalong is a killer and a bit rough but good training! The last few weeks I've gone soft and ridden down from Lawson or Springwood and done a ride along the M4 to Homebush or Wentworthville and back to get picked up at Penrith Coffee Club! I usually go early on a Sunday morning if you are ever up here if you fancy a trip out to Hampton or the Jenolan.
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