Etape du Tour 2012 Act 2 Travel packages Act 2 – Pau to Bagneres de Luchon 197km Saturday 14th July

Act 2 of the Etape du Tour in 2012 is a monster! It is nearly 198km from Pau to Bagneres de Luchon and replicates Stage 16 of the 2012 Tour de France. This Etape stars climbing almost immediately with the 1709m Col d'Aubisque being the climb at 52.5km, and the Col du Soulor following shortly afterwards. From there, the route heads east in anticipation of tackling one of the most famous mountains in Tour de France history, the Col du Tourmalet.
At 2115m high, this was the scene of the finish of the 2012 L'Etape du Tour, however in 2012, you cannot stop here, you must keep going, as you are just over halfway! After the descent from the Tourmalet, the 1489m Col d'Aspin is next, before the final climb of the day, the 1559m Col de Peyresourde and a 16km descent into the finish of the Etape at Bagneres de Luchon.

We cannot stress enough how tough Act 2 of 2012 Etape du Tour is, but it will really be the ultimate Etape challenge for all cyclists and one we all want to take part in!

Special offer - A limited number of Etape du Tour entries are available at £50 when you book your travel package! But hurry, numbers are limited.

Our standard Etape du Tour travel package is around 3 nights, arriving on Thursday 12th July and departing on Sunday 15th July. We are using a number of hotels in the Pau area, which means race registration, final prepartions and race start access are much more convenient.

Our hotels include:

• The 5 star Hotel Parc Beaumont, the best hotel in the Pau area and one where some of the top names in cycling and the Tour de France stay when they are in town. We have standard and superior twin rooms on bed and breakfast basis. In 2012, the Parc Beaumont was right next to the start of the Etape and we expect this to be the case in 2012 (although this will not be confirmed until later).
• The excellent Hotel Eden Park, which although officailly a 3 star, is a very good hotel. We are offering half board here and the hotel is just on the outskirts of Pau, but close enough to ride to the start of the Etape.
• The 3 star Best Western La Palmeraie on half board basis, which is on the outskirts of Pau.
  Novotel Pau, on bed and breakfast basis. This hotel is also on teh otuskirts of Pau, but easy enough to ride to the start of the Etape.
• A selection of 3 star hotels in the centre of Pau on bed and breakfast basis - Hotel Gramont, Hotel Roncevaux and the Hotel Best Western Continental. There are plenty of eating out options in Pau for evening meals.
• The 2 star Hotel Le Luy de Bearn, about 12km from the start, but only 2km from Pau airport. This hotel is on half board basis and offers very good value for money due to its location.

UK BIKE TRANSPORT OPTION
We are offering a UK Bike transport Service, where we take your bike from the UK down to France for each of the Etapes. This has the advantage of:

• Guaranteed delivery of your bike...as opposed to risking it with airlines.
• No dragging around of your bike at the airport.
• Convenient collection points around the UK at Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and London.
• Up to a week to drop off your bike to the collection points, with up to a week to collect your bike after the return to the UK.

Your bike needs to be in a bike box or in a bike bag. The cost of this service is £90 return, which is £45 less than the price in 2011 and cheaper than the cost of flying with your bike and paying the transfer cost at the other end too.

BIKE HIRE
Once again, we will be offering our sportive bikes for hire in the Etape. They will cost £75 for the weekend and will be waiting for you in the bike store. They are a good alternative to taking your own bike on the plane with you. Click here for more details of the bikes we supply. If you require one, please select the option at time of booking. The bikes are in limited supply and will not be available to add later.

Typical Itinerary:

Wednesday 10th July:
If you are using our bike transfer service from the UK, then this will probably be the day the bikes are collected from various points.

Thursday 11th July:
Arrange your flight into Lourdes-Tarbes Airport, Biarritz Airport or Toulouse Airport, from where we will be offering transfers between 09:00 and 18:00. We will finalise the actual times of departure from these airports nearer the date, when we have all the customers' flight information. If you opt for these transfers, you must give us your flight arrival details. If you are bringing your bike, you must select and pay for the Bike transfer option. Please note, flights are going to be in high demand on this date, so we advise you to book early to guarantee a flight seat and a good price. Alternatively, make your own way to your accommodation - if you are fortunate enough to be able to fly directly into Pau airport, then it is simple enough to take a taxi to your hotel.

Friday 12th July:
After breakfast, you'll be taken to our secure bike store on the outskirts of Pau, from where you will be able to ride to registration for the 2012 Etape du Tour. If you are using our bike transport option fom the UK, your bike will be taken directly here. After this, you'll have some time to take a short ride and make sure your bike is in full working order for the event on Saturday. In most cases, you may be able to keep your bike at your hotel with you overnight on the Friday, in preparation for the ride to the start on Saturday morning.

PLEASE NOTE, AT ETAPE REGISTRATION, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PRESENT A DOCTOR'S NOTE STATING THERE ARE NO KNOWN MEDICAL REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT COMPETE. PLEASE VISIT OUR MEDICAL CERTIFICATION PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION. THIS IS LEGAL REQUIREMENT AND FAILURE TO COMPLY MAY MEAN YOU NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE ETAPE.

Saturday 13th July: L'Etape du Tour Act 2
We antipate a 07:00 start for the Etape, so we will all travel down there early to ensure everyone is lined up in the right pens for the start. The organisers allocate pens according to likely finish time and historic Etape performance, therefore faster riders start nearer the front and the slower riders at the back. Please note, we have no influence over your starting pen.

The Etape is a closed road sportive, but you must be wary of other cyclists, especially if they are going faster than you or if you have stopped. There will be water stops on route and mechanical assistance available. Along the route, there are certain times that you must have passed certain spots, otherwise you may be swept up by the broom wagon.

At the end of the Etape in Bagneres de Luchon, our reps will be at the finish to meet you and then transfer you back to your hotel. Currently we do not know exactly where the coaches will be and they may be a further ride away from the finish area as in previous years - we will be informed by the organsiers about this nearer the date of the Etape. We will be offering a shuttle service when we will send the coaches off as they fill up. At this finish area, we will also ask you to pack up your bike into your bike bag so that you can load it on to the van to take it back to the UK or to Lourdes, Bairritz or Toulouse airports, or if you have made your own way to the hotel, we will take it there later in the evening.

Upon return to your hotel, you can choose to do what you wish, whether relax in the bath or celebrate!

Sunday 15th July:
After breakfast will be start running transfers back to the Airports, with the first transfers leaving at 06:00. We advise you do note book any flights earlier than 10:00, not unless you wish to make your own way back to the airports. If you are making your own way home, you will need to leave the hotel mid morning.

Monday 16th July:
If you are using the UK bike trasnport service, then we expect bikes to be available for collection from this day onwards - exact arrangements to be confirmed.

Included in your Basic travel package are:

• Return airport transfers between Lourdes-Tarbes Airport, Biarritz Airport or Toulouse Airport and your accommodation for yourself and one normal-sized suitcase. Any bike bags must be pre-booked and are charged in addition.
• 3 nights accommodation at the stated hotel on the stated board basis.
• Breakfast each day at your hotel.
• Transfer (if appropriate to registration on Friday)
• Transfer (if appropriate to the start on Saturday morning)
• Return transfer from the finish of the Etape at Bagneres de Luchon back to your accommodation on Saturday evening.
• Services of the experienced Sports Tours International team in Pau.

Not included (not exhaustive)

• Your journey to France.
• Bike transport to your accommodation - either choose from the Geneva airport option or the UK Bike transport option.
• Any meals and drinks not noted above.
• Any extras at your accommodation.
• Entry fee.
• Travel Insurance - highly recommended.

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