Today as the day when they announced the route of Tour de France 2023
And back to my post of a week or so ago where I talked about St Gervais being far more than just a winter sports resort, it has probably the biggest summer of cycling it has ever had coming in 2023.
In the past the TdF has done a summit finish at Le Bettex (the main ski station in StG) back in 2016 and Le Dauphne has done a start in the village never have we had 4 days like we are going to have in 2023.
It starts on July 16th 2023, when the stage 15 route comes from Morzine to StG and finishes at Le Bettex.
July 17th is officially a rest day (which in reality is not a rest day as the teams will be around doing gentle climbs), then July 18th is stage 16 and a time trial in the bottom of the valley.
Finally stage 17 on July 19th starts in StG and heads to Courchevel.
Hotel prices are already sky high, the benefit to the local economy will be massive, as besides the 120 or so riders you have 1000s of support staff from the teams, broadcasters and sponsors to the those providing all the infrastructure such as Orange.
So much has changed in the village in the 20 or so years we have been coming and next summer is going to be fantastic, better book my favorite restaurants now!
In addition the L'Etape de Tour is July 9th, the weekend before whilst it is not one of these routes the start and finish in StG it is using part of a route it used a few years ago.
That was also back in 2016 when the route was Megeve to Morzine, I cycled up the hill to the start in Megeve before doing the route, although it was a slightly different route to the TdF that year as Col de Ramaz was closed due to a rock slide, it is one thing 120 or so riders, but 15,000 is a different matter. Although a few weeks before we did ride from StG, Col de Ramaz, Col de Joux Plane, Morzine and back to StG. I'm sure before next years we'll do that route again plus the other of minor Cols.
So I'm signed up for L'Etape de Tour 2023 all 4100m and 152km over roads I know reasonably well, which always helps, that said the first few km of Joux Plane are just brutal (the infamous left turn into double digit %s in Samoens) and it is the last climb of the day as it was before.
It is going to be outstanding summer of cycling in StG next year, bring it on, good news is that Spain is great for winter training.
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