L'Etape du Tour With Team Parcours Member Fabien Decroze
L’Etape du Tour is one of the biggest amatuer cycling events that lets the every day rider take on the same route as some of the professional cyclists in the mountain stage of the Tour de France. 2026 was considered one of the toughest routes in recent years with four legendary climbs included - Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier (the high point for the 2026 Tour) and the Col de Sarenne. It’s 170km (about 106miles) with a total elevation gain of 5400m, (about 17,700feet).
Fabien Decroze, one of our 2026 Parcours Ambassadors, took part this year for the fourth time, this year riding it again with his friend Greg and sometimes it’s that friendship that gets you to the finish line.
L’Étape du Tour: When Mental Strength and Friendship Overcome Bad Legs
Lining up at the start of L'Étape du Tour is always a special moment. This year was my fourth participation, motivated by a shared challenge: riding it again with Greg, the buddy I completed last year's edition with.
Intensive Preparation in the Heart of the Alps
Being lucky enough to live in Haute-Savoie, my daily training ground is demanding, but ideal. To tackle such a cycling monument, your preparation has to be flawless. Since the beginning of the year, my bike computer showed some solid numbers: no less than 8,500 kilometers and 140,000 meters of elevation gain, validated by two preparation Granfondo.
To handle such a workload and face the big Alpine passes for months, my Van Rysel RCR Pro was equipped with my Parcours Ronde wheels. They were my ideal partners throughout this preparation: reliable, smooth, and offering invaluable forgiveness for stringing together fast-paced rides and confidently racking up the necessary elevation. It is largely thanks to this foundational work done on my Parcours wheels that I was able to approach the event with a solid physical base. And since cycling has its own truth, I was going to need it.
The Verdict of the First Climbs
Right from the first slopes of the day's first giant, the Col de la Croix de Fer, the verdict was clear: the sensations just weren't there. My pedal stroke felt heavy, and I struggled to find my rhythm. You always hope for a breakthrough, a second wind, but the Col du Télégraphe only confirmed the sentence. It was just an "off" day. In those moments, the prospect of the remaining kilometers can quickly become a mental abyss.
Yet, the Galibier brought a brief reprieve. An unexpected surge of form gave me a little hope. My good sensations returned just long enough to swallow this mythical pass, but the illusion was short-lived. High mountains forgive nothing, and the succession of difficulties finally claimed its due. On the final climb of the Col de Sarenne, my engine completely blew up.
Team Spirit Against Cramps
This is where cycling takes on its full meaning, going beyond a mere individual effort. As I was riddled with cramps on the final kicker, unable to keep the pace on my own, my buddy Greg refused to drop me. He waited for me, supported me, and literally pushed me to help me get over the final gradients.
Thanks to his presence and strength, we managed to reach Alpe d'Huez together. The bike computer showed 7 hours and 30 minutes of effort. Down to the minute, this was exactly the time I had estimated before the start. However, the scenario to get there was radically different from what I had imagined.
L'Étape du Tour is also about this: accepting physical failure, relying on friendship to keep moving forward, and crossing the finish line with the pride of having pushed your absolute limits. A massive thank you to my riding buddy Greg, and to Parcours for faithfully supporting me year-round in my wildest challenges!
