Etape Loch Ness – any experience?

Much as I dislike the cost of UK sportives, always fancied this one and have a place and accommodation booked. Also using it as a focus for some riding and weight loss over the winter.

The distance will be fine, and I can manage the elevation, though I might be racing the time cut off.

Any tips/pointers or local knowledge?

I’ve done it twice. It’s a nice way to experience the A82 without dealing with the usual traffic. The return leg from Fort Augustus is lovely at any time though.

Be prepared for a cold start. You’ll be hanging around The Bught for a while before you get going. I’d say that this is the worst thing about the event.

Try to be accurate with your estimated finishing time so you end up in the right block at the start, but watch out for there being a lot of slower folk to overtake and the occasional fast bunch coming up from behind.

Remember it’s (mostly) closed roads so be happy to cut right-hand bends. Most folk seem to forget and stick rigidly to the normal side of the road (FWIW I reckon the roundabout at Drumnadrochit is quicker on the “wrong” side.)

The big hill out of Fort Augustus comes in 2 (some would say 3) sections. You’re not near the top until you hear the piper.

The descent to Whitebridge is superb. Some of it was resurfaced this year, making it even better.

There’s a wee kicker before Foyers. Just don’t be surprised.

At the very end, you turn off the bridge in Inverness onto a cobbled/blocked section. This can be very slippy when wet so take care.

Other than that, just enjoy it. The scenery is fab, it’s very friendly and well supported.

Remember it’s (mostly) closed roads so be happy to cut right-hand bends. Most folk seem to forget and stick rigidly to the normal side of the road (FWIW I reckon the roundabout at Drumnadrochit is quicker on the “wrong” side.)

To be fair to them most closed road sportive organisers do ask slower riders to try to stick to the left hand side generally, particularly on descents. It generally does keep things safer.

Re the actual event though, I’d go along with what scotroutes says above. The only tough climb (it’s in four parts I vaguely recall) is out of Fort Augustus. Other than that it’s fairly straightforward but a lovely route in a beautiful part of the world. Try and stay in the top third (says the rider who never can) as it’ll make the descents more fun. Getting in a decent sized bunch on the A82 will speed you along.

I’m always astonished by people’s average speeds on Strava for the Etape, it looks like one event where it really pays to be comfortable riding in a group and knowing how to work (even informally) with other riders.

I had this recently at a local sportive where I made a conscious effort to keep closing small gaps to stay in the draught, would tailor my efforts when I was on the front so as not to split the group, and really signposted when I was done with my turn, e.g. pulling off to the side and looking back.

Was just an added layer of enjoyment and interest. If you’re up for it I think Etape Lich Ness would be a great opportunity to play with some big fast groups.

Everything @scotroutes said. I’d say the climb from FA is three parts, and I’ve done it quite a bit, but however many parts you count – it’s a beast!

My only input is to try to go *slower* than you think. It’s a great route in a beautiful part of the country, enjoy it. Every time I give myself that advice I still go faster than intended, and regret hammering through instead of heads up looking around.

Enjoy!

Advice from someone who has done sportives, and some long distance off road rides..  It’s not that hilly – 900m in 66 miles /106k – hilly rides are 1000 feet per 10 miles. You should be able to get round fine – what’s the cut off ?

Key points, don’t hang about at the feeds, in, refuel and go. You can lose loads of time stopping very easily.

I did the Mad Manc – 130 miles, 11,000 feet of climbing, with two 25% hills at 40 miles and 80 miles.  It was a push to get within the cut off, as we started 20 minutes late, and I literally just made it – 7:20am off, finish by 5:45 – long day. Many folk were wasting time at the stops – the last stop on the Mad Manc was 30 miles from the finish, and I was there 2 hours before cut off – filled up, and went – managed 15mph average on that last section. But there were still loads of folk arriving, then some having a nice chat or a massage. I wasn’t passed by many riders in that last two hours. Cut off was an issue as the car park would have closed within an hour of this time.

Make sure you’ve got sufficient gearing to be able to get up the hills sat down – a 34×34 will get you up a 25% hill. When riding, just ease off – ride at a pace you can maintain. E.g. when out for just a couple of hours, you’ll push the pace, climb hard, it’s a case of just riding below this at what you feel is comfortable.

Hydration is key – I struggle to eat on these events, so I use a carb drink (high 5) and take spare ‘powder’ so I can re-fil my bottles with a drink my stomach can take – some of the stuff you get at events is rancid.

I’ve often thought about doing this event. The only thing that puts me off is what do you do at 09:00-09:30 on a Sunday morning after crossing the finish line. Surely a Sunday morning ride should take you up to lunchtime. I’m not saying I’m fast just that it’s such a ridiculously early start time and it’s quite short at 66 miles. I would be keen if it started at 09:00.

I presume it has to start early and finish early in order to get the road closures signed off.

The distance will be fine, and I can manage the elevation, though I might be racing the time cut off.

Any tips/pointers or local knowledge?

I reckon you’ll be a lot faster than you think. Closed roads makes a massive difference, doubly so if you’re OK with riding in a group and can draft.

Whatever time you can currently ride 100km in, knock 20% off it and go off that as an approximation.

Save something for the climb out of Fort Augustus, it goes on a bit. The descent is an absolute ripper though.

Look over your shoulder before you move in or out. You will almost certainly discover that at least half the people riding it are not very good in groups! Keep your wits about you. And have fun. 🙂

I agree with what @scotroutes says here. I also think that it’s the best VFM closed road sportive in the UK, in that there is no way in heck I’d ride the A82 without a road closure. I used to drive it a lot and it’s a mixture of motorway speeds and country road bends.

If I do it again, the approach I would take would be to enjoy a fast group to Fort Augustus, take the climb at a pace that’s challenging but not gruelling and then just really enjoy the South Loch Ness road at a comfortable pace. The scenery is great all the way around but that stretch of road is just superb.

Also agree that the early start sucks. Perhaps view it as an opportunity to find a nice brunch in the beautiful city of Inverness.

You’ve all rather confirmed what I suspected. I’m OK with the cold early start, worth it for the closed road.

Driving up on the Friday (my birthday!), mooch and registration on Saturday, ride Sunday, driving back Monday.

As much as I hate sportives I’ve always fancied this one due to its location. What’s the cut off time? One a route like that you should have very little issue doing 18ph av if you are in a group and have put in a modest amount of training.

Obviously it kinda depends how much you want to push yourself verses enjoying the scenery and cake stops…

Next year will be my 4th.

Scoutroutes guide up there is spot on.

Speeds tend to be high on this one as its reasonably flat on the way out to Fort Augustus and if there is any wind it tends to be head wind on the way out.  Working in a big group here pays off.

Big climb out of Fort Augustus up to the piper at the summit, and if the wind is blowing it will be really blowing up here, and if its a tail wind the run back to Inverness will be mega quick.

I’ve done it twice. The event is really well organised with good feed stations. You’ll easily be able to jump on the back of a fast group & get a tow to Fort Augustus. If you’re used to the distance you’ll be fine with the cut-off. The strava segment for the hill up from Fort Augustus is 1300ft in 4.8 miles and includes a section of downhill.

Just checked (via VeloViewer); my times for the event were 3h42m (2015) and 3h48m (2022). I’m not exactly a racer and it never occurred to me that the cut-off time would be a problem.

The route profile for the one big climb and descent looks like this, so you can get an idea of what’s to come, but also that long tail back to the side of Loch Ness.

Always wanted to do this event. 2026 here I come (laugh emoji)

I see there are still spaces…..very tempted..

All this talk of jumping on to fast groups – a sportive is a group of middle aged men pretending they are racing. An audax is a group of older men pretending they are not.

I did it two years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, I’ve just signed up to do it again next year.

It’s a nice run, despite crap weather when I did it.  I’m no roadie, but the closed road and big crowd was fun.

I inadvertently joined the last group to leave, which was a minor fail, and also wiped out on the very last corner….

As scotroutes points out, it’s very polished and slippery when wet!

I quite fancy scrounging a proper road bike next time.

I can’t imagine the cutoff being an issue if you’re reasonably fit.  There were many, many bimblers .

All this talk of jumping on to fast groups – a sportive is a group of middle aged men pretending they are racing. An audax is a group of older men pretending they are not.

Etape Loch Ness is very much a race at the front end.

I would say Sportives are more like people pretending they’re in a massive team time-trial, last one I did was like that, big group, sort of working together, people gradually dropping off.

Such was the camaraderie that I fully intended in doing one last massive pull at the end then just wheeling in at the back of the group, however I trying to do so I finally blew up and dribbled in 5 minutes back 😀

Etape Loch Ness is very much a race at the front end.

Not a huge concern to me – there’s a reason I was a brand ambassador for Fat Lad at the Back and not Skinny **** at the Front!

Been having a think about this one, despite doing quite a few Etape Caledonia’s in the past and saying never again, based on the very expensive accommodation available for the event.

This route looks great, however a google around for a BnB with secure parking for the Sat night is suggesting crazy accommodation pricing, even though more around in a city location.

I booked one of the Premier Inns when I preregistered. Two of the four “Inverness” Premier Inns were fully booked by that point.

One still has spaces, £220 for a double room for sat night bed, no breakfast, no twin option…

I got 3 nights, twin room for £300.