The Trois Etapes

by MARK · July 25, 2013

The Trois Etapes

July 2013

The Tour de France edition of the Trois Etapes returns for the second year in 2013 from 26 – 29 July 2013. The event is fundamentally a charity ride but with a competitive edge, offering the chance for amateur riders to join together with leading professional riders as a team, to race on some of the most iconic climbs in the recent Tour de France, raising much needed funds for charity.

The Trois Etapes is, what organisers Cosaveli call, “the ultimate competitive pro-am cycling experience”, designed to give riders the chance to ride tactically as a team under race conditions with the full support that a pro would have in a Grand Tour. Each team of eight riders (seven amateurs and one pro) has its own team car and Directeur Sportif, with every rider connected via a radio link with their team car and the Race Director.

The 2013 edition of the Trois Etapes will see 15 teams compete over four days on an individual Prologue and three mountain TTT stages whilst raising crucial funds for charities worldwide.

Former Tour-winner Carlos Sastre will be returning to the Maurienne valley for the event to lead the Empower Europe team. The yellow jersey winner will be joined by a host of leading pros who will each head up the other 2013 Trois Etapes charity teams including:

Thorsten Wilhelms – World Bicycle Relief – Grey

Evelyn Stevens – World Bicycle Relief – Silver

Songezo Jim – World Bicycle Relief Qhubeka

Mark Beaumont – Walking With The Wounded

Colin Lynch – The Anne Frank Trust UK

Daniel Lloyd – Shooting Star CHASE

Lars Michaelsen – Right To Play Red

Liam Holohan – Right To Play – Blue

Andreas Klier – Prostate Cancer UK

Jonathon Tryoen – 1001 Fontaines

Carlos Sastre – Empower Europe

Annie Simpson – EMpower US

Kieran Frend – dZi Europe

Craig Lewis – dZi US

Jason White – SHINE

Carlos Sastra 2008Tour de France winner said “I feel happy to be back for the second year, for me it’s beautiful to be here again and this is a magnificent place to be. Last year was fantastic and I think it’s a great event,” said Carlos Sastre.

He continued: “It’s a huge motivation to ride, a lot of money being raised for charity which is even more motivation for me. That’s money for the projects and it means a lot for those that really need it.”

Andreas Klier, former professional cyclist for Garmin-Sharp added: “It’s a well-known joke within the peloton that I’m a bad climber but I’m actually really looking forward to this great event.”

“The Trois Etapes will make us all ride as fast as we can, together, as a team, for one great goal – to raise as much money as possible for charity. I am sure that all participants will not only be looking for a team victory, but will know that with every single kilometer that we suffer in the mountainous climbs of the Tour de France we are doing something good.”

Cosaveli is the company behind the Trois Etapes event. Their philosophy is simple; to make extraordinary events for people that share their passion for cycling. And to use their events as a platform to help those who help others.

In 2014, Cosaveli will add a ‘Trois Etapes Giro’ edition to its Trois Etapes Global pro-am race series. Using some of the most iconic and stunningly beautiful climbs in cycling, to create another event that will capture the very essence of the professional race that takes place over the same mountain passes as the professional race.

The inaugural edition of the Trois Etapes in 2012 saw 10 teams compete over three consecutive days in Team Time Trial format, on three classic Tour de France Alpine climbs, for the honour of being crowned the Champions of the Trois Etapes and raised over $1.7m for charity in the process.

For further information about the Trois Etapes, the Trois Etapes Series and the charities involved please visit: http://www.troisetapes.org

The BritishCycleSport.com team wish the riders all the very best.