The count-down is on for the first Tour de France event to be held in Australia! L’Étape Australia by Le Tour de France is a cycling event in Australia’s Snowy Mountains, run under professional conditions for amateurs, with closed roads, a challenging route, a Sprint and a King of the Mountain section.

Test your stamina and determination on a choice of two demanding and beautiful routes, both on fully closed roads and held under professional race conditions. The ultimate challenge of L’Étape Australia, the Race covers 157km which includes the difficult Col de Beloka and finishes with the demanding Col de Kosciuszko final climb, taking the route to a peak of 1,735m. A shorter version of the Race, the Ride is for those who wish to immerse themselves in the atmosphere and experience of L’Étape without the added pressure of the final Col de Kosciuszko climb. At 126km and a peak of 1,300m the Ride is still a significant challenge. 

The start for both the Race and the Ride will be at the Bullocks Flat Ski Tube Terminal in Crackenback. Participants for both routes will head off through Jindabyne, towards Rocky Plains Road before turning towards Berridale for the Sprint section down the main street of the town. The riders will then continue to Dalgety before reaching the difficult Col de Beloka climb. The Ride will then return to finish in Jindabyne while the Race participants will continue past Jindabyne up punishing Col de Kosciuszko to reach the finish at Perisher.

Participants in the Race at L’Étape Australia will be provided the unique opportunity of competing for the authentic Tour de France jerseys: the yellow jersey, the green jersey, the polka dot jersey and the white jersey. L’Étape Australia will also provide prizes for winners in other Categories of the event outside of the iconic Tour de France Jerseys. The fastest team in the Race will receive nine single bib entries to the 2017 L’Étape du Tour in France.

Prizes will also be awarded for the following participants in the Ride:

• Overall male and female winner

• The fastest male and female Ride participant in the Sprint section

• The fastest male and female Ride participant in the timed Col de Beloka climb

• The fastest Ride team

All Jersey and prize winners must have completed their allocated route in the allowed time to be eligible for awards.