Anthony Calvet, a local cyclist, shares his experience of his Etape du Tour, equipped with products Matchy !
My race kit for this stage of the Tour is a Pure jersey and one Premium bib shorts Matchy.

A story full of twists and turns

Before telling you about my day on the bike, I'm going to give you some background on the context in which I set off.

Starting in January 2022, I set myself the objective of...Tour stage. I then began my preparation for this goal, but unfortunately things did not go as planned.

In March 2022, an accident resulted in a fractured pelvis and a vertebra… I don’t know when I’ll be able to get back on a bike and if I’ll be able to participate in the Etape du Tour this year.

But after eating my hard bread for a long period, a ray of sunshine appears, rehabilitation progresses, I resume “training” in June, I regain some sensations, but the preparation for this stage of the tour is far from optimal.

July 10, 2022, I present myself at the Departure

I'm still lining up at the start of the Etape du Tour, given my current form, even though I don't know if my body will allow me to finish. Having a "guest" bib number, I'm starting in wave 0 and I'm motivated for the day ahead!

A quick departure.

7:00 am, it's the big start, after all these hardships since the beginning of the year, we're here, it's the start of this 2022 stage. After a fast start, I make the effort in the Lautaret pass to get back into a good group which includes some friends with whom I crest the Galibier pass, a few minutes behind the head of the race.

Still feeling fit, I am enjoying the magnificent scenery at the summit of this legendary pass in the heart of our mountains.

I lose contact on the descent towards Valloire and the Col du Télégraphe.

The day of "potato hunting" begins!

I reach the top of the telegraph 30 seconds behind my morning group, unfortunately, I will not be able to catch up with them on the descent and the valley that leads us to the foot of the Croix de Fer!

The Croix de Fer, a mythical climb in the Alps, 29 km of slopes that hurt the legs, that wear them down and Mr. Sun that beats down on the helmet, I have the feeling of being glued to the tarmac throughout the entire climb. I fought to stay with a small group that had reformed, a mechanical problem in the first part of the descent forced me to stop and let them go.

Fortunately, a group of runners who must not have done the same race as me, judging by their freshness, catches up with me and takes me to the foot of the last pass of the day: Alpe d'Huez!

The myth of the Alps and the end of this epic

At the bottom, I'm told I'm five minutes behind the guys from this morning, which means I could have stayed with them! There are 21 turns to climb, 21 hairpin bends to reach the end of this 2022 Stage! From the very first ramp, I can tell the climb is going to be long, but I am still in the race.

Despite significant fatigue, the adrenaline and the atmosphere allowed me to regain some semblance of strength in my legs along the Alpe to finish the last three kilometers with dignity.

A positive outcome!

After 6 hours and 40 minutes in the saddle, I crossed the finish line at 1:40 PM! A top 200 finish that was completely unimaginable just a few weeks ago after a difficult few months and far from ideal preparation! I'm proud, happy with my race, and I'm hopeful for the future!