I Raced The Toughest Stage Of The Tour de France, How Hard Is It?

Ollie takes on the legendary 2026 L’Étape du Tour, tackling the official “Queen Stage” of the Tour de France on closed roads. With over 5,450m of climbing across the Croix de Fer, Galibier, and Sarenne, the goal is simple but brutal: can an amateur cyclist stay within 20% of Tadej Pogačar’s predicted time? From pacing strategies with power meters to surviving a pre-race stomach bug, this is the ultimate test of endurance in the high Alps.

🤝 In collaboration with @Favero_cycling
👉 https://gcn.eu/faverocycling

Chapters: ⏱️
00:00 – Beating the Pro Time Cut
00:35 – What is L’Étape du Tour?
02:13 – The Brutal Route Overview
02:35 – Superlight Tech: Canyon Ultimate CFR
04:15 – Why Pacing Is Everything (Favero Assioma)
05:58 – The Start in Bourg d’Oisans
07:52 – Climbing Col de la Croix de Fer
11:42 – Nutrition & Hydration Strategy
13:08 – Suffering on the Col du Galibier
21:16 – The Final Hurdle: Col de Sarenne

Useful Links:
Join this channel to get access to perks 👉
https://gcn.eu/JoinYTmemberships
Subscribe so you don’t miss a thing! 👉 https://gcn.eu/subscribe
Insurance: Viewers in the USA and UK can explore GCN Insurance products 👉 https://gcn.eu/GCNinsurance
Sign Up To The GCN Newsletter 👉 https://gcn.eu/Newsletter
GCN Uploader 👉 https://gcn.eu/gcnuploader
Visit the GCN Shop 👉 https://gcn.eu/gcnshop
GCN WhatsApp Channel 👉 https://gcn.eu/GCNwhatsapp
GCN Instagram Broadcast Channel 👉 https://gcn.eu/instagrambroadcast
Join the GCN Club on Zwift and ride with us! 👉 https://gcn.eu/GCNClubRides

This was hands down one of the hardest days I’ve ever had on a bike! 🏔️ The 20% time cut rule really puts into perspective how fast the pros actually are. If you could pick any Tour de France stage to ride on closed roads, which one would it be?👇

Watch more on GCN…
📹 https://youtu.be/gE4TG8WdaG4
📹 Watch our Editor’s Choice Playlist 👉 https://gcn.eu/editorschoice
📹 Or why not check out our Features Playlist 👉 ​​https://gcn.eu/gcnfeatures

🎵 Music – licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
Rospigg
L2 – Rospigg
Animal – Suffer City
Animal (Instrumental Version) – Suffer City
Archive Memory – Susan Bear
Battle of the Crown – Dian Shuai
Blade of Light – Dian Shuai
Calling Me rOoyy.mps
Dark Eternity – Siddharth Parashar
Daytona Dystopia – Dylan Sitts
Departed – Anna Dager
Divine – Torii Wolf
Divine (Instrumental Version) – Torii Wolf
Epicenter – Aiyo

#gcn #cycling #roadcycling #roadbike #bike #bikes #bikelife

📸 Photos – © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sirotti Images

The Global Cycling Network (GCN) is the largest online cycling channel in the world, bringing together a global community of road cyclists to celebrate everything that’s great about the world of cycling.

Our videos bring fans compelling daily content, including expert tutorials, techniques, training, racing, cutting-edge bike tech, unparalleled behind-the-scenes event coverage, humour, entertainment, and more.

Presented by ex-pro riders, GCN offers a uniquely qualified insight into the world of cycling, and most importantly, it’s fuelled by our passionate and enthusiastic fans – everyone who makes up the GCN community. We also bring the latest and greatest tech to your attention, showcase the best places in the world to ride and get exclusive access to events and races.

Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside Cycling

Thanks to our sponsors:
Canyon Bikes: http://gcn.eu/-Canyon
Orbea Bikes: http://gcn.eu/Orbea
Pinarello Bikes: https://gcn.eu/Pinarello
Topeak Tools: http://gcn.eu/Topeak
CamelBak: https://gcn.eu/Camelbak
Pirelli Tyres: https://gcn.eu/Pirelli
Hunt Bike Wheels: https://gcn.eu/Hunt
Wahoo Fitness: http://gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
Park Tool: http://gcn.eu/-parktool
Selle Italia: https://gcn.eu/SelleItalia
Zwift: https://gcn.eu/Zwift
Gtechniq: https://gcn.eu/Gtechniq
Core Body Temperature: https://gcn.eu/corebodytemp
Precision Fuel & Hydration: https://gcn.eu/precisionhydration
Elitewheels: https://gcn.eu/Elitewheels
CeramicSpeed: https://gcn.eu/GCNCeramicSpeed
HJC Sports: https://gcn.eu/hjcsports
Shimano: https://gcn.eu/shimano
Cyclowax: https://gcn.eu/cyclowax
Sena: https://gcn.eu/Senacycling
Princeton Carbon Works: https://gcn.eu/princetoncarbonworks
P1 Race Technologies: https://gcn.eu/p1racetechnologies
POC: https://gcn.eu/POC

Watch our sister channels:
GCN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/@gcntech
GCN Racing – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnracing
Global Triathlon Network – https://www.youtube.com/@gtn
GCN Italia – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnitalia
GCN en Español – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnenespanol
GCN auf Deutsch – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnaufdeutsch
GCN en Français – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnenfrancais
GCN Training – https://www.youtube.com/@GCNTraining
Global Mountain Bike Network – https://youtube.com/@gmbn
GMBN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/@gmbntech
Electric Mountain Bike Network – https://www.youtube.com/@embn