Practice L’Etape 2020
Fast Facts
Difficulty: Hard
Road Condition: Good
Distance: 120km
Elevation Gain: 2,601m
Hazards:
Some busy roads
The descents around Berry can be very hazardous.
The Ride
OK, so you’re not only mad enough to want to ride L’Etape 2020, but you’re mad enough to want to give it a practice run too! This ride is pretty close to the L’Etape course without a few of the busier roads where they can be avoided. Don’t worry, it has all the good bits! the route is also pretty similar to a local favourite - the good old Big Block ride except you go over Berry Mountain at the start instead of Woodhill for some additional climbing because…well why not!
This ride takes you over Berry Mountain and along the ridge to Cambewarra Lookout and then through the scenic Kangaroo Valley, up into the southern Highlands and through Robertson. You then descend down the beautiful Jamberoo Pass and into loverly Jamberoo village. After that, you head up the insane Fountaindale Rd (check out the max gradients on that beast) to Saddleback mountain and down into Kiama before scooting back to Berry via Gerringong and Gerroa.
Directions
Short Intro.
From the Bike Shop
Head west along Queen St (towards Nowra)
0km head straight onto Kangaroo Valley Rd
7.0km - Left onto Tourist Rd
13.5km - Keep going straight past Cambewarra Lookout Rd (you can pop up for a coffee if you want to add a few extra metres of climbing
14.7km Head down to the right on Moss Vale Rd towards Kangaroo Valley
21km (approx) Kangaroo Valley. Load up on Caffeine for the next climb
30km (approx) Barrengarry Climb starts
37km Right onto Nowra Rd
39.8km Keep going on Myra Rd
47.5km Left onto Pearsons Ln
52.5km Right onto Illawarra Highway towards Robertson
55km (approx) Robertson
57.9km Right at the Pie Shop onto Jamberoo Mountain Rd
80.9km Right onto Churchill St
81.9km Left at the roundabout onto Allowire St towards Kiama
84.2 Right onto Fountaindale Rd (take a few deep breaths - you’ll need them)
86.1km Take the left and head for the sky
90.5 Glad that’s over!
96.1 Right onto South Kiama Dr
98.1 Take the Princes Highway onramp. Kiama Bends here we come
101.6 Take the Rose Valley exit towards Gerringong
Head straight through town towards Gerroa
Keep going through Gerroa
112.3 Right onto Beach Road - home stretch
120km Home!