L'Étape Archives

melanie-bianchis-unexpected-journey-with-skoda-kodiaq

First Training Rides, then Outdoor Sleepovers: Melanie Bianchi’s Unexpected Journey with Škoda Kodiaq

October 3, 2026 at 8:50 am2 min reading

For Melanie Bianchi, life as The Unseen Stage Challenger has meant fitting cycling around two children, family responsibilities, and an increasingly demanding training schedule. With bikes, riding kit, and snacks constantly in tow, having a practical support vehicle quickly became part of the equation. Enter…

melanie-bianchi-goes-toe-to-toe-with-the-letape-and-herself

The Willpower to Start: Melanie Bianchi Goes Toe to Toe with the L’Étape – and Herself

August 20, 2026 at 4:17 pm2 min reading

Health & Training

Melanie is a mountain biker and relative newcomer to road cycling – she knew that preparing for L’Étape Czech Republic would test more than her stamina. For her, signing up for The Unseen Stage meant stepping beyond a long-held fear of competition. It would ask…

melanie-bianchi-on-what-it-takes-to-prepare-for-letape-czech-republic

Making Space for the Bike – and for Ambition: What It Takes to Prepare for L’Étape Czech Republic

August 12, 2026 at 4:30 pm2 min reading

Health & Training

When we first met Melanie Bianchi, she was entering The Unseen Stage with a very personal goal: to confront the fear of competition and prove to herself that she could commit to something challenging. A mountain biker and mother of two, she knew L’Étape Czech…

melanie-bianchis-journey-to-letape-czech-republic

From Self-Doubt to the Start Line: Melanie Bianchi’s Journey to L’Étape Czech Republic

August 1, 2026 at 8:31 am2 min reading

Health & Training

For Austria’s Challenger Melanie Bianchi, joining The Unseen Stage means far more than preparing for a cycling event; it marks a personal turning point. “At 35, I feel I am in a very honest and powerful transition,” she says. “For years, I didn’t take certain…

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Worth Every Climb: How Markko Karu Turned Preparation into Performance at L’Étape du Tour

July 23, 2026 at 6:19 pm2 min reading

Health & Training

When Markko Karu joined The Unseen Stage, he was already familiar with L’Étape. An experienced mountain biker and endurance rider from Estonia, he approached the project with a clear ambition: to see what would happen if he paired his love of cycling with a truly…

why-the-skoda-octavia-became-markko-karus-cycling-companion

Built for the Long Road: Why the Škoda Octavia Became Markko Karu’s Ideal Training Companion

July 16, 2026 at 1:32 pm2 min reading

Health & Training

For Markko Karu, preparing for L’Étape during The Unseen Stage meant far more than hours in the saddle. The months leading up to the event were filled with early-morning training rides, strength sessions, races across Estonia, and long drives to reach them. Throughout that journey,…

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Not Just a Support Car: How the Škoda Kodiaq Became Part of Ewa Zwolska’s L’Étape Journey

June 30, 2026 at 1:58 pm2 min reading

Road cycling

Preparing for L’Étape Poland and The Unseen Stage was never going to be straightforward for Ewa Zwolska. Between running a mountain hut high in the mountains, fitting training around long workdays, and travelling to suitable roads for structured sessions, logistics often felt as challenging as…

ewa-zwolska-defied-her-own-expectations-at-letape-poland

Beyond the Finish Line: How Ewa Zwolska Defied Her Own Expectations at L’Étape Poland

June 26, 2026 at 2:50 pm2 min reading

Health & Training

When Ewa Zwolska joined The Unseen Stage, she never saw herself as a cyclist chasing a result. She was the mountain hut manager who squeezed training between exhausting workdays, the adventurer who loved long journeys more than structured workouts, and, perhaps most importantly, the Challenger…

Eyes on the Prize: Markko Karu and the Strength Hidden Inside The Unseen Stage Process

June 26, 2026 at 2:29 pm2 min reading

Road cycling

When Markko Karu joined The Unseen Stage, he already knew what L’Étape could demand. The Estonian rider had experienced the event three times before, built years of endurance through mountain biking and long-distance riding, and approached this year’s challenge with quiet determination. But structured training,…

how-i-did-at-letape-czech-republic-as-an-average-amateur-cyclist

How I Did at l’Étape Czech Republic as an Average Amateur Cyclist

June 24, 2026 at 3:06 pm2 min reading

Health & Training

I lined up at the start of l’Étape Czech with a plan, a PR on the KOM climb, and a body still recovering from illness. The scorching 34°C heat tested me early, but the loud fans and thrill of drafting in a peloton kept me…

Tag: L’Étape

First Training Rides, then Outdoor Sleepovers: Melanie Bianchi’s Unexpected Journey with Škoda Kodiaq

The Willpower to Start: Melanie Bianchi Goes Toe to Toe with the L’Étape – and Herself

Making Space for the Bike – and for Ambition: What It Takes to Prepare for L’Étape Czech Republic

From Self-Doubt to the Start Line: Melanie Bianchi’s Journey to L’Étape Czech Republic

Worth Every Climb: How Markko Karu Turned Preparation into Performance at L’Étape du Tour

Built for the Long Road: Why the Škoda Octavia Became Markko Karu’s Ideal Training Companion

Not Just a Support Car: How the Škoda Kodiaq Became Part of Ewa Zwolska’s L’Étape Journey

Beyond the Finish Line: How Ewa Zwolska Defied Her Own Expectations at L’Étape Poland

Eyes on the Prize: Markko Karu and the Strength Hidden Inside The Unseen Stage Process

How I Did at l’Étape Czech Republic as an Average Amateur Cyclist

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Roc d’Azur

UCI MTB World Championships

La Vuelta