Alpe d'Huez time to top

King of Spain · June 2007

I broke my Alpe d'Huez virginity at the weekend (having been left at base of mountain on last year's etape in the "dry" feeding zone). I was surprised to find the 'official' finish line about 2kms before the Tour finish line, presumably to stop the town getting clogged up loony Brits and Dutch every day through the sumer. Anyways, 1 hour 25 minutes of painful, but non-stop cycling saw me up there.

Question for Forumers - is the descent as scarey and technical as I found it, or am I just a bit of a ***** ? CAme off the Galibier like the devil was on my heels so I'm certainly not a scaredy cat for sure. thoughts ?

Ryedaleman · June 2007

I rode up to the tour finish, 1.33mins on a Cannonadale MTB with slicks in early June last year. Team Jeune De Francaise were training on it and I got caught by 3 who just floated up past me!. Armstrong could have riden up, come down, and gone up agaim and still been there before me.
The descent was good, though I was conscious of over heating the rims with constant breaking for the hairpins.
Main probelm was the cold, I had a top to come down with, but nothing on my hands and was having put them in my mouth to try to warm them.

Unknown · June 2007

On my Thorn

1hour 3o mins up to the tour finish too, and I was glad I have ceramic rims and special blocks on the way down.

http://imjibi.googlepages.com/George-al ... z-full.jpg

I was just glad I got to the top without a heart attack at my age and I beat the time of Sheryl Crowe.

There are so many turns it is a bit scary
george
PS
When I was talking to Bill Nickson, who rode it during the TDF, he was timed out on this stage, he took 1hour

_________________________________
Trip
www.pedalpatagonia.co.uk

2 Bikes
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/imjibi/Bikes

david birchill · June 2007

1 hour 10 is my best floated up 1.40 a couple of years ago chatting all the way up with a Ducth guy on a MTB enjoyed it more.Try the descent in the rain was shi[:0][:0]ing myself all the way down

LAZY DOG

Blonde · June 2007

Took me 90 minutes weekend before last - it seems we all climb at about the same pace.... slowly! ;- )

Mine was after riding up the Galibier too, and also was the day after a 70 odd miler over Glandon, Croix de la Fer and Telegraph [:0]

bedstead · June 2007

Did 1hr 16 last Sunday
www.justgiving.com/tourdeeastanglia

peter_andrew · June 2007

5 seconds as i trace the road with a pencil every morning as it is the wallpaper on my work computer. From the fantastic picture someone posted on this forum a little while ago He! He! He!
Peter

russell_in_france · June 2007

I'm taking my team from work over tomorrow afternoon. All these people have lived so close to the climb but never cycled it, so we have eight 'Alpe d'Huez virgins' riding up tomorrow afternoon.

There is an excellent view over to the Alpe d'Huez from the Col du Solude, a climb on the opposite side of the valley.

http://www.grenoblecycling.com/gallery/ ... =98&pos=19

http://www.grenoblecycling.com/gallery/ ... =98&pos=20

These are two recent photos that are on my site.

Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Blonde

Took me 90 minutes weekend before last - it seems we all climb at about the same pace.... slowly! ;- )

Mine was after riding up the Galibier too, and also was the day after a 70 odd miler over Glandon, Croix de la Fer and Telegraph [:0]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Pah, I did Alpe d'Huez last year in 1 hour 20 minutes after doing the Glandon, the Telegraph and the Galibier. [;)]

I did it in just under an hour a couple of days before but that was when I was fresh.

grimpeurcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Russell in France

I'm taking my team from work over tomorrow afternoon. All these people have lived so close to the climb but never cycled it, so we have eight 'Alpe d'Huez virgins' riding up tomorrow afternoon.

There is an excellent view over to the Alpe d'Huez from the Col du Solude, a climb on the opposite side of the valley.

http://www.grenoblecycling.com/gallery/ ... =98&pos=19

http://www.grenoblecycling.com/gallery/ ... =98&pos=20

These are two recent photos that are on my site.

Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hey Russell any chance of those Photo's in High Resolution to use as wallpaper? I'd be hoping for 1920x1200 if possible!!

As for Alp d'Huez, I've never ridden it fresh but did it in 1:10 at the end of the Marmotte last year. Contrary to my nickname I'm not much of a grimpeur at 6'1" and 12st!

Blonde · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andyp
I did it in just under an hour a couple of days before but that was when I was fresh.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Heh! I was far from 'fresh' on that climb! I think I left trail of salt and dead slugs all the way up! Was tempted to get off and stick head under icy streams that ran down the Alpe, but feared that legs would cease to work, resulting in comedy prattfall on most severe part of the slope, so just carried on, day-dreaming about licking the outside of an ice cold can of coke... [:p] [xx(]

Desert Orchid · June 2007

So now you've done the climbs, have you got the urge to do them all in one day?[:)][:)]

climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber.

nick hanson · June 2007

Hey Russell any chance of those Photo's in High Resolution to use as wallpaper? I'd be hoping for 1920x1200 if possible!!

As for Alp d'Huez, I've never ridden it fresh but did it in 1:10 at the end of the Marmotte last year. Contrary to my nickname I'm not much of a grimpeur at 6'1" and 12st!
[/quote]
That makes you a lightweight!

so many cols,so little time!

Blonde · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Desert Orchid

So now you've done the climbs, have you got the urge to do them all in one day?[:)][:)]

climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I probably will be in the not too distant future! I too have stood under the sign - the one in the photo you sent me! [:)]

russell_in_france · June 2007

Hi guys,

Sure, I'll get the photos on my site and post a link.

Cheers, Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com

Ken Night · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Russell in France

Hi guys,

Sure, I'll get the photos on my site and post a link.

Cheers, Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've had this on my desk top since last year-don't know where I got it from
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a121/ ... Sept06.jpg

I'd like to use one of yours Russell-I've enjoyed your site immensely

I fly out on 23rd June for a few cols and the Trophee Oisans in early July-are you riding/snapping (babies permitting!)?

"I once prayed to God for a bike, but quickly found out he didnt work that way...so I stole a bike and prayed for his forgiveness"

russell_in_france · June 2007

Let's hope the weather improves this year. It's pouring down here in Grenoble, and we seem to have had rain most days for the last few weeks.

I'm around this year, Ken, so always keen for a spin if I can get a pass out. Certainly a beer in the evening as Bourg d'Oisans is about 40 minutes from home in the car.

Cheers, Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com

craigenty · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
As for Alp d'Huez, I've never ridden it fresh but did it in 1:10 at the end of the Marmotte last year. Contrary to my nickname I'm not much of a grimpeur at 6'1" and 12st!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ok Grimpeur! I'll see you for 5 minutes on The Alpe (1h15m at the end of The Etape) but I'll raise you to 13 stone!!!

Lightweight![;)]

Craig

www.montventouxwebcam.com
www.veloventoux.com

grimpeurcp · June 2007

I think I weigh about 13st ( or more now! ) so I wonder what time I'll do this year?

You riding the Marmotte this year Craig? I'll be there with Phil again, who has now somewhat unsportingly now got a Look 585 and thus weighs about 25Kg less than I do!

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by grimpeur

As for Alp d'Huez, I've never ridden it fresh but did it in 1:10 at the end of the Marmotte last year. Contrary to my nickname I'm not much of a grimpeur at 6'1" and 12st!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">What? That's a good time for a non-pro after such a gruelling ride.

I've managed 55' 00" to the proper finish line, but that was after just descending the Alpe and some warm-up miles in the valley. Best time after doing a hard day's pass-storming is about the same as yours.

Someone asked if it is a technical descent. Well, with all those hairpins and the volume of traffic it is, but there are some places where one can just let the bike go and rack it up to 60mph given a favourable wind. The technicality comes not just from the tight turns, but also the smoothness of the surface in those turns which, at the time I was going there regularly, was compounded by concrete-carrying trucks dropping water on the bends on their way up, making a very slippery road in places.

In the old days of the first Time pedals, which had less cornering clearance than Looks, they were continually getting grounded as we raced each other down, and early/rapid acceleration out of bends, and pedalling through them, were some of the tricks for gaining on one's friends (rivals!). Added fun, of course, was had by choosing cornering lines that did not propel you into the path of oncoming vehicles on the right-handed bends! A couple of hairpins immediately follow blind, cliff-obscured curves, leaving very little braking distance if one's belting down at TDF speed. So, yes it is a technical descent, but more technical descents would include such climbs as the south side of the Cormet de Roseland, the north-east side of the Col de la Croix de Fer (spectacular opportunities at about two-thirds of the way down to go sailing over the low wall and a LOOOOONNNGGG way down into the ravine if you cock up your line or don't see the badly-located-on-apex ruts in time), the Col du Granon and that cracker of a dead-end climb up to a canyon near Termignon.

craigenty · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by grimpeur

I think I weigh about 13st ( or more now! ) so I wonder what time I'll do this year?

You riding the Marmotte this year Craig? I'll be there with Phil again, who has now somewhat unsportingly now got a Look 585 and thus weighs about 25Kg less than I do!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well I'm in! No. 677 but haven't decided yet. I am due a year out of La Marmotte. I did a 180km club run last week with half as much climbing as La Marmotte and I suffered like a dog so It has kinda put me off [:(]
See you at the Alpe!!

Craig

www.montventouxwebcam.com
www.veloventoux.com

Eggycp · June 2007

Just had a great week in the Alps with Alpe d'Huez the highlight. (1 hr 23 for me and 1hr 5 for my son)Stayed in a mobile at A la rencontre du soleil.Good campsite at ADH start banner. Great holiday. Go for it!

pneumatic · July 2007

Now raw time is all very well, all you Pantanis, but since my trip up the 21 lacets was differently impressive from yours, I propose a more rounded way of calculating the achievement (a balanced scorecard approach):

Time: 2hours9 or 129 minutes (don't laugh! yet)
Age at time of ascent: 43
Minutes per year on planet: 3 (quaking yet, young ones?)
Kilos weighed by rider (prior to ascent):100 (impressed, or what?)
Weight:Age:Time (rounded result): 0.03

That is: time divided by age and the result divided by weight in kilos

So, if I'd been 21 and 75kilos, I would have got up there in 47.25 minutes.

Ha!

jibi · July 2007

That made my brain hurt

I'm 58, 87 kilos and a time of 1hr 30mins

so what is my time according to your calcs please???

george

pneumatic · July 2007

Ok so that would be (T/A)/W, where T=time taken, A=age and W=weight of rider.

Thus ( 90/58 )/87 = 0.0178

Which multiplied by 75 (standard grimpeur weight) and again by 21 (foolish young man age) would give you a time of 28.09 minutes, which is a WORLD RECORD!

Congratulations! Chapeau.

I can't believe I'm doing this - I'm not even a boffin!

Nick H. · July 2007

OK, which of you wimps were beaten by Sheryl Crow? She did it in 1.37 in 2004 at the age of 42

pneumatic · July 2007

Ah, but did she do it on a Dawes Super Galaxy with racks and mudguards 32C tyres? Also, from the press pictures, she does not appear quite as big boned as me. (as you can see, I am a specialist in elaborate excuses for underperformance!)

Upon which subject, if you stay at the Hotel Edelweiss at La Grave (which I thoroughly recommend that you do, since it is the most road-cyclist friendly establishment I have ever been in, and also just plain friendly), there is a Dutch shopper's bike leaning against the wall of the terrace. Anyone who dares take it up the Alpe and back wins a free night's accommodation (although in my case it would have been a free night in the local hospital if I'd tried it).

Should the formula perhaps also take account of the weight of the bike, size of tyres, number of kronenbourg's consumed the night before??? Hmm... Time for some boolean algebra, methinks.

jibi · July 2007

Nick H. Posted

OK, which of you wimps were beaten by Sheryl Crow? She did it in 1.37 in 2004 at the age of 42

_______________________________

That was one of the things that kept me going.

No way was I going to be beaten by S.Crowe.

george ( aged 57 at the time I did it)

chill888 · July 2007

I won't compete on times up the great Alpe:

But a reminder - too many people forget to ride further to Lac Besson or/and to the incredibly beautiful but remote Col de la Sarenne

Map:

http://will-davies.com/index.php?option ... &Itemid=72

jibi · July 2007

pneumatic posted

Should the formula perhaps also take account of the weight of the bike, size of tyres, .. Hmm... Time for some boolean algebra, methinks.
_________________

Then I should have an even faster adjusted time as I did it on 2" tyres and a Thorn Raven Catalyst.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/imjibi/Eu ... 0835718162

But 28:09 is fast enough for me

george

jonty1977 · August 2008

Rode The Alpe for the second time in June, 56 mins compared to my first attempt three yrs ago which ended in failure at turn 7.

Also rode Ventoux the same week and stayed at craigenty's place, veloventoux, can't recommend it highly enough.

The weather was a lot better on the Alpe than Ventoux

Alpe d'Huez time to top

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