La Marmotte

Ken Night

oldwelshman wrote:

[nope you have the link?
Wonder if there are any cyclists with more than me? :P

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... t=12565373

clanton

Does anyone know if you need cycle specific insurance for the Marmotte? IIRC it was a requirement for last year's Etape...
I can't seem to get much info in English from their website so if there's anything glaringly important please will someone let me know! Quite frustrating cause I have no French at all.

Ken Night

clanton wrote:

Does anyone know if you need cycle specific insurance for the Marmotte? IIRC it was a requirement for last year's Etape...
I can't seem to get much info in English from their website so if there's anything glaringly important please will someone let me know! Quite frustrating cause I have no French at all.

Not as I remember

There is a pair of flag icons at the RHS of the sportcommunication page-click the union jack

Don't worry if you can't speak French on the day, you really need Dutch or Belgian...

Mark Alexander

I have my bike insured for racing and it's covered anywhere in europe

Kléber

It's not bike insurance, it's civil insurance you need, 3rd party coverage that's valid in Europe.

Most of us can afford to replace our bike if it's nicked. If you crash into a car, you can do a lot more damage, same if you go through a shop window! Worse crash into someone and put them in a wheelchair for life, you probably can't afford to care for them for the rest of your life.

clanton

Thanks for that. I can make myself understood in Dutch, well better than I can in French anyway! I did click on the Union Jack on the home page but it only seems to change the headers at the top into English, all the rest of the info stays French!

flattythehurdler

I'm going out to try the route in a week. Better bring my wellies for the top of Galibier.

Mark Alexander

I have been considering not taking the carbon Uber bike for this Jaunt.

My other bike is Aluminium and has a triple Campag chainset [52/42/30 and 13-26] and this may be a better choice giving my inexperienced body some options.

I did my first 100 miler last week and my first 200+ mile week this week.

APIII

I've not been beyond 75 miles yet this year, but been doing 150-200 mile weeks for a while, but progress isn't as quick as I'd hoped! Got a 4 day trip to the Pyrenees in May, so that will either boost my confidence or compund my misery

oldwelshman

I still have not done a 100 miler this year, but managed 250 miles a week for last 5 weeks now.
Did 70 mile 2/3/4 race yesterday and managed to last to the end so think I will make it in time for the Marmite
Just need to get the mix right between racing and long rides.

bluemoon51

This is probably the hardest 1 day ride an amateur can do. I wouldn't worry too much yet about not having done "100 miles" this year, especially if you guys are averaging 200 - 250 miles per week.
Probably the most important factor will be the intensity you are able to sustain on your training rides, there is so much uphill on this ride that by the time you crest the Galibier you will probably be somewhere near your limit. Then, despite the profile, the ride to the foot of the Alpe is not one long coast and of course you then have this monster to ride - by now in the hottest part of the day.

The most important bits of advice i can give is 1. Make sure your bike set up and clothing is comfortable 2. Get your gearing correct - I would not do this again without at least a compact - triples are ideal. 3. Stay comfortable and don't push too hard too soon - the chances are you will be in the best shape you've ever been in (if your training has gone to plan) and you will probably fly - the buzz of the day will carry you away too - but its a very long day and when that buzz wears off you don't want to have gone too far into the red earlier on.

The most important point i believe (fwiw) is having the mental strength and confidence in KNOWING you will finish (and ride well) that comes from putting the training in and having performed in the past - wether this is in Sportives - long solo rides - trip to the Alps etc - i can't underestimate the importance of this - there will be times when the going gets very tough and if you KNOW you can get through it - you are 95% there.

Finally, enjoy the holiday and the big day itself - it's a maybe once in a lifetime trip (You will definitely say that at the end!) and you want look back on it in winters to come with fondness / pride.

Mark Alexander

for me, the regularity of riding will be my overriding target from here on in.

oldwelshman

For every uphill there must be a downhill Except for the Alpe of course which is at the end.
So At least I know I will be going down hill some times
Unless my bike falls apart or my legs fall off I will finish and hope to get a decent time and also hope the fitness gained from the ride will help me get below 6:30 for the Pinarello Gran Fondo two weeks later
I have no target time for the Marmite as it is my first time, but will hope to improve it next year once I have an idea from this year.
Anyone have a traget time to aim for?

Ken Night

bluemoon51 wrote:

This is probably the hardest 1 day ride an amateur can do.
I wouldn't worry too much yet......... especially if .... averaging 200 - 250 miles per week.

.....by the time you crest the Galibier you will probably be somewhere near your limit.
.......the ride to the foot of the Alpe is not one long coast
.......then have this monster to ride - by now in the hottest part of the day.


The most important point i believe (fwiw) is having the mental strength and confidence in KNOWING you will finish (and ride well) that comes from putting the training in and having performed in the past - .... i can't underestimate the importance of this - there will be times when the going gets very tough and if you KNOW you can get through it - you are 95% there.

Finally, enjoy the holiday and the big day itself - it's a maybe once in a lifetime trip (You will definitely say that at the end!) and you want look back on it in winters to come with fondness / pride.

A lot of good advice here-especially about enjoying it-and the days beforehand in Bourg/the mountains-lots of easy routes around Bourg/pretty places to go

I would re-emphasise the descent of the Galibier/Lauteret is not easy, as you will be wanting to push along. Make sure you get in a good group, even if that means waiting 30seconds.

Push your glasses up before the La Grave tunnels (enjoy the weird sensation of rushing along in pack, where it will appear the walls are rushing past you, as the riders alongside appear comparatively stationary)


you do mean overstate of course

A lot of Dutch and Belgian teams will have their own feed station at the bottom of the Telegraph, but no water/feed for anyone else. There is a tap about 100m from where the road starts to go upwards, or make European friends fast!
Finally, the section along the Maurienne Valley, must be ridden in a pack-usually the wind is against

Ken Night

oldwelshman wrote:

Anyone have a traget time to aim for?

Remind us, Welshie, of your sporting times here in the UK? that might give a steer...? FWIW, I was around 7h on the Fred, and White Rose Classic, and finished the Marmotte in 8h 45m. Gold standard for 40-50yo is 9 15 IIRC

oldwelshman

I did 6:33 for the Gran Fondo Pinarello, 5:33 for Circuit of Cotswolds, 6:30 for Super Dragon.

oldwelshman

I would hope to get below 9 hours that for sure

Ken Night

oldwelshman wrote:

I would hope to get below 9 hours that for sure

I'm sure you will

I haven't done any of the events you have, but I believe there may be a comparison between the Cotswolds (160k 2400m climbing) and Iron Mountain (160k 2800m climbing)

I did 5h 30m in the latter

oldwelshman

I liked the look of the Iron man route but am doing a 2 day race on that weekend.
Might look at the tour of black mountains instead

clanton

oldwelshman wrote:

I liked the look of the Iron man route but am doing a 2 day race on that weekend.
Might look at the tour of black mountains instead

What's the Tour of the Black Mountains like? Giving it some thought.

oldwelshman

Take a look:

http://www.touroftheblackmountains.com/

clanton

Sounds very good!

clanton

Why can I not get the website into English? I click on the Union Jack but only the headers at the top of the page change, all the rest stays in French!
http://www.sportcommunication.com/GT/index.php?langue=2

Bronzie

Because zey want us rosbifs to work a leetle on our French, no?

As far as I can tell, the rules etc are only available in French so I have no idea what I'm signing up to. Perhaps this is just as well. :x

Doom

Bronzie wrote:

Because zey want us rosbifs to work a leetle on our French, no?

Don't know why but this sounds like a Mexican accent in my head...

Bronzie

Sorry.......was never very good at accents..........my Welsh quite often wanders into Pakistani via Swedish. Quite disturbing to listen to apparently.

clanton

Bronzie wrote:

Sorry.......was never very good at accents..........my Welsh quite often wanders into Pakistani via Swedish. Quite disturbing to listen to apparently.

LOL - every accent I attempt becomes a bizzarre mixture of Scottish and Indian.

Mark Alexander

Doom wrote:

Bronzie wrote:

Because zey want us rosbifs to work a leetle on our French, no?

Don't know why but this sounds like a Mexican accent in my head...

Ariba, ariba, underde, underde!!

Mark Alexander

has anyone read the three-part article in C+ about training for sportif's?
What do you think?

Mark Alexander

Hi, is there an etiquette to fed stations? What precicely do they have food/drink wise?

Also, I've decided to target 10 hrs as opposed to just finish. If I drop below this though, so be it.