Marmotte entry numbers
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Posts: 120
Can anyone who's done the Marmotte before tell me how the entry numbers work? Me and some friends have entered this year and all have numbers in the 1300s. Will that mean we get boxed/penned together at the start, or is it more relaxed than that? I had a read around on people's past rides but no-one really explained how the start was organised, just that it was mad!!!
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In 2007 you would have been in the 3rd pen. But once the thing starts then the pens are kind of merged int one big pen and so you rely on pushing to get past the start line.0
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Pushing? What 6,000 people all with their brake hoods up each others backsides? Any accidents?0
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Well I think I have registered, it took my 48 euros anyway
I don't have a number so not sure, but I heard they are stricter in France than Italy so you cannot line up in the front so will have to fight your way through for first 20 miles 0 -
Best advise is to get there early whatever start number & pen you are in. Many people in my experience put there bike in the pen then wander off for a piss etc, then jump back in just before the start. I've done this myself at some events. Last year I managed to get a front group start which helps a lot. However, as said above once you start it's full on down the road which is closed off to traffic to at least Vaujany. Once on the first climb to the Col du Glandon the profile of the course takes it natural toll. Entries are open now so get registered.0
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Best advise is to get there early whatever start number & pen you are in. Many people in my experience put there bike in the pen then wander off for a piss etc, then jump back in just before the start. I've done this myself at some events. Last year I managed to get a front group start which helps a lot. However, as said above once you start it's full on down the road which is closed off to traffic to at least Vaujany. Once on the first climb to the Col du Glandon the profile of the course takes it natural toll. Entries are open now so get registered.0
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OK OK ... I pushed past other people who were waiting (relatively) patiently in line. :twisted:0
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I am 2181 and a few others similar numbers, guess it will be a scramble at the start
I think I will sign up for Tour of Pembroke which is week before dragon which I am in.
Might go camping in Tenby for few days, lovely area for holiday and training, 2 good sportives and ideal prep for Marmotte 0 -
The start of the Marmotte is actually quite civilised compared to some. The starting pens are now in the back streets of the centre of Bourg d'Oisans rather than in the car park of the supermarket as they were a few years back. Because of the narrowness of the streets the field is quite well strung out from the off as there is only enough width for 5 or 6 riders before you hit the start.
Once you cross the line you've got a 5 mile flat section to Allemont (sp?) and that strings it out quite a bit too. The first real pinch point is the short climb over the dam after the village and that normally strings the field out more. Then you hit the Croix de Fer and it soon splits as the climb takes its toll.0 -
I was number 1112 or something close last year which meant we started 7am (i think) if your number is higher than 2000 you start a bit later. You are directed where to go when you get into Bourge. As said it was all pretty civilised. No real point going off like a loon unless your very confident as those hills will soon sort you out.Sometimes you have to lose yourself
before you can find anything.0 -
Yeah I thought everyone started off way too fast. I was overtaken by everyone in the first 5 miles until we reached the first proper climb.0
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If you have registered for several of the SportCommunication events I think you get a low-ish number that you keep for the entire series. There are also prizes available for those with the best average times over the series of events.0
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Number 707 for me 8) .
I'd be pretty happy to keep that as a finishing number too. 0 -
Does anyone know what I need to do with regard to submitting a medical certificate? Do I have to post one off to the organisers? If so, is there a deadline for doing this?
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I think you can show it when you sign on the day before if you want to leave it to the last minute. Last year I sent a photocopy and a few days later my status on the web site was updated to 'complete'.0
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I'm in................no 1756. Flights booked, hotel in Bourg D'Oisans sorted.............getting excited / nervous already!
I must've missed this requirement - having another look on the website, it appears there is a form that you can download, but the link is broken.APIII wrote:Does anyone know what I need to do with regard to submitting a medical certificate?
Is this where you get the medical form from or do you just get your GP to sign you off as crazy enough to enter an event like this?0 -
Did you get a good deal on flights? I haven't booked anything yet. Did you book direct with a hotel? I had a quick look on expedia the other week, but couldn't find anything.0
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Last year I just got a letter from a doctor - a very nice fellow of this parish who knows people who knows people. But my own GP will do similar for a tenner. The organisers have to get this I think as a requirement of their insurance policy.Bronzie wrote:Is this where you get the medical form from or do you just get your GP to sign you off as crazy enough to enter an event like this?0 -
Ryanair fly Stansted-Grenoble but only 4 days a week in summer, so we (a squadra of 9 of us) fly out Wed 2nd July and back Sun 6th after the event. The price went from £12 basic to £102 including taxes, bike, check-in fee, visa charge, fart tax etc. :roll: - so not too bad I guess.APIII wrote:Did you get a good deal on flights? I haven't booked anything yet. Did you book direct with a hotel? I had a quick look on expedia the other week, but couldn't find anything.
I didn't book the hotel but I think we're at Hotel des Alpes (Tél.: +33(0)4 76 80 00 16) in Bourg D'Oisans at 60 euro a night for a double. They guy that booked it got the details from the local tourist office. I have a list of local hotels as a pdf if you PM me your e-mail address.
All I've got to sort out now is a shuttle big enough for 9 of us + bikes from Grenoble to Bourg and we're sorted......................oh, and a medical certificate apparently...................oh, and being able to ride up mountains all day long without falling over. :?0 -
Hi Bronzie, if theres 9 of you, with me and Jim and some others thats 15 on same flight :-)
I am tring to persuade them to go up Galibbier on the thirsday for steady trining ride to get acclimitised and take some pics
I thought if you are bcf member with racing license your exempt medical certificate?0 -
Someone else told me this as well, so it's being investigated! Think my doctor will give me a certificate gratis, although I've heard others charge up to £125 for this.oldwelshman wrote:I thought if you are bcf member with racing license your exempt medical certificate?
Think that Ryanair flight will be full of nervous cyclists - better hope the hold on a 737 is big enough to hold 150 bike bags! 0 -
You'll need to produce one even if you're a BCF member. In France, and most other European countries, you need to have a medical before you're issued with a racing license. Here in the UK you don't and the Marmotte organisers are wise to this. You won't be allowed to start if you haven't got one.Bronzie wrote:
Someone else told me this as well, so it's being investigated! Think my doctor will give me a certificate gratis, although I've heard others charge up to £125 for this.oldwelshman wrote:I thought if you are bcf member with racing license your exempt medical certificate?
As long as you have a GP who you know fairly well then I don't think you'll get charged by them. Mine was happy to sign and stamp it. (A tip: don't date it beforehand then photocopy a few so you have one should you need one in the future).0 -
Ah well I have a mate who has one and it is on pc so we just change the dates and patient name and print off
In Italy last year we did not need certificate, just put racing license down on application.0 -
Thanks for the tip Andy.andyp wrote:You'll need to produce one even if you're a BCF member.
Where do you get the medical certificate from for the doctor to sign? From the Marmotte website or just from your GP?0 -
If you were feeling fruity you could simply type out a letter from your GP and use that. Squiggle a signature and bob's your uncle. They're hardly going to check up are they.
I'm too chicken for such fast living on the edge though.0 -
Last year I just scibbled my own note on a bit of headed paper (I work for the NHS) and signed off as Dr Ron Hill. This then was handed to a youngster at the registration the day before the ride. They don't even look at it and I suspect its not worth a toss anyway. I had no intention of paying some over paid GP to tell me what I already know.Sometimes you have to lose yourself
before you can find anything.0 -
I have now been told by a few who have done this that if you have racing license you dont need one, but I will dig out our group certificate the non racers used just to be safe 0
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Bronzie wrote:
Ryanair fly Stansted-Grenoble but only 4 days a week in summer, so we (a squadra of 9 of us) fly out Wed 2nd July and back Sun 6th after the event. The price went from £12 basic to £102 including taxes, bike, check-in fee, visa charge, fart tax etc. :roll: - so not too bad I guess.APIII wrote:Did you get a good deal on flights? I haven't booked anything yet. Did you book direct with a hotel? I had a quick look on expedia the other week, but couldn't find anything.
I didn't book the hotel but I think we're at Hotel des Alpes (Tél.: +33(0)4 76 80 00 16) in Bourg D'Oisans at 60 euro a night for a double. They guy that booked it got the details from the local tourist office. I have a list of local hotels as a pdf if you PM me your e-mail address.
All I've got to sort out now is a shuttle big enough for 9 of us + bikes from Grenoble to Bourg and we're sorted......................oh, and a medical certificate apparently...................oh, and being able to ride up mountains all day long without falling over. :?
Bronzie, a word of warning about Ryanair, I think that they will only take a certain number of bikes per flight even if you have paid for them! They did this a couple of years ago for the Etape and I know a few people had to send their bikes seperately.................Might be an idea to double check!
I think there is a bus that goes between Grenoble and Bourg, google it and you should find it.Bc0 -
Hi Brad,
You're right. Ryanair have a limit of 15 bikes. When 17 members of Manchester Velo Club flew out last year to stay with us 2 of them hired bikes.0 -
There used to be on in English on the www.sportcommunication.com website but I can't see it now. It might be worth emailing them and asking?Bronzie wrote:Thanks for the tip Andy.
Where do you get the medical certificate from for the doctor to sign? From the Marmotte website or just from your GP?
I'm not encouraging this type of behaviour but when I rode the event in 2002 the tour organiser failed to mention that this was a pre-requisite beforehand and I had to fake a letter from my GP minutes before registration (involving a Nokia 9210 and a fax machine in a letting agency!). It was given a cursory glance at registration but that was all.
When I rode it in 2006 I was asked for the certificate, which I had, and it was examined in some detail.
I think the approach taken depends on who is processing your registration so in my opinion it's best not to take a chance, i.e. how gutted would you be if you didn't have a letter from a doctor and they refused you entry?0
