Marmotte

bahzob

Ken Night wrote:

Not sure I could live with you guys, hoping to be able to get near gold and I'd like to meet up, with some of these names I keep seeing-Bronzie/bahzob/oldW/Mark A etc

I plan to start off at around 8.20am-four of us wearing the kit on the left...ask for me if you see one

I'll be at the Dragon. Start time will depend on when I arrive as nearest place I cound find to stay is a farm 40 miles away. Be riding b+w Swiss cow Assos kit (on account of heritage). Bikes easy to spot despite being a Roubaix as has an Etrex and Powertap at the front and waterbottles on back of saddle. May have Zipp 303s if they arrive in time to try out before head to Frnace. Will say hello if I see you.

agnello

Let's get into the Marmotte.

Can't have those Etappers dominating proceedings.

Who's doing it? What are your plans?

I am off to the Alps next Wednesday - all day espresso fuelled motorway madness. Take a day to recover then I'll probably ride Glandon both ways as I'm not familiar with that. Then I might do sestriere and a bit of mountain walking to wind down. I'll be based across the Italian border until the day before, scoffing the best food Piemonte can offer (which I think means the best food anywhere). Yes, this will be my summer holiday! I have rented an apartment in Alpe D'Huez - where I'll meet my riding buddies on the Thurday before.

I did the Campagnolo the year before. I think my strategy will be to ride within myself (if that's possible) until I can see the top of the Galibier then see if there's anything left. As I recall Telegraphe invites you to ride flat out - which I think would not be too clever.

Anyone else going out early - maybe hook up for an alpine recce?

Can't wait (kind of)

Bronzie

agnello wrote:

Who's doing it?

Moi (see, getting into the spirit already)

agnello wrote:

What are your plans?

To finish within the time limits - anything else is a bonus

Can't do a recce ride or even get to ride some decent mountains in preparation - Dragon Ride is as close to riding mountains as I'm able to manage so I shall be accordingly nervous come 5th July :?

clanton

I'll be there with the other half and a mate. Plan is to be smarter than I was on the Dragon ride and not go off too fast! Keep HR down to below 150bpm at all times - until at least 2 k up L'Alpe and then go for it if there is anything left. Other than that also to remember to start eating earlier into the ride and stay hydrated.

Not able to do a recce unfortunately but at least have some big mountain experience from last year's Etape - so yes I'm suitably nervous!

Ken Night

agnello wrote:

I'll probably ride Glandon both ways as I'm not familiar with that.

Why bother, climbing it again, when you can do Col Mollard, and the Croix de Fer, coming
up from the Maurienne Valley? Try it?

Nice little village (something "the old")between Mollard and the Croix de Fer -warning you do lose a little height between the two-a grand day out

agnello wrote:

Can't wait (kind of)

Nor could I last year. Never wanted to see a bike again, afterwards, but was OK following day

Soak up the atmosphere in Bourg, take in a few coffees, chat to all the Dutch and Belges...beer at Jean Charles' cafe in Villard Reculas....

vermooten

The world's greatest burger and chips at the cafe at the top of the Col de Lautaret for me - it's the only reason I'm going back again this year.

coulcher

Agnello - I second Ken Night. Glandon, Mollard & Croix de Fer is a lovely route. I did it on an Alps training weekend last year. The Mollard climb starts in the trees before opening up into a lovely area of villages and quiet grassy (hopefully!) ski resorts.

They sell an Oisans cycling guide book in the Bourg D'Oisans tourist office. Excellent book for only 10 euros. This is route 22 in the book. It's 3,600 m of climbing so make sure you give yourself enough recovery time before Marmotte if you aren't an elite cyclist.

Ken Night

vermooten wrote:

The world's greatest burger and chips at the cafe at the top of the Col de Lautaret for me - it's the only reason I'm going back again this year.

the hot chocolate is pretty good there too

Or try the cafe on the L, opposite the shop in La grave-as you go up...plat du jour at 11 euros, inc coffee

Vermooten and I had a coffee or two there last year, I've lunched at least once the last three summers

agnello

coulcher wrote:

Agnello - I second Ken Night. Glandon, Mollard & Croix de Fer is a lovely route. I did it on an Alps training weekend last year. The Mollard climb starts in the trees before opening up into a lovely area of villages and quiet grassy (hopefully!) ski resorts.

They sell an Oisans cycling guide book in the Bourg D'Oisans tourist office. Excellent book for only 10 euros. This is route 22 in the book. It's 3,600 m of climbing so make sure you give yourself enough recovery time before Marmotte if you aren't an elite cyclist.

Good ideas gents, means I can knock another Alp off the list too! My thinking was to descend the Glandon as I heard it was sketchy but if I can come back a different route so much the better.

I should have a week to recover and eat pies. Elite I am not.

ricadus

agnello wrote:

My thinking was to descend the Glandon as I heard it was sketchy but if I can come back a different route so much the better.

That's what I did. Rode it mid-week before the Marmotte and came back up the scenic but tedious (50 woodland hairpins) Mollard and rejoined the Croix de Fer climb just before the ski resort town (can't remember the name). Definitely a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Glandon descent - people always crash there on the day itself.

I remember that finding the actual approach and start of the Mollard wasa little tricky, due to the re-design of the road network that had closed off an old road from the town centre. There's probably a bikely route that shows the way there.

bahzob

Staying with King of the Mountains
http://www.kingofthemountains.co.uk/Contact.asp

I'll be there from 24th June->7th July as doing the Vaujan week b4 Marmotte as well.

Ken Night

Hi Martin

Staying there the week (and more in your case) is really worthwhile

Try the things I mention above-also Villard Raymond, from Col D'ornon, circuit from Bourg round col D'ornon, to La Mure, and back along a couple of small cols to Col Morte and Sechilienne (you'll climb the Col Morte in the Vaujany)

If you've got a car, check out Col Machine in the Vercours, about an hour away



More pics here in folders
http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a121/KenNight/

bahzob

Thanks. Taking car so will check out suggestions..

clanton

How does your "dossard" number correlate with your starting position? I'm number 8100 or so - I assume this menas I'm right at the back?

Ken Night

clanton wrote:

How does your "dossard" number correlate with your starting position? I'm number 8100 or so - I assume this menas I'm right at the back?

Yes. There are pens, and they are policed

clanton

Bugger. Yet we sent our entries in very early.

Ken Night

Realistically, it doesn't matter so much. You're on the Glandon within 20 mins and it starts to string out. If you get to pass a lot of people that's a good motivator, and if you don't, you'll have the road to yourself

I did the other events in the Oisans week lst year, and had number 152. Being stood in the same pen as all the whippets was somewhat sobering. I could barely keep with the pack to the start of the Glandon at Allemont, when the road went up, so did they.

I spent most of the day being passed even though I finished 1000th or so. I don't think I passed anyone until the Telegraph and that was a granny on a shopping bike

clanton

Ken Night wrote:

Realistically, it doesn't matter so much. You're on the Glandon within 20 mins and it starts to string out. If you get to pass a lot of people that's a good motivator, and if you don't, you'll have the road to yourself

I did the other events in the Oisans week lst year, and had number 152. Being stood in the same pen as all the whippets was somewhat sobering. I could barely keep with the pack to the start of the Glandon at Allemont, when the road went up, so did they.

I spent most of the day being passed even though I finished 1000th or so. I don't think I passed anyone until the Telegraph and that was a granny on a shopping bike

Lol. Hope I can overtake a granny!

clanton

BTW Ken were you in a largish group just before the final feed station on the Dragon riding with a Cardiff Jif chap - mostly at the front? The Jif guy turned around, pointed to you (or one of your club mates) and said "He says you lot should do some work!" - I did try!

cabron

Bronzie wrote:

To finish within the time limits - anything else is a bonus

Time limits? What are they then? :shock:

Did the Etape last year and worried about time limits / broom wagons the whole way - I thought as La Marmotte was on open roads there weren't any time limits, apart from getting to Alpe d'Huez in time to climb it. Talking of which, does anyone know what this time limit is?

Ken Night

clanton wrote:

BTW Ken were you in a largish group just before the final feed station on the Dragon riding with a Cardiff Jif chap - mostly at the front? The Jif guy turned around, pointed to you (or one of your club mates) and said "He says you lot should do some work!" - I did try!

Yes, that was me! Wearing the kit opposite

JIF asked me, "this is going nowhere, shall I say something" I didn't realise he was going to say that!

My frustration was that no-one would work, but when I went away, everyone followed. Try as I could to break it up into sheep and goats I couldn't until Neath. Then there were four of us, Reading CC, White top riding a Sevon, Black top with creaky Hinde, and me. We dropped JIF on the first descent after Neath

What were you riding/wearing?

clanton

I was in a Pink Floyd "Wish you were here" shirt - my lucky Sportive shirt and I'll have it for the Marmotte. On a Spesh Roubaix and with broken front teeth (now fixed) - your Jif mate said something to me along the lines of - "I know a South African from Devon and he's just as ugly as you!"

I was really hurting by then and dropped off just before the feed station. Finished in 6h47 which I was please with but suspect I'd have done better if I paced myself a little more sensible in the beginning.

Ken Night

clanton wrote:

I was in a Pink Floyd "Wish you were here" shirt - my lucky Sportive shirt and I'll have it for the Marmotte. On a Spesh Roubaix and with broken front teeth (now fixed) - your Jif mate said something to me along the lines of - "I know a South African from Devon and he's just as ugly as you!"



I was really hurting by then and dropped off just before the feed station. Finished in 6h47 which I was please with but suspect I'd have done better if I paced myself a little more sensible in the beginning.

Yes, I remember, hearing the accent!, but not the jersey or bike I'm afraid!

JIF's bike and kit were spot on, as were several others-Colnago Extreme C with Lightweights, and of course the Seven with Tune hubs and skewers.....

Mark Alexander

Does anyone have any idea how to work out the Gold, Silver and bronze times? I am losing my mind trying to navigate and understand them. I found it a while back by accident but am at a loss

craigenty

Medal times for La Marmotte here

http://www.sportcommunication.com/GT/epreuve2.php?langue=1&trophee=128

It's interesting to see that anyone under 8h29m will get a gold medal. Also the slowest time for a silver is 12h 39m. This means that people will still be allowed to finish before 7.39 in the evening which correlates with the organisers telling people that it was game over in Bourg at roughly 6pm.

Mark Alexander

thanks,
what do the letters A, AB, B etc

how about this for Marrie Curie... Please.
they support people not the research black hole.

www.justgiving.com/markalexander4

craigenty

Mark Alexander wrote:

thanks,
what do the letters A, AB, B etc

Age group

Cat. A : femmes 18-34 ans
Cat. AB : femmes 35-49 ans
Cat. B : femmes 50 ans et +
Cat. C : hommes 18-29 ans
Cat. D : hommes 30-39 ans
Cat. E : hommes 40-49 ans
Cat. F : hommes 50-59 ans
Cat. G : hommes 60 ans et +
Cat. H : handisport
Cat. I : tandem

Mark Alexander

thanks, I'm D so will be going for Silver!
Does anyone else have a target?

I just looked at this

http://www.bourgdoisans.com/otbo_uk/index_uk.htm

russell_in_france

Mark Alexander wrote:

thanks, I'm D so will be going for Silver!
Does anyone else have a target?

My goal is to finish this year. I've ridden the event five times, but never attempted it with so few kilometres in my legs.

I'm number 6023 this year and 564 for the Vaujany.

Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com

bahzob

I'll be trying to get under 7:30. Got lowish 1002 so hopefully will at least start quickly..