Who's doing the Marmotte,
Comments
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Thanks Forward Loop for the weather info. I am dreading the thought of it raining on the day!
With only a week to go im not sure I have my head around what I am actually going to be doing.
I am trying to decide now as I arrive on Thursday whether to try and ride up the Alpe or the Galibier on the Thursday or Friday or just to rest.0 -
regarding the medical certificates: i emailed sportcommunication and asked them what to do with my BC race licence (in place of a medical certificate) and they told me to scan it in and email it to them as a pdf.
i did this and about two days later my registration status on the website changed to 'complete'.
i'd do the same thing with your medical certificate, but bring along the hard copy on the day just in case.
at last year's l'etape, if you had already sent them your medical certificate or licence, then the only documentation you needed to register was some photo ID (passport, driving licence etc). i'd guess marmotte is pretty similar.
good luck to everyone for the last weekend of training!0 -
hi all last year I went with baxters who were rubbish incidentally,when I went to register I just took my med form with me and there wasnt a problem the organisers were very helpful.Sods law yesterday was my last long ride in scotland and I managed to crash due to high winds and a lorry being too close the result being sprained wrist and thumb and 8 stitches in my knee. Not a very happy chappie so if you see a wee irish guy pedaling around bourg next week on a specialised roubaix with a scabby right knee please say hello cheers tony0
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Thanks LikeUStoleIt!
Looking forward to getting my ass kicked by this event!0 -
IInsurance - I always use Columbus via the net. Has some very useful clauses for cyclists in its standard package and is very cheap - circa £7-£14 IIRC
Any arrivals on Thursday or Friday - personally I would never comtemplate doing either of the climbs this close to an event like this. if you do the Alpe, which is the sting in the tail you will wonder how you will be able to do the other climbs before it. If you do the Galibier you will wonder how on earth you will do the Alpe afterwards !
Also - unless you are lucky, climbing 1600 plus in one go having arrived over form England, will leave your legs feeling like SH** for the big day. Spend friday making sure you are totally hydrated, have salt with your food and relax, register etc. If you must go for a spin and presuming you are staying in/near bourg perhaps spin up the Glandon on Thursday. If you can get up that you should be OK for the rest. Concentrate on keeping you heart rate down to zone 3-4 if possible. I am in a 34- 28 most of the way up the Glandon but the heart stays down at about 135 bpm.
Make sure you know exactly what the weather forecast is for the day - and if its windy - just pray its not in your face up the Galibier.
This whole thing - with the number of riders, roads, temp and altitude is a real mind over matter scenario. I'll be worrying from now till the finish !
(rest etc is all just my personal opinion obvioulsy)0 -
Getting worryingly close. My "taper"
Sunday: drive down from London in a hot car with no air con and my 8 month old daughter, missing the football on the way
Monday: col de la croix de fer & madeleine
Tuesday: col d'izoard
Wednesday: maybe a spin up the alpe in the heat of the day to try and acclimatise
Thursday: rest
Friday: rest but possible a light spin up the lake above the resort
Saturday: the second worst day of my life after last year's0 -
That Columbus cover is good, but the baggage cover only goes up to £250 for individual items, which might just about cover the wheels.
Anyone know of any specialist insurer for this type of trip?0 -
anyone here know what the bus services between Grenoble and L'Alpe are like?
I was planning (well, 'planning' may be a little strong, more like 'intending to get round to doing something about') on getting a bus up from Grenoble on the friday (am getting the Eurostar there), and back down on sunday morning, but the limited information that I can find suggests that this may not be possible.
Anyone done this before / not done it because its a stupid idea and not possible ?
cheers0 -
the other me wrote:anyone here know what the bus services between Grenoble and L'Alpe are like?
I was planning (well, 'planning' may be a little strong, more like 'intending to get round to doing something about') on getting a bus up from Grenoble on the friday (am getting the Eurostar there), and back down on sunday morning, but the limited information that I can find suggests that this may not be possible.
Anyone done this before / not done it because its a stupid idea and not possible ?
cheers
THere is a service - see timetable attached - no experience of it though.
http://www.transisere.fr/ftp/FR_Lignes/3000.pdf0 -
thanks FL,
I've been looking through various timetables to see if the times work out, and have been rather confused by the days, school holidays etc (admittedly mostly due to my rather shameful lack of language skills)
FWIW it does look like it should be possible on the days / times I need0 -
The bus service is good in winter for Ski transfers very reliable and quite cheap. Good luck to all those riding just focus on the leg between the Galibier and Bourg amazing downhill sections...0
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I've been looking through various timetables to see if the times work out, and have been rather confused by the days, school holidays etc (admittedly mostly due to my rather shameful lack of language skills)
remember that the french school holidays have already started.0 -
Three cat 1 climbs for me today - saisies (from both sides) and roselend. Felt much better than on my last visit. I'd like to think my fitness has improved but I think I was just going slower!
The last 8-9k of the roselend are just stunning - beautiful lake below you and crazy rock formations above. Amazing.
Col de joux plane tomorrow - think that's HC, sounds like a beast anyway - and will probably throw in avoriaz or some other cat 1, maybe ramaz.
Then tues is definitely rest!0 -
OMG it's just five days away.
Anyone else finding it rather easy to go to the khazi so far this week?0 -
Thus far no... I'm sure I will be glued to it once I see the 'wall' for the first time on Wednesday! :?“Look where you want to go. Not where you are going”0
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After 8 months training it's all gone to hell for me with a week to go.
Can't seem to recover form a couple of long drives and late nights with work and at the weekend I gave up after 10 miles thinking there was no point riding feeling so tired.
Last ditch idea to do nothing this week and hope I arrive super fresh on saturday! :?0 -
Yep, do nothing inseine. I was feeling absolutely knackered a week ago, did nothing all week and have felt great the last couple of days.
Forgot to take my garmin today and cycling without it is great. Means I don't try to keep my speed up and made the spin up the joux plane a breeze. That's my first HC climb done and you can tell it would be tough if you're going for it, but was a piece of cake taking it easy.
Was overtaken by a caisse d'epargne pro and saw a cervelo pro coming down the other way. Must be scoping out the avoriaz finish at the tour.0 -
Hope you're rested for the Marmotte Abdoujaparov, but the sun is shining, you're in the Alps...................Souns like you're having a great time!0
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I am the same Inseine, trained very hard over the past 6 months and ive go to the stage where I am so tired and dare I say it bored of cycling (well the long 4-5 hours on a Saturday). Will have a week off now and hope that everything will be fine.
Good luck everyone!0 -
Well, I guess one thing I can say about my haphazard (that's being kind) training regimen this year is that I certainly don't feel I've overdone it!
I should be fresh as a daisy come Saturday...whether I'm actually fit enough is another matter...My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/
If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
http://ontherivet.ning.com/0 -
I like this part of the week. All the training's been done - well at least it's too late to try and do any more - and the fear factor is still only registering 5/10. I guess it goes up pip every day. No riding for me until the big day, except maybe a quick pedal to test out the compact chainset that's yet to be fitted. Last year I made the mistake of leaving my standard one on, and still have horrible memories of being on the Glandon, one hour into the day, knowing you've got inadequate gears...0
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Yep, another glorious sunny day in the alps! After the joux plane I did the climb from morzine to avoriaz to see where contador and co would be testing each other's legs in the tour's first mountain top finish. Verdict is that it's not steep enough for fireworks but then again, look what happened last year going up to verbier...
The road surface was horrendous though. Loads of the tarmac had melted in the heat and was sticking to my tyres so I was picking up little stones and eventually punctured. Four sets of road works on the climb too - leaving it a bit late to be ready for the tour!
Be interesting to see if they sort it out in time - certainly don't think there's much they can do about the melted tarmac if it's a hot day. Could have a major impact on the race if one of the favourites punctures...
Still, absolutely great day out and if you're feeling a bit bored of cycling (I've been there too), a trip to the alps is just the tonic. Awesome place to ride bikes.0 -
Ferry booked for Thursday evening.
Long drive ahead
Allemont is getting busy by all acounts - which will mean Bourg is bursting.
Lets see what a sporadic three hours training a week will produce. All I know is that I can get up the Glandon at <140 bpm so will keep it steady at that for the next two if possible and then willpower for the Alpe DH
Last minute kit requirements reserved by the advance team in the LBS to pick up. (perhaps the only one in the UK with Ultegra 12-28's in stock !! - so am keeping it secret)
Oh yes - weather starting to look variable for the day - perhaps less likely to be melting tarmac. even some rain for the late finishers......but its early days.0 -
Merlin have some 11-28s if anyone is fretting....
started packing the bike up today
can't waitFacts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer0 -
Guys,
I m glad you can riden with ur frd.
I m currently using this cycling training program. It is nice, but a bit boring becos of no one bike with me.
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Hi
Can anyone tell me when do we know what time we are due to set off on the Saturday? I have the confirmation email from sportscommunication and have sent them my medical form but I cant find start times etc?0 -
Just packing the bags now ready for the 'grand depart' tomorrow - getting very excited. I am travelling on the eurostar and tgv to Grenoble - I see there are size restrictions for bags, is it better for me to take as much off the bike as possible i.e saddle etc (and put the bits in my general bag) and bubble wrap the frame or are they quite lenient and go with my bike bag which is a lot bigger?0
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mattndbaker wrote:Just packing the bags now ready for the 'grand depart' tomorrow - getting very excited. I am travelling on the eurostar and tgv to Grenoble - I see there are size restrictions for bags, is it better for me to take as much off the bike as possible i.e saddle etc (and put the bits in my general bag) and bubble wrap the frame or are they quite lenient and go with my bike bag which is a lot bigger?
Am hoping they're lenient, 'cos I'm taking the bike bag. :shock:0 -
I think you should be looking for your pen about 6 am. -things starting to move at 7:15 am? -all info will be arounf at registration on Friday.
Weather now looking decidedly dicey - Pack all clothing opitons !! doubt there will be any melting tarmac.....
How depressing - hangin around in your pen for an hour for the off in the rain.....0 -
The forecast for Grenoble on Saturday is sunny and 34 degrees. Is it expected to be massively different in Bourg d'Oisans?0
