La Marmotte 2011 - Entry?

nomadic4500

Hi,

I was wondering does any know when entries for the Mamotte in 2011 will be allowed?

I have emailed the site I found, but I suspect my franglais wasnt good enough, lol.

Also I suppose the other questions I would have, relate to the request on the 2010 application form which ask for a racing licence or a health certificate. What specifically are they looking for as I dont have a racing licence short of the standard one I get with my BC membership? and whether it would be possible as an average club cyclist to complete the thing?

I know for me it will be a massive undertaking and will of course be training as its my focus for the first half of next year. Any other pointers?

Thanks

ketsbaia

Check my sig for how I went about it this year. Doctor's certificate is fine. In fact, you can download a pdf from the SportCommunication website. They didn't bother looking at mine, but they did check others, so you will need one just in case.

Good luck. It's a toughie.

mattndbaker

La Marmotte entry is I think about October/November time - you can apply on line and download a doctors certificate from the site as mentioned in the previous post, places go quickly so get in early otherwise you'll have to enter The Grand Trophy (3 races in all plus the alpe d'huez time trial on Sunday) which is twice the amount to secure a place - unless that interests you.

There was a thread about getting the certificate signed by your Doc, mine did it for free as part of my annual asthma check up, however I think some people got charged which is a bl**dy cheek. Do take it with you as I did see a couple of people get a bit of grief for not handing it over.

An extremely well organised event, took about ten minutes to register and a spectacular day out, hard work but when you cross that line you know you have achieved something quite brilliant.

maddog 2

It was December time last year I think

here's the doctors cert

http://www.la-marmotte.info/GT/certificatgb.pdf

just get it signed in by your GP then scan+email or post it to them prior to the event. If your GP wants silly money just point out that you are doing something very healthy, which they should encourage. Or just have a friend who's a GP and buy them a nice bottle of red for the favour

Pointers?

Train like mad. Get your fuelling and eating right, and save something for the Alp. Good luck.

Cleat Eastwood

ketsbaia wrote:

Check my sig for how I went about it this year. Doctor's certificate is fine. In fact, you can download a pdf from the SportCommunication website. They didn't bother looking at mine, but they did check others, so you will need one just in case.

Good luck. It's a toughie.

Cracking blog, well written, really good read. That escapade through the tunnel sounded super scary.

ketsbaia

Cheers, Cleat.

The tunnel episode will stay with me forever, I feel. :shock:

nomadic4500

Thanks all, really helpful replies.

I really enjoyed reading the article, it brought back memories of my only trip to the Alps thus far (on which Alp d'heuz tormented me being a very new cyclist at the time). particularly it brought back the pitchblack moments in the (shorter)tunnels on the Col du Lauteret, (they were moments fueled probably with a little more adrenaline) that I had totally forgotten. :twisted:. (The article was really well written as well, really brought it to life.)

Thanks for the emphasis on how hard this is, as this has really rammed home the fact I need to get some decent hills / mountains in before and make it the focus of the months between getting a place and riding it.

Did anyone target any sportives in the UK, prior to going? I was thinking Dragon ride as a starter for 10.

ketsbaia

I did the Dragon Ride and the Magnificat the week after. Week before the Dragon, I did a 100+ mile ride to get some distance in and the week before that I was in south Wales going over the Black Mountain a few times.

While I'm sure it all helped, not much in this country prepares you for alpine passes, though. But if you've done them before, you'll know what to expect.

prb007

Dragon this year
JOGLE next year
Marmotte the year after - IF I can rope in a few mates!

<a href='http://www.justgiving.com/Peter-Bowen-JOGLE' alt='JustGiving - SPONSOR ME' target='_blank'><img src='http://www.justgiving.com/design/1/images/badges/justgiving_badge5.gif' width='150' height='85'></a>

nomadic4500

Thanks Ketsbaia.

I do get what you mean re the training, after an hour of constant climbing everything started to get much harder. I was really surprised by the effect of the lack of oxygen, (though I didnt listen much in science class.).

I ll look at the Magnificat, I ve never heard of it, but if it fits the bill I am there. I suspect being able to do both the Magnificat and the Dragon rides in 8 days shows how well you must have trained.

bb928

Hi,

I would seriously recommend getting out a week early and doing the Vaujany Senior on the previous Sunday. It will give you a flavour of the Sportcommunication setup, is a much more relaxed event, goes through breathtaking scenery and even if you nearly die on La Marmotte (you will) you will come away with an incredible memory. Don't think about the Vaujany Masters - that goes over the Col de Sarenne and down the rough way.

Beware though - if you do the Marmotte once you will be hooked. I do it every year and say never again at the end but come December I sign up again....

Courage!

de_sisti

As well as the normal club riding, I tried to do at least one 200km audax every month before the event.
That way the body is used to being on the bike for several hours (none of this overseas training camp malarkey).


(edit: just re-read my post and it appeared that I only did one 200 km audax in preparation.
I meant to say I did one 200 km a month, leading up to the event. So, Nov - Jun).

nomadic4500

Thats a great to know, and i will look at that one as well because I was planning to put the Marmotte in the middle of my holiday, allowing time in the alps before hand to get used to the lower oxygen levels. (Ok so I saw that on a recent triathlon that included Alp D'huez, but like the idea cos its a great excuse for a few more days in the moutains! ) So another sportive could be just the job.

I will be looking to get in some similar distance rides beforehand so I might go for the odd 200k audax!

Once again thanks all.

gsk82

i hope to do it next year, all depends on whether any of my cycling chums fancy such a difficult ride. either way i'll be doing my now traditional 1 day whitehaven to newcastle coast to coast in spring.

canoas

La Marmotte is a great event, however just to note on difficulty the Grandfondo Sportul (Old Campagnolo) and the Oetzataler in Austria (240km 6,000m cimbing) are both much harder than La Marmotte in my opinion, people do Marmotte because of the Alp! Also I had a friend who did a 277km in Switzerland which is in August and I have heard the Carnia Classic up Monte Zoncolan is a brute of a course. Don't think La Marmotte is the only tough one! I did the Campagnolo in the old days when you had a 27km climb some parts were 10-13% before reaching the steep 12km Croce d"Aune climb (this was already after 175km of climbing!!) , this had to be one of he hardest punishments in Sportive cycling, luckily its not the course anymore, was a bit unfair in my opinion.

Having said the above! La Marmotte is a great achievement.

http://www.oetztaler-radmarathon.com/ma ... index.html
http://www.gfsportful.it/
http://www.alpenbrevet.ch/2010/
http://www.carniaclassic.com/

user81

Does anyone know if entry has opened yet? I checked the website and it has the new date for 2011, but it says places are all sold out other than Grand Trophee. That can't be right surely? Have they just not updated all the details yet?

grimpeur

Entry usually opens mid-December to Jan.

Alain Quay

Sorry ketsbaiaaiai, but where is the link to your report, please

thanks

ketsbaia

Alain Quay wrote:

Sorry ketsbaiaaiai, but where is the link to your report, please

thanks

It's in my signature.

Or here, if you can't see the sig. The report on the actual race itself is in the July and August posts, but to read about the training (or lack of), you need to start at the beginning.

I'm considering going back for more of the same next year. :shock:

bs147

Yes, Marmotte for me in 2011 too! Did it badly in 2009 - I need to do better job of it second time round!

lucky paddy

I have ridden the last two years and just missed the gold this year by 1 minute so its back again next year.Hope they dont nuetralize the glandon descent as it didnt make any difference this year the kamikaze descenders were still out in force.

daverow

Have just been trying to register online for the Marmotte 2011 and all i'm seeing are script errors once i've selected the options I want!?.. I've tried this from three different computers and all say the same thing.

Anyone else managing to register online atm? I *NEED* to do this ride next year. It is my destiny.

I'm sortly about to register by post, however, my french isn't too great and the online registration form is, that's right, en francais!! Chapeau Sport Communication!!

Please help!

3Pears

daverow

Stand corrected but don't think entries are open yet, may explain why you're getting 'script errors'

stagger

+1 not open yet- it was mid december last year?

daverow

Hmm... not sure that registration isn't open as you can see the names of already registered entries. Pop a name into the search engine at the start of the process of registration and you can see what i'm talking about.. unless these are last years entrants?..

Either way, bit confusing if it's not open until mid dec.

I managed the Etape in 8:45 (not particularly quick, I know) this year so i'm trying to build my winter base already for a better perfromance in the 'Motte.

stagger

nah its not open- if you have registered before with sportcommunication then your name is on the system.

malcolmfrost

+1 not open yet, when I log in with my details, it only offers Cyclo Guadeloupe as an option in mid November to purchase.

Alain Quay

Thanks very much ketsbaia, well done & an excellent read.

*** Re: registration for 2011 please read this *****

________________________________________
From: sportcommunication [topclub@sportcommunication.com]
Sent: 22 October 2010 10:32
Subject: Re: Marmotte 2011 inscriptions?

Hello
Registrations for the Marmotte 2011 will open in few weeks.

Regards

Rémi PANGAUD
SPORT COMMUNICATION
5 Avenue Marcel Cerdan
BP 24025
69615 VILLEURBANNE CEDEX
FRANCE

Tel : 33 0820 086 332

---

Another question: although tougher than many/most etapes, is the
Marmotte finish time more lenient?

cheers

ketsbaia

Alain Quay wrote:

Another question: although tougher than many/most etapes, is the
Marmotte finish time more lenient?

cheers

Not sure about that. Although I was pretty slow, I didn't get the feeling I was being given the hurry-up. I did get a fairly good start time, though.

Apparently, there is a cut-off time at the bottom of AdH, beyond which supposedly you don't get given a time. Can't vouch for that, though, as I got a time (which was almost 2.5 hours quicker than the last person who registered a time on the results).

Overall, I got the impression it was more laid-back than the Etape appears to be, but having not actually done the Etape, I can't comment.

Alain Quay

Thanks. The etape is not laid back. If you miss the cut off, it is onto a
one of a small fleet of coaches you go, so in view of this and the
financial cost of doing the thing, it can be stressful.

malcolmfrost

The cut off time for the Marmotte was 18:30 at the bottom of the Alpe, they take your chip there, but there is nothing to stop you going on! I got the tap on the shoulder by the broom wagon at the top of the Marie Blanque in the Etape, and just took all my numbers off and rode to meet my wife as I didn't fancy going all the way to the Tourmalet in a coach.