La Marmotte 2011 - Entry?
Comments
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My GP said I would "need to book an appointment to see him as he could not just sign it" so I did and as I sat down to speak to him he signed it for free!
Anyone staying at la piscine?It’s the most beautiful sport in the world but it’s governed by ***ts who have turned it into a crock of ****.0 -
Once you download the PDF showing your entry number etc, it says (in french, helpfully) that if you do not send through your medical certificate prior to the start, you will be registered as a hiker.
My GP charged me £10 last year for one so hopefully my new GP will be similar.0 -
I spoke to the GP practise receptionist and initially she said I'd have to have a £150 sports check up. I said I thought that was a bit over the top and showed her the Marmotte medical form and she agreed and booked me in for a "Well Person" appointment and reckoned the GP would charge me a tenner to sign. GP checked my blood pressure and urine and when she heard I was doing it for charity she waived any fee she might have been thinking of charging0
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I've done 3 marmottes and never bothered with a doctors note,I just sent in my race licence ,I scanned it and then emailed it,I've done it this year aswell,same as my brother and mate,never had a problem0
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You do realise that the ride is in France, and that in France they speak French?londonlivvy wrote:.... it says (in french, helpfully) ...... 0 -
I've always just taken my doctors certificate along when I register the day before
... no probs0 -
fish156 wrote:
You do realise that the ride is in France, and that in France they speak French?londonlivvy wrote:.... it says (in french, helpfully) ......
Dude, that's possibly the most pedantic post I've ever seen on the internet. Ever.Scottish and British...and a bit French0 -
I'm registered for the Marmotte this year and I'm booked in a small flat in the village of Alpe d'Huez, staying there with a friend for a week in total - yep don't ask me how I managed to negotiate that with the wife!
I am travelling from Paris and had planned to take a bus from Grenoble to Alpe d'Huez, with the bike in a bike bag. Having skied in Alpe d'Huez many times I know how reliable that particular bus service is - but I have just realised that there is no direct line from Grenoble to Alpe d'Huez and that I'll have to change at Bourg d'Oisans. Not a big deal, but the only connection is at 7.30pm at night, which I'd rather avoid taking if I can.
I have a mad thought... to save a few hours of waiting I am thinking of cycling from Bourg d'Oisans to the top of Alpe d'Huez WITH what will be a fairly bulky rucksack... For those of you who have climbed the Alpe before, would you do it with a bag on your back?
By the way I will arrive on Wednesday 29 June so a few days before the event.0 -
Hi Guys,
Don't want to barge in on your thread, but this is my target for next year and wondered with your collective wisdom if I could ask for some advice ?
1. Was planning on just repeatedly checking the website to see when it opened for entries but does anyone have a better way ?
2. It seems a lot of you are booked with VeloVentoux is this the best idea and if so how much is it and what do you get for it in the way of transfers ? For those not booked how have you done it ?
3. Which is the best airport to fly too ?
4. How do you train for such long climbs and descents in the UK ?
Thanks
Keep up the banter, enjoying following it.0 -
it's my first time this year so sort of in the same boat as you FM.
1. the entry date didn't seem to get confirmed last year, it just happened in oct/nov. i'd keep an eye on the 2012 marmotte thread when it appears.
2. i'm using veloventoux cos i'm going solo so wanted a group to ride with, the option of having a few days at ventoux first was too good to turn down.
3. i think lyon is closest to the start/finish, its the one VV use for their weekend only trips
4. i'm hoping a load of 90 plus mile rides and some race training will do for me. i also was in for 2 hard sportives but my riding buddies dropped out of wrynose through injury so i didnt go and my derailleur snapped after 25miles at richmond on saturday"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0 -
2 I'm going with Peak Cycling Performance/Gastrobiking. I get the transfer from their headquarters in the Vercors to Alp-d'Huez. Have to pay for train station/airport transfers. Wanted to get a few days biking/acclimatisation/holiday in France beforehand
3 I'm going by Eurostar/TGV to Valence and returning from Grenoble.
4 Training is a structured mixture of long rides of no more than 4 hrs and intervals of various lengths and types. You can approximate an alpine climb by riding on the flat at threshold for an hour. I'll also have done 4 century sportives finishing off with the Dragon ride. Some may poo poo the lack of really long rides in training but my sportive performances tell me its working.
Do you really need to train for the descents? Stay off the brakes until you need to slow down for a bend then brake assertively reducing speed before you have to turn then aim to clip the apex of the bend. Don't drag the brakes as you will just heat the rims up and pop your tubes. Try doing a bit of mountain biking. I've found that 80+ kmph is the only thing on a road bike that can generate anything like the adrenalin rush of a tasty mountain bike downhill and it will improve your bike handling. However if you make the Marmotte part of a weeks holiday then you can get some experience of alpine climbs and descents beforehand.0 -
Training - depends how long you think it'll take you.
For me it will be around 9 hours(hopefully), so for me I need to do at least half a dozen/10 or so 5/6 hour rides(100 miles plus), and this year as I haven't had the time to train during the week (I have a 15 month old son) so I've been doing 2 x 45 m spinning classes (for threshold work) and a weights session.
My total milage at this stage of the year(2500m) is way down on what i tnormally is (usually around 4000), but I think the quality has been better this year.
In fact I've done 7 100+ rides to date and have just finished the 330 mile 3 dat Tour of Wessex sportive which is superb training for the Marmotte.
And of course the Dragon ride this w/e....................altho I'm still recovering from the ToW !0 -
fish156 wrote:
You do realise that the ride is in France, and that in France they speak French?londonlivvy wrote:.... it says (in french, helpfully) ......
Well, based on last year's result list, at least 80% of entrants aren't French. And since it's a crucial point for entrants to note, it seems a little unfair of them not to translate it, or at least put it in basic frech along the lines of PAS DE CERTIFICAT MEDICAL, PAS DE MARMOTTE.
Though I guess there's always google translate.0 -
But on the training front, I'm feeling nervous - only a month to go before the 10 hour pain fest that will be my marmotte entry.
I've done about 3000 miles training this year and feeling more than a little bit nervous. I've done Alpine climbs before and I survived Ventoux, but I gather that the Marmotte is an entirely different level of pain. So that's something to look forward to then. gulp.
FullMerckx, we just booked flights, rental car and a flat in Vaujany and are going for 10 days as the boys are doing the full Trophee de l'Oisans bonanza (Vaujany sportive, Prix des rousses, Marmotte then Alpe D'Huez time trial). madmen.0 -
I've done about 3000 miles training this year and feeling more than a little bit nervous. I've done Alpine climbs before and I survived Ventoux, but I gather that the Marmotte is an entirely different level of pain. So that's something to look forward to then. gulp.
If it's good quality miles you should be ok. My 2500 has been from a virtual standing start as I didn't do any riding between July and Dec last year - tho I have done the Marmotte several times and with 30+ years of riding experience I know what I need to do training wise (if I don't after 30 years I need to pack this lark in !)
Gearing is vital tho. If you're an elite rider you'll probably get round on 36x25(or27) but for the rest of us 34/50x12/27 is the norm (altho this year I'm actually going 34/50 11/28)
I understand that the descent of the Glandon is now neutralised, to try and stop the many accidents (and fatalities) of recent times
Hope this helps0 -
itisaboutthebike wrote:I've done about 3000 miles training this year and feeling more than a little bit nervous. I've done Alpine climbs before and I survived Ventoux, but I gather that the Marmotte is an entirely different level of pain. So that's something to look forward to then. gulp.
If it's good quality miles you should be ok. My 2500 has been from a virtual standing start as I didn't do any riding between July and Dec last year - tho I have done the Marmotte several times and with 30+ years of riding experience I know what I need to do training wise (if I don't after 30 years I need to pack this lark in !)
Gearing is vital tho. If you're an elite rider you'll probably get round on 36x25(or27) but for the rest of us 34/50x12/27 is the norm (altho this year I'm actually going 34/50 11/28)
I understand that the descent of the Glandon is now neutralised, to try and stop the many accidents (and fatalities) of recent times
Hope this helps
Well some of it has been great miles (a week's training in Majorca) and some of it not so great (filtering through london traffic to work) but I think I'll be able to get through it. Fingers crossed. And some more hard training over the next two weeks before I have to ease off.
I'm glad that I have the gears you suggest (with a 28 too - hurrah) so I'll plan to just keep on plodding away at the back (my start number is 4700 or something!).0 -
I'm in for this too and its my first Marmotte. My only previous Continental sportive was the 2008 Etape which I finished in c. 2200 place
I have done just over 2000 miles this year to date with only the Forest Of Dean (5h 53m) and Tour Of Wessex Day 1 (5h 49m) being my major Sportives so far. I have the Dragon ride this weekend and then my final Sportive will be on the 18th/19th June.
I am probably a couple of big Sportives short of where I ideally wanted to be but i do have plenty of fast 50/60 miles under my belt. I run Campag so I am being cautious and fitting a 12-29 for the big day. I am looking to just get round but have one eye on a silver medal (under 11 hours for me). The big unknown for me will be the heat - the 2008 Etape was held in typically British summer weather (cool and damp!)
Rich0 -
rich h - if you did tow day 1 in 5 49 you will be just fine. i did it in 6 22 (altho sufferered with cramp early on).
I'm looking at under 9 h for the M (if it goes to plan). I did 9h 09m 2 years ago (losing about 15/20 mins due to crashing on the descent of the glandon - how mant times have i been down that ? er loads........)
but now i'm 2 years older(and 50 in 8 weeks ! ) i'm starting to feel father time catching up on me. I'm completely spent after the 3 days of the tow and desperately trying to recover for the dragon.
good luck in the M0 -
The big unknown for me will be the heat
yup - if its hot the heat can be a big big problem - esp at 2 or 3 in the afternoon when it will be at its worst.
Not a lot you can do really (apart from drink a lot and wear appropriate clothing). You either love it or hate it I guess.
Only thing with me is i get very painful feet after about 5/6 hours riding (even in the uk) so I'm not sure its the heat. I've switched shoes from narrower Sid's to wider (and more comfortable Shimano) but still get it. Mite be Keo pedals/cleats as I don't remember getting it with old style Deltas.0 -
i know its been asked before. but what clothes should i be looking to pack? will i need everything from full winter kit to full summer kit, or should i maybe take jerseys and an intermediate long sleeved jersey but with arm warmers/ baselayers for flexibility?"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0
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So what's the highest point of the Marmotte ?
2645M (the Galibier)...............in 2006/7/8/9 fairly warm at the top(and quite warm days those)............but you never know it could be -5 at that height (it's nearly 10,000 ft !). And the waether could be foul on the day anyway.
You need to take armwarmers and a windtop at the VERY LEAST. And I take some thin silk gloves just in case. Very light and not bulky, won't stop you getting wet, but may just keep your hands warm enough hold the bars/brake levers if it is cold.
As it's a 7am start it's usually quite cool then anyway so most people are in armwarmers.0
