Marmotte - When to go on a training camp

timmyflash

Sorry for duplicating, but thought might get more interest here:

When would be best to go on a week training camp abroad before the marmotte at beggining of July?

I ask as i want to feel the benefit, i.e. go too early and fitness could drop off, go too late, and might not recover in time.

Thoughts appreciated

Worried... eeeek

Down the Road

NOW or even better in FEB

Spend a week in Spain in Costa Blanca or on Mallorca and ride some big hills

timmyflash

So end of April / any time in May (the two rough times i had penciled in) are too late?

Will it do me more harm than good going then?

Down the Road

Will do no harm just going earlier would have lifted your enthusiasm when the weather here is poor.

April/May is ok just remember if you are planning on the Alps there still could be road closures due to snow. I think the Galibier is closed until late May or June Going to the Alps is always a little risky for training due to the variability of the weather. If you want some good climbing in France with good weather base yourself in Nice and go inland. The English speaking Pro's used to use Nice as a base until about 10 years ago before they decamped to Girona

timmyflash

Currently looking at either Andalucia or somewhere (no idea at all where exactly) in Italy. Or maybe even mallorca as that's where all the pros seemed to have gone this year.

Or Girona.. I have no idea. But my Andalucia holiday last year was very pleasant and looked to be some serious hills to train on.

Down the Road

I used to go to Calpe (Near Bennidorm) You can vary your rides from rolling to Cat1 climbs with the Col de Rates not far from town a great climb with a fantastic view at the top from the you can go on to climb the Tudons and many out near there. Weather is V stable and this is one of the most popular areas with the pro teams in Feb. If you use Benidorm (god forbid) as a base you can climb from sea level to 1300 or so in one climb and barely see a car

I found Costa Del Sol a little busy and the hills a little too steep to enjoy as you have to CLIMB to get away from the coast Mallorca is popular with many but didn't grab me as much as the mainland

Andrew N

I think this is a really good question...if you've got one training camp abroad where and when for Marmotte training?

Over the course of three years I have done:

- one week in Mallorca in April, followed by a long weekend in Pyrenees at beginning of May.
- long wekend in Pyrenees at end of May
- long weekend in Alps at end of May.

I favour an end of May trip because the weather is better, passes are open and I want to be in a good condition to be able to use the mountains to take my condition up a level (which I can't do without the benefit of high mountains). In addition, I don't want to go too early so that my condition drops off before the Marmotte.

However, you don't want to leave it too late so that (if you realise you are way off your required condition) you can't get in a decent chunk of extra training.

My preference however, is for two training trips abroad...April in Mallorca is lovely and then late May to get used to the big climbs and raise my level!

Hope that helps?

Abdoujaparov

For the best marmotte result, I'd probably go for a week three weeks before the main event cos you'd be more likely to be getting the benefits of your best training for the big day itself.

Definitely recommend some proper high mountains training at altitude and with climbs with over 1000m height gain.

Ideally, a week near bourg d'oisan doing the glandon, telegraphe and galibier one day and then the telegraphe, galibier and alpe another.

We I did the marmotte last summer I could climb mountains pretty well, but my endurance wasn't quite enough to handle 8 hours in the saddle and I suffered big time on the last climb.

If I was doing it again I'd make sure I'd done five or six rides over 7 hours in the months before.

shawman

Agree with above about 3 weeks before will give the most benefit.
Get in some long rides of 7 or 8 hours in the UK or better again in the high mountains. In the Alps or Pyrenees somewhere different to the route itself for some variety. I also think you will enjoy it more the first time if you are not familiar with the route, unless you intend to win it in which case knowing the route is an advantage.

Fly to Lourdes or Pau and stay with http://www.velopeloton.com or fly to Toulouse and stay with http://www.cyclepyrenees.net or http://www.pyractif.com

stay with velo Peloton and do this sportive at end of May
http://www.larouedor.fr/

Abdoujaparov

Yep, might be nice to get used to the high mountains somewhere else. Basing yourself a couple of hours’ drive north of Bourg D’Oisans near Sallanches or Cluses would give you easy access to the following Tour de France climbs:

Joux Plane (HC) - my favourite climb
Ramaz (cat 1)
Morizine-Avoriaz climb (cat 1)
Colombiere (tough cat 1)
Aravis (cat 2)
Saisies (cat 1)
Cormet de Roselend (cat 1)
Forclaz (cat 2 from the French side, cat 1 or maybe HC from the Swiss side)

That area from Cluses up to Morzine tends to get good weather too – it’s even called the Portes du Soleil. It has its own, sunny micro-climate and is far enough from the Mont Blanc massif to avoid most storms.

timmyflash

Cheers all.

Looking through the links, i'm most tempted to go to Pyranees to leave the actual climbs as a 'surprise' (although we've already factored in doing a couple on the route in warm up rides the week of the Marmotte.

New job means training has hit a serious 2 week lull (bike is also in the shop..), so need to re-motivate as a priority.