Where does the Alpe d'Huez start?
term1te
Posts: 1,462
I've found a lot of discussion on where the Alpe finishes, but from where do you start your stopwatch on the way up? I rode it a couple of times last week, and was quite pleased with my time to the village finish and TdF finish, but want to make sure I haven't cheated by starting to late.
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i believe it's the first signpost at the foot of the climb, a few hundred yards after the campsite la cascade.0
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Yeah that's it. You pass the supermarket on your left (where everyone parks) then the campsite on your right, then the road curves to the left.
Pretty much right after the road curves to the left the first ramp starts. There's some kind of sign post here, I can't remember, it's been 2 years since I've ridden there.
I wouldn't worry about the exact seconds unless you're going to come back year on year and ride it. In that case, just worry about using the same reference point as your start.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
at the bottom
"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."
PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills0 -
Cheers, looks like I started too early if anything. Started timing from pretty much the entrance to the campsite on the left, which is where I vaguely remembered the timing strip from the Marmotte a few years back. A few seconds does count, I was 3 seconds under the hour to the TdF finish, and didn't want to have to give them back.0
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ratsbeyfus wrote:i believe it's the first signpost at the foot of the climb, a few hundred yards after the campsite la cascade.
Agree, although not that obvious!0 -
That place is as good as any but I don't necessarily agree as the 'pente' doesn't really start till just around the corner. Note there are two signs on the right just around the corner, I'd take one of those as a marker.
But as I said to the OP, who really cares so long as you're consistent in treatment.
Still, Pantani's 42 minute record must have started somewhere at the bottom of the first (killer) ramp up to turn 21 but I think it's a bit further around the corner than the driveway into the EDF compound.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
FransJacques wrote:Still, Pantani's 42 minute record must have started somewhere at the bottom of the first (killer) ramp up to turn 21 but I think it's a bit further around the corner than the driveway into the EDF compound.
I thought they started the clock straight after his second line of coke :?0 -
It's totally obvious, there's a big sign that say 'Chrono Zero Okm' just after the campsite just before the road bends left and tilts uphill. The real TDF top has the same sign for end (ignore the 'arrive' banner across the road at the start of the village by the tourist office- that's aimed at getting you off your bike and into the coffee bars to spend. There are, as with all the climbs in the Oisans, Tourist Office signs at all the points of confustion as you climb up through the town to the very top.Road: Scott Expert
Mountain: Genesis Altitude 10
Commuter: once was 1996 Specialized Rock Hopper A10 -
The TDF King of the Mountains sign was immediately after the bend this year.0
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Compare your time with others on strava:
http://app.strava.com/segments/652851
The above segment starts at the signpost shown in the googlemaps link posted by chrisba0 -
sheffieldpaul wrote:It's totally obvious, there's a big sign that say 'Chrono Zero Okm' just after the campsite just before the road bends left and tilts uphill.
Unfortunately not that obvious as this sign seems to come and go. I've just come back from a week at the campsite opposite (la recontre du soleil) and noticed that some days it's there, other days it isn't. No idea why they don't just leave it in place.0 -
This is what they use for the chip timing system.
http://www.timtoo.com/timtoo.php?chronometrage&fa_viewdescription_parcours_n_70 -
The 'strava' times are super quick but you have to add on at least 5mins to get to the official finish especially if you also start beforze the corner at the bottom. I time my rides from just after the roundabout because that is where they start on the imagic and it's interesting to compare with reality! I think finishing at the first cafe is a little bit early really and it's even before hairpin 0.0
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Does it really matter where it starts surely it starts the second you turn the bed or at least as soon as it goes upwards after the turning for the ALP.
In any case the really question is why do you want to know where it starts.
Whenever I have ridden the Alp the question has always been when does it finish.
21 bends and 14.454km of purgatory for this one time sprinter.
Pantani rest in peace your record may never be beaten 37min 36 sec :!: :shock:
In context I think thats 14.78 mph average up the climb0
