Marmotte 2013

Crispyapp

Hi does anyone know when the details are usually released for the marmotte? Looking fwd to next yr and I'd like to enter. Sick of doing the sportives in the UK in either gale force winds or pi33ing down rain.... :twisted:

Would make a nice change to ride in the sunshine and say I've ridden probably the most iconic climbs in Europe....

Thanks...

djhacket

Hello

I'm wanting to do this next year too. To answer the question: if you enter as an individual, as far as I can tell, you enter in early December 2012 through Sport Communication (online). They haven't responded to my emails asking about it (yet).

So far I've found some companies that offer organised trips including guaranteed entry - you can find them easily enough on the internet and can book some now.
Often travel and food costs are on top. They go for about Tuesday to Sunday 2-7 July with the event on Saturday and optional extra event on Sunday, and a couple of rides and registration beforehand.
One I enquired with said it was £700 self catering and they had no entries left so I had to book that bit. I thought no way.
So I'm going self organised. You can get details of accommodation from emailing the Le Bourg D'Oisans tourist office. It's quite costly still for the nice town apartments - e.g. 4 people for £600, there's camping 7.5km away along the flat at La Libuelle, and no doubt much more. The office gives you a list of local hotels, gites, camping etc.

The Alpe D'Huez tourist office was very helpful and cheaper but I decided staying 1200m above the start (Bourg) was impractical, and for training rides in the couple of days before, always having to ride up an Alp to finish the day seems a bit tough.

Apparently you can still get inclement weather - rain, snow and 35-40 deg heat all on the same day, but with much more of sense of history. Should be quite cool if you make it and a good motivator for training in the coming year.

David

Crispyapp

Thanks David. I'm aware there are a few companies offering places now for next yr but I didn't want to go down this route really. I'm not thinking of doing it as a package, I think there quite expensive really and considering you still have to organise your own travel on top..... Not too keen. Ideally I'd prefer entry only and then book everything else myself. This would work out far cheaper and tbh I think better as your not having to work round large groups of other people.... If its looking too difficult for a place then I'll look at etap tour....

millster

I tink maybe you should wait for this years event to pass first!

Nothing will happen regarding next year's (at least regarding entries) until the back end of this year.

itisaboutthebike

Enter yourself (on line when it opens)...............book one of the campsites in Bourg (or nearby) either camping or one of the cabins/chalets.............enure you're there a few days in advance to saok up the atmosphere (don't get tempted to ride too many of the climbs !).

I wouldn't bnother emailing SPort COmm - you're unlikely to get a reply.

Ensure you're fully prepared.................training wise that is.

Then enjoy a gloroius day of pain ! (well perhaps not if you're fully prepared).

And pick up your Gold Medal at the finish...................(in exchange for the 10 euros you get back for your chip).

Oh and don't ride the event with the free backpack they give away - you'll sweat yer bollocks off (if it's hot)........

34x27 is obligatory - if you're not an elite rider.................

Unfortunately, as with a lot of these very popular sportives, a victim of it's own sucess. You need to be built like a prop forward to contend with the scrums(aka feed stations) - esp if you're one of the later starters (as I was this year).

It's an event that no self respecting Dutch rider would call themselves a bike rider until they've completed............

For the last 6 years it's been pretty good waether (mid you mite not be next year !).

Unless you're nuts (or very fit) I'd forget the Sunday event.............

And if you're planning on being there for a few days (before the event) and haven't got a car don't stay in Alpe H'Uez - it really will be a slog getting up there every day on the bike...........

alan_a

djhacket wrote:

The Alpe D'Huez tourist office was very helpful and cheaper but I decided staying 1200m above the start (Bourg) was impractical, and for training rides in the couple of days before, always having to ride up an Alp to finish the day seems a bit tough.

Two things,

first staying up in Alpe D is the best place to stay for several reasons.

1. 3 or 4 nights sleeping 1200m higher will slowly acclimatise your body and make life slightly easier when blowing out your ar$e on the Galibier.

2. It is safer to descend the Alpe when fresh than do so after having ridden 180km and absolutely gubbed. Plus you'll be doing so with 4000 others and not 10 hrs later in the opposite direction of 4000 knackered riders weaving their way around the 21 turns.

3. There is no better incentive to climb the Alpe than knowing that after 10 hours on the saddle your bed is at the top of the Alpe. Plus you can safely have a beer as soon as you get off the bike.

Secondly, independent travel to The Alpe might be limited next year, or at least very very expensive. Rumours abound that LE Tour will climb the Alpe twice in the one day. Chalets will be booked out for a week or two by tour companies from across the globe. Get your accommodation sorted early.

There is plenty of 2 hour rides you can do from Alpe D without going all the way down to the valley. If your aim is to complete the Marmotte with a semi decent time then don't spend the days before hand climbing cols. If your aim is to climb lots of cols then don't do the Marmotte, just go and climb the cols.

itisaboutthebike

alan a - staying in alpe d'huez - you're joking aren't you ? (you're a comedian aren't you ?)

BeauMaximus

The grimpee was just the tonic for me on the Sunday morning.
I had entered prior but felt like sh*t when i woke up, even after breakfast.
Decided just to roll down from AdH and watch the start, but then thought what the hell and took my place.
Afterwards, I felt as fresh as a daisy all day!
I'm no superman either, so guess it just flushed out all the toxins from day before.

twotyred

alan a - staying in alpe d'huez - you're joking aren't you ? (you're a comedian aren't you ?)

Its no joke it really is the best place to stay for the reasons Alan has described. The only disadvantage is if you were making a week of it and wanted to ride some other routes then its always a big ascent to get back home but you shouldn't really be doing that if you want to perform at the Marmotte.

alan_a

itisaboutthebike wrote:

alan a - staying in alpe d'huez - you're joking aren't you ? (you're a comedian aren't you ?)

Not joking.

As stated previously, if you are there for the Marmotte specifically then staying up in the Alpe means that in the daytime you are part of the carnival atmosphere. If you want to go for a couple of easy 2 hour spins then you can pootle up the Col de Sarenne or go down to Heuz and north towards Villar Reculas. In the evening it is cooler and quieter and when you wake up you get stunning views above the clouds and across the valley.

However if you are going for a week and want to batter up as many cols as possible then stay in the valley.

alan_a

Here's a vid I did of this year's marmotte

http://youtu.be/i1T3CZQSq0c

chill123

i've got to agree that staying up at the finish is great. the atmosphere in town was buzzing for the day s before and there are some nice scenic rides to loosen the legs off...oh and better sun bathing for the wife ;-)

I rode as part of a package with French Cycling Holidays. They weren't cheap (no tours are) but the hotel they put us in was top notch and the staff really friendly and professional at the same time. I guess it comes down to budget and preference as it's easily doable on your own too and would be much cheaper.

I wrote a post with some marmotte tips and advice that came out of my experiences of the ride. hopefully it'll be useful for some of you lucky souls that plan on riding this next year!

if you haven't ridden it i can thoroughly recommend it. It's a tough old ride but incredibly scenic and so rewarding.

Bon chance!

davidof

twotyred wrote:

Its no joke it really is the best place to stay for the reasons Alan has described. The only disadvantage is if you were making a week of it and wanted to ride some other routes then its always a big ascent to get back home but you shouldn't really be doing that if you want to perform at the Marmotte.

Just take the bus from Bourg d'Oisans back up if you are fed-up with the climb. However to avoid the repetition of the climb how about the Croix de Fer returning via the back road to Huez and over the back road to the Col de la Sarenne. That's two training rides finishing in the village. Bourg d'Oisans can be damn hot in July and mosquito infested due to the swampy nature of the valley floor.

bahzob

chill123 wrote:

i've got to agree that staying up at the finish is great. the atmosphere in town was buzzing for the day s before and there are some nice scenic rides to loosen the legs off...oh and better sun bathing for the wife ;-)

I rode as part of a package with French Cycling Holidays. They weren't cheap (no tours are) but the hotel they put us in was top notch and the staff really friendly and professional at the same time. I guess it comes down to budget and preference as it's easily doable on your own too and would be much cheaper.

I wrote a post with some marmotte tips and advice that came out of my experiences of the ride. hopefully it'll be useful for some of you lucky souls that plan on riding this next year!

if you haven't ridden it i can thoroughly recommend it. It's a tough old ride but incredibly scenic and so rewarding.

Bon chance!

Very nice article. I put together something similar here http://www.mammothlifestyle.co.uk/Downloads/marmotte_guide.pdf

bigpikle

Starting to think about this for next year as well. Always tend to avoid the 'must do' popular events and prefer slightly more niche events that are less hyped, but I'll be staying at a hotel on the route in mid Sept and will have a chance to check out a few of the climbs, so may fancy heading back next summer. Hugely enjoyed the Maratona this year so fancy something on from there....

ju5t1n

Having done both I will be staying in Bourg again next year ... because there's more for the wife and kids to do in the valley, and the ride down the Alpe after the event is heavenly ... but when I stayed on the mountain the ride down the Alpe at 6am wearing a bin liner to keep warm was miserable!

ju5t1n

Oh, and the campsite in Bourg has a pool. A quick swim in the cool water followed by chips and a beer by the pool was ace ace ace

Tom Butcher

Stayed in Bourg camping and it was fine - not saying staying up the Alpe wouldn't be nicer as I haven't done it - but Bourg is a nice small town, plenty of cyclists to create a bit of pre event atmosphere, didn't notice any mozzies and I react badly to insect bites so it's certainly not mosquito infested - or at least hasn't been the two times I've stayed. It can be quite warm but I get enough cold weather over here - it could be a bit warmer and it'd suit me.

bykerbloke91

bahzob wrote:

Very nice article. I put together something similar here http://www.mammothlifestyle.co.uk/Downloads/marmotte_guide.pdf

This has been very interesting, thank you for sharing an insight into the Marmotte.

I'm 21 and I've been cycling since about summer last year and this kind of thing fascinates me. How long would you need to be cycling regularly (without any specific training) before thinking of doing such a challenge as the Marmotte or something similar?

Also, I'm sure it's been talked about before but, what is the 50/39/30 etc mean?

Thanks, Andy

richa

bykerbloke91 wrote:

bahzob wrote:

Very nice article. I put together something similar here http://www.mammothlifestyle.co.uk/Downloads/marmotte_guide.pdf

This has been very interesting, thank you for sharing an insight into the Marmotte.

I'm 21 and I've been cycling since about summer last year and this kind of thing fascinates me. How long would you need to be cycling regularly (without any specific training) before thinking of doing such a challenge as the Marmotte or something similar?

Also, I'm sure it's been talked about before but, what is the 50/39/30 etc mean?

Thanks, Andy

Andy,
Start cycling about now and you could easily be ready to tackle the Marmotte next July.

50/39/30 represents the number of teeth on your (front) chainring.

tandrews8664

One question i have is how safe are the campsites? Where do you leave your bikes overnight etc? I am all up for camping due to it being cheaper, just wondering about the praticalities of carting tents and bikes on planes and the safety of the sites with so many expensive bikes around

Does anyone have any recommendations for chalets tho? Think probably about 6 of us are going and would need single beds

frosty99

can't speak specifically about campsites near bourg but I've camped a few times in France with bike. lock bike up next to tent, preferably to bush/tree/fence and tied to tent. never had any problems. obviously if you've got a car with you it can just go in that.

Alain Quay

La Piscine is good, esp. the pool. I think they rent cabins too.
http://www.camping-piscine.com/ I think they have bike lock up. Most of the campsite population is Dutch. It's one of life's great marvels how people from this flat land are so numerous and fare so well in La Marmotte.
Apparently they have group turbo training with videos of the route, and do it for charities. Bear in mind if you stay at Bourg you will have to descend Alpe dHuez at the end of the day.

There is a lot of info to be found on Marmotte, inc. La Piscine, etc. by searching this site. My advice from this year is that the standard of many riders is much higher than your typical UK sportive. Nonetheless if you start training now or soon and do so honestly, and aim to replicate the ride as best you can here in the UK, you will do it. Unlike the Etape du Tour there are no broom wagons, but the climbing time in total is quite a bit more. The descents are the highlight for many - esp. the long descent of Galibier . But if you're not good at descending, it is essential that you practice so you can do it with reasonable confidence, with hands on the drops and braking minimally.

This 'Marmotte guide' http://www.mammothlifestyle.co.uk/Downloads/marmotte_guide.pdf
is very useful and answers most questions.

bykerbloke91

Going to jump in this a sec.

Those that participate in the Marmotte, how much are their bikes worth? Like to endure that continuous strain over the Cols a decent bike is required. £1000 plus bikes?

Cheers

matty boy 80

bykerbloke91 wrote:

Going to jump in this a sec.

Those that participate in the Marmotte, how much are their bikes worth? Like to endure that continuous strain over the Cols a decent bike is required. £1000 plus bikes?

Cheers

Its more about power to weight on the bike , than how much the bike costs . That aside its got to be well maintained as it is a tough Parcors.

DavidCr

matty boy 80 wrote:

bykerbloke91 wrote:

Going to jump in this a sec.

Those that participate in the Marmotte, how much are their bikes worth? Like to endure that continuous strain over the Cols a decent bike is required. £1000 plus bikes?

Cheers

Its more about power to weight on the bike , than how much the bike costs . That aside its got to be well maintained as it is a tough Parcors.

There are thousands of riders and I am not aware of any survey asking about the bikes people are riding so it is difficult to give an accurate figure. I am thinking most riders, but certainly not all of them, were on carbon frames with at least a 105 group. I guess for the majority this means you are looking at a £1000+ bike but as mattyboy said it is more about the weight of your bike and perhaps the gear ratio. By the time you reach the second half of the Galibier you will want to give yourself every advantage, it is a lot of climbing in a day.

MarmotteCyclo.nl

Hi all,

Just read this post and thought it might be useful to drop a line.

Sportcommunication's Inscription website shows following since a few days : GRAND TROPHY 2013 REGISTRATION OPENING december 2012
Last year the online inscription started first of december. However 1st of december 2012 is a saturday, so likely the inscription via Sportcommunication will start monday 3rd. But I would check daily from end of november though.

Happy cycling!

Robert
http://www.MarmotteCyclo.nl

Tom Butcher

I wouldn't worry too much about the quality of your bike - so long as it is well maintained - riding the Marmotte is probably less of a strain on the bike than riding over the potholed roads we have over here.

There is actually a broom wagon too - I know as I ended up in it after a mechanical ! It is quite generous in the time it gives you to complete the route but we were sweeping up plenty of riders who had run out of time from the Telegraphe onwards - in fact our coach was full by the foot of the Galibier and we passed many more riders between there and the foot of the Alpe which is where I got out. I do agree with the post higher up though that if you take your training seriously you shouldn't have any worries about the cut off.

We left our bikes locked up on the campsite - not just overnight we went out for meals etc and left them there - yes I suppose it is something of a risk but there are lots of bikes left and ours weren't the most expensive by a any means - take a decent lock and you should be OK I'd have thought.

sampras38

Did it last year for the first time and will be back again this year.

Fantastic event.

bigpikle

out there next week to do a few of these climbs - AdH, Glandon, Galibier etc although not all together

have a feeling it might get me set on doing this next summer, although the QBH also looks like a possible alternative?

ClassicCyclingTours

We will be offering a 4 night package staying in a luxury chalet in Alpe d'Huez (you can see the finish from the lounge) form Thursday 04th - Monday 08th July 2012.

The cost will be £530 and will include the following:

* Race Entry
* Return Airport Transfers
* 4 Nights Accommodation
* 4 Continental Style Breakfasts
* 4 Two Course Evening Meals & Complimentary Wine
* La Marmotte Training Advise
* Private Feed Station on race day

For more info please visit www.classiccyclingtours.co.uk or email us at info@classiccyclingtours.co.uk

Cheers Steve