Marmotte 2013
Comments
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Someone stole your kit mid ride? That's pretty low! Can you claim on travel insurance?0
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phy2sll2 wrote:Someone stole your kit mid ride? That's pretty low! Can you claim on travel insurance?
Yeah, they did. With a ton of Garmins on display, I reckon some fecker had a Joule fetish and targeted it. Had a lot of time for Saudi justice in the following 15-20 mins.
No point with travel insurance, IMO; need a police report, then get turned over with the excess; all a bit of PITA. Managed to pick new one up on ebay sharpish on Sunday with a reasonable discount over list price. Not ideal, but better than it could have been.0 -
Tom Butcher wrote:What would you say are the other events to do then - I'd certaily like to ride some alternatives - though talking others into doing somethingother than the Marmotte has proved fruitless in the past. Looking for similar mass participation rides.
Tony, the chap on the site below has been riding sportives for years and done loads, writing up the results here http://www.flammerouge.je/sportives/sportives.htm. Should be something for most peoples fancy there. (Atm not all the links work as the site is being updated, but from my experience Tony is a very helpful/enthusiastic and if you contact him you should get some handy advice. )Martin S. Newbury RC0 -
Genuinely, I'm looking for a different challenge to next year - so would welcome other people's opinions of what is tougher than the Marmotte.
Someone recommended the Alpenbrevet which is around 100k longer and 2000m more climbing. Is there anything much tougher than this?0 -
The Nove Colli is a good option.
I really like the Morzine sportive. Much smaller crowd and easier than Marmotte.
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Does anyone know if the Marmotte merchandise is available online? I wanted to buy a top but there were none left on Sunday. Also wanted to get a couple of those T shirts with Marmottes on bikes. Thought the quality looked pretty good and prices weren't bad.0
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For all those that are complaining about the level of descending skills etc I think you need to take a reality check. This is a sportive. Some people (many) treat it as a race and at the front end it certainly is a race, but for the majority of the 8000+ participants this is a sportive, a personal test.
Even on the race circuit I have seen many guys crash and corner badly, just because they race it doesn't make them immune from mistakes. The descent off the Glandon is a very technical descent, constantly changing direction, bad surface, blind bends and it is fast. Couple that with such a large amount of riders and it is a receipe for danger.
So a few people had punctures. Wow, never heard of that on a bike before. Must be because they haven't a clue right? And some people crashed. Well I have crashed before and at some stage most people have some type of spill. Hardly puts it in the "close the whole thing down" territory or probably better stated as "only let people as good as me do it".
People need to chill out a bit. It's a great event, for what it is. It is popular because of the route mainly. Even non cyclists know of Alpe D'Huez. All very well doing a sportive in Spain but most non cyclists just can't equate that to their understanding, while Marmotte (and even more so Etape) has a direct resonance to the Tour which your mates in the pub/work can understand. It gives a chance for mere mortals like ourselves to do the same climbs that the guys we see on TV do, and I guess to play that fantasy. It's akin to playing in Wembley or Wimbledon. Are these the guys pitches/courts? no idea but I would love the chance to play in either of them just so the history and story, and it's the same for Marmotte.
If it is all a bit too 'amateur' for some of you then either you need to get more towards the front or get in some real races.So this little yellow braclet makes me a better cyclist?0 -
barrybridges wrote:Genuinely, I'm looking for a different challenge to next year - so would welcome other people's opinions of what is tougher than the Marmotte.
Someone recommended the Alpenbrevet which is around 100k longer and 2000m more climbing. Is there anything much tougher than this?
The obvious step up is to do a multi-day event. You can do these in sportive form e.g. http://www.hauteroutepyrenees.org/
The other option is do one of the long randonees, e.g. 4/5 days across the Pyrenees Atlantic to Med, 10/11 days over the Alps/Dolomites Geneva>Trieste or Nice. These have a target time so are a real challenge and fun as you combine great cycling with an epic journey.Martin S. Newbury RC0 -
Leroy42 wrote:For all those that are complaining about the level of descending skills etc I think you need to take a reality check. This is a sportive. Some people (many) treat it as a race and at the front end it certainly is a race, but for the majority of the 8000+ participants this is a sportive, a personal test.
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Even if the field consisted entirely of the best descenders in the world putting several thousands of people on the same narrow road would still cause issues. It's just basic physics, you see it every morning and evening on transport systems all over the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_traffic_approximationMartin S. Newbury RC0 -
The day started with a lovely ride down AdH to the start in the cool of early morning. Ominously, every bend seemed to have a rider with a blow out - carbon rims and dragging brakes are not a good combination in the Alps. I was glad of my trusty Open Pros.
Having laid out extra cash to be in the front pen, I had to show some discipline and let the faster riders go, and plod up the Glandon at my own pace, in one hit. I felt surprisingly fresh at the top, and once restocked with food and water, I set about the descent only to get stuck for an age behind an ambulance scraping some poor soul off the tarmac. The temperature and pace along the valley floor were both too much, and I should probably have taken it easier up the Telegraph, as I really started to feel it on Galibier - the descent between the two is so short! My private stop was about 3km from the summit, requests for EPO and an engine were denied. I made do with coke and a sandwich. Then it was the wonderful prospect of downhill most of the way to Bourg, and contrary to many I didn't find the tunnels too much of a chore - just take your glasses off.
By this time the temperature was getting seriously high - 38 on my Garmin, and I was struggling to maintain a decent cadence due to pain in my thigh muscles. A quick stop in Bourg for a gel and water, and I set about the Alpe, with Voigt's "shut up legs" repeating in my head. Unfortunately, my legs had the last word, turning to jelly less than a quarter of the way up. I tried to get off the bike, but I staggered so badly I thought I should keep pedalling, however slowly. I made a deal with myself - every fifth bend I would stop for a slug of water, which seemed to work for me. And whoever the bloke was tipping cold water over our heads - I am immensely grateful. As finally, the summit came into view, I managed to find a little more strength, and the sound of my young daughter shouting "yay daddy" as I went over the line will stick with me forever.
A time of 9.28 then, and a silver medal. I'm very happy with that - I'd trained less than many, and no experience whatsoever of Alpine cycling, which was quite an eye-opener. Everyone tells you the climbs are relentless, but nothing really prepares you for it. But AdH nearly finished me off, and it took me 1.5 hours to climb it, which felt like an eternity at the time.
This morning, feeling I had some unfinished business with the Alpe, I had another crack. Following a grin-inducing 16 minute descent, I rode straight back up in 1.02. More like it!0 -
Tom Butcher wrote:What would you say are the other events to do then - I'd certaily like to ride some alternatives - though talking others into doing somethingother than the Marmotte has proved fruitless in the past. Looking for similar mass participation rides.
A few people have asked the same so my favourites based on the past few years would be as follows.
1. Maratona Dles Dolomiti - superb event that is harder than the parcors looks of paper due to the altitude and gradients. The best organised sportive in Europe. Fully closed roads.
2. Alpen Brevet. - If you are looking for a challenge this is hard. The Gold route is harder than the Marmotte. The Platinum is insane - and probably not suitable for most. Food stops are excellent but no closed roads. The route and it's scenery is remarkable.
3. GF Sportful - Billed as the hardest in Europe I would dispute that but it's certainly a different and longer challenge to the Marmotte. More Dolomites passes. Over 200km and superb organisation. Closed roads for most of it. Superb descents.
4. Giordana. The Giordana from Aprica is a chance to ride some iconic passes in a mass participation event. Gavia and Mortirolo top the bill and the standard of riding is superb. Organisation is fine.
5. Ardechoise. Wonderful atmosphere. As challenging or as easy as you want it to be with numerous routes. Sensible gradients but many of them. Great food. A real festival of cycling.
There are many more to consider. The Oztaler rad maraton is a beast of a ride in Austria that attracts huge nmbers from Germany. The Dolomiti classic in September gives a low key taste of the Dolomites and is a great late season trip.0 -
Leroy42 wrote:For all those that are complaining about the level of descending skills etc I think you need to take a reality check...
On the whole, I don't think the complaints are about descending skills per-se as lack of discipline and consideration for others. I really don't mind how slow (or fast) you want to go down a hill but do please hold a line and keep to the right whenever possible. Even though you're going as fast as you want, someone will be coming from behind going 30kph faster. I've passed so many people on the inside 'cos they want to swing to the outside of the turn, I've gone thru the middle of groups spread right across the road and yes, I'm sure they complain about me.
Bit like driving on the motorway; get over, stay in lane, let others pass and enjoy your day.
For what it's worth, I've always found the standard of riding at the Marmotte to be very high and in stark contrast to the Etape.0 -
Re descending, the picture and advice below are extremely good and recommended for all.
http://www.flammerouge.je/images/factsheets/Corner%20Schematic.pdf (taken from http://www.flammerouge.je/factsheets/descend.htm
That said the picture does show very clearly the differences between the right and wrong way to take corners and the fact that they collide mid way through. So I'm afraid in a field of thousands issues on descents are something that needs to be expected and planned for.Martin S. Newbury RC0 -
Interesting comments......
We parked up at Col du Lautaret at 05:15 and left just as sun was rising, took just under an hour to Bourg and we were well up the Glandon before the first pack came through and at what a pace, and that carried on for most of the route as we were picked off by far better riders.
Should also add that there was a fair number of cyclists like us "doing" the route, though a few, and we considered it went via Col de croix de Fer.
I personally saw, and "heard" two carbon rims blow, and one guy managed to hold it together, but hate to think what his rim was like after that.
Saw one guy in a very bad way on the Glandon descent being attended to by quite a few medics and later another guy at the roadside sitting in the classic pose of holding his shoulder / collar bone gone.
Ever since last year I went through a rhododendron bush on the North Downs I've lost my bottle and after nigh on being out here for a couple of weeks my confidence is only gradually coming back.
We stopped for a nice lunch near the feed stop outside Valloire and was amusing to see riders looking at us with envy, and for quite a few the temptation was too much for them and they pulled over for some sustenance. Do think on a ride like that you're better to have a good 45min break and sit down etc rather than join the frenzy at the feed stations.
And there are always plenty of fountains on route in the villages so water not a problem.
At Lautaret we turned back for home and were in my mates bar at 16:00.
Next day we hiked back up to the cafe below Galibier with my Mrs running with the dogs, and were quite a few marmottes screeching at us
Then Monday we did Izoard, and made it before some very heavy rain, and came across a couple of soaked Brits who had done both the Marmotte and Etape - chapeau !!
Wednesday did Col du Granon which is always tough and my legs were tired and then yesterday a beautiful ride from home here in Serre up Col du Montgenevre and on to Baradonacchia then over the glorious plateau of Col de l'Echelle.
Next week might drive down and do Ventoux...0 -
For those looking for some alternative events, why not look at all those that Sport Communication run in addition to The Marmotte? I have done a few of these, such as the Morzine and Deux Alpes events, and they often only have a few hundred riders taking part. I have found the organisation to be excellent, no doubt helped by the smaller numbers.
The level of the riders is also very good, with many aiming to get a ranking in the Grand Trophy series and being pretty serious competitors. There are certainly far fewer of the sort of 'riding just to finish' 'donkeys' that a mass participation event like The Marmotte tends to attract, so the level of bike handing and descending skills are generally very good. On the downside, if you are not capable of getting a 'gold standard' time you will probably spend most of the day alone after watching most of the rest of the field disappear up the road on the very first uphill section!
I also get the feeling that, rather than simply being a 'rapacious commercial organisation', Sports Communication uses the income from the Marmotte to subsidise these events. (Though I have no doubt that the Grand Trophy series would not exist if, overall, it were not commercially viable.)"an original thinker… the intellectual heir of Galileo and Einstein… suspicious of orthodoxy - any orthodoxy… He relishes all forms of ontological argument": jane90.0 -
For an alternative in the Pyrenees you could try the Etape Barcelona to Andorra in Sept run by ASO. Its 242km with 5000m of ascent finishing at 2200m at Arcalis ski station. I did it last year and the weather was dreadful; rain all day and snow at the finish. Going back this year in hope of better weather.0
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Does anyone have a Medium of the white with red writing cycling jersey that they would like to swap for a large (or sell)? The large is too big for me.0
