Marmotte 2013

Tom Butcher

You don't need to be a bike racer or super fast to finish it, plenty of our group were more into the odd audax or club run with a cafe stop. You certainly don't need to go down the route of a structured training plan if that's not your thing.

But....10 miles each way to work and "the odd 60 miler at weekends" is quite likely to see you standing on the Galibier asking the broom wagon to pick you up. If you are underplaying it a bit and really mean 60 miles every weekend extending to 80-100 as the weather gets warmer and 10 miles each way to work extending it on the way home twice a week for a couple of hours - then I think you should be safe. Fwiw we went over with a dozen or so and we all finished somewhere between 6 and 10 hours - don't think anyone was really up against it to finish despite a few nerves the night before.

Marik

Thanks for that - wise words, and perfectly do-able - feeling better already! Would like to know if there's a time limit which is strictly enforced?

Tom Butcher

Yes - there is a broom wagon which starts catching the backmarkers before the Telegraphe and a cut off at the foot of Alpe D'Huez.

NUFCrichard

I have read in previous years that lots of accomodation in and around Alpe D'Huez becomes available in spring. Is this actually true or just a rumour? If it is true does anyone have any advice on how I can find these places and when I should look.

I am currently probably going to have to camp, which is ok, but I would probably enjoy and real bed the day before and after the event.
Feel free to PM me any details if people don't want the topic clogged up.

narbs

NUFCrichard wrote:

I have read in previous years that lots of accomodation in and around Alpe D'Huez becomes available in spring. Is this actually true or just a rumour? If it is true does anyone have any advice on how I can find these places and when I should look.

I am currently probably going to have to camp, which is ok, but I would probably enjoy and real bed the day before and after the event.
Feel free to PM me any details if people don't want the topic clogged up.

Last year a few of us travelled down together and booked through these guys:
http://www.polkadotstop.com/marmotte.asp

Basic large chalet accommodation, the sort you had if you went on a school ski trip, but plentiful breakfast from 05,30 on the morning of the event. Had a bar and free wifi as well.

The year before I left it until about April and booked directly with the Tourist Office and stayed in the Club Med /P&V residences near the altiport. Again, basic but plenty to eat at breakfast with bar and free wifi.

Travelling en famille this year so camping in Bourg with wife and baby daughter - god help me

janogorzalek

Is it possible to drive down from the Alpe to Bourg the morning of the race?

My wife will be in Alpe d'Huez with me, so this would allow her to come and watch the start and save me another 20 minutes in the saddle!

Roman Schoolboy

Yes.... you can drive down from The Alpe in the morning.

maddog 2

You'd rather drive down a 14k descent than ride it?

I am the god of hell fire

Does anyone know if entries are easily transferable - a mate has pulled out due to illness and I fancy it

Thanks

BenderRodriguez

I am the god of hell fire wrote:

Does anyone know if entries are easily transferable - a mate has pulled out due to illness and I fancy it

Thanks

As far as I am aware it is completely against the rules.

Article 13 : L'inscription est personnelle, et irrévocable. Elle ne peut être ni échangée, ni cédée, ni remboursée.

(Registration is personal and irrevocable. It can not be exchanged or transferred or refunded.)

http://www.sportcommunication.info/web2 ... ement2.pdf

Despite this, I would guess that some do let their mates ride in their place, which is not really playing by the rules and might cause some serious problems with regards personal insurance and liability in the case of a rider being involved in, or even worse causing, a serious crash. Same goes for those who might be tempted to 'cheat' on the medical requirements. One would hope that if the organisers found that this had happened and that their insurance did not cover the cost of airlifting some numpty to hospital, then they would send them the bill.

BenderRodriguez

P.s. also see the following:

Echanges ou achats de dossards. Danger!

Dans la “course” à tout prix pour obtenir un dossard pour La Marmotte et malgré la fermeture des inscriptions, certains se voient proposer (ou sollicitent même) des dossards à n’importe quelles conditions, voir des dossards fictifs par des individus indélicats.
Nous rappelons que les échanges ou rachats de dossards entre concurrents sont interdits et ne seront pas pris en compte pour participer à l’épreuve. Aucun changement de nom ou de titulaire ne sera effectué.
Même en cas en désistement ou d’impossibilité.

Avec un triple risque :

pour celui qui a effectué un tel paiement, l’impossibilité de pouvoir participer sous son propre nom et d’ avoir ses résultats.
celui de ne pas être reconnu victime en cas d’accident provoqué par un tiers.
pour celui qui a ‘cédé’ son dossard, le risque d’être mis en cause, en cas d’accident provoqué par le nouveau porteur du dossard et donc de voir sa responsabilité engagée. (un dossard=un nom)



Seules les inscriptions directement enregistrées sur notre site ou auprès de nos Tour-opérateurs et partenaires officiels seront validées.
En effet, il ne s’agit pas d’un simple “transfert” de nom ou d’état-civil !
Les dossards sont personnels, nominatifs, ne sont ni échangeables, ni remboursables, ni cessibles et notamment pour des raisons de:

responsabilité juridique
assurance RC,
contrôle des licences et certificat médicaux,
adhésion personnelle au règles et règlement de l’épreuve et de l’Engagement Cyclo Durable,
attribution dans les vagues de départ selon les résultats établis,
responsabilité vis a vis du titulaire officiel du dossard, et des tiers,
reliquat ou solde de paiement à effectuer,
invalidité ou inexistence réelle du dossard,
revente d’un même dossard à plusieurs concurrents,
responsabilité et contrôle fédéral (suspensions, exclusions pour dopages ou autres motifs disciplinaires).

http://www.sportcommunication.info/web2 ... p?langue=1

I am the god of hell fire

Thanks, although strictly speaking you havent answered my question or told me anything I didnt already know
Id also hazard a guess that youre a lot of fun at cafe stops

If anyone has an anecdote of transferring entry from one individual to another, or of failing miserably, then I would be keen to hear. Similarly Im curious as to what happens to entries when people pull out and declare in advance that they wont be attending. Im not aware of a clearing facility although do know that the tour operators usually sell off their entry only deals closer to the day.

I wish to ride under my own name, having shown my own passport, having submitted my own medical certificate and getting a Brevet with my own name on it

Thanks!

BenderRodriguez

I am the god of hell fire wrote:

Thanks, although strictly speaking you havent answered my question or told me anything I didnt already know...

Only trying to be helpful...

So, you had already read the stuff I linked to including the bit where the organisers say "Registration is personal and irrevocable. It can not be exchanged or transferred or refunded" and explain why this is the case, and you still want to know if it is possible to transfer your mate's entry? I see...

Leroy42

The entries are non-transferrable, that does not mean that someone cannot ride in the place of someone else.

So if person B takes the entry over from Person A, Person B will appear on any documentation as Person A. This of course would have implications from insurance, but it is possible to arrange your own insurance so that would cover that area.

In terms of the results, all the results will read Person A. Medical Cert/licence would need to be in the name of Person A. Therefore, you do run the risk that if the organiser was to check and you are not Person A, they have ever right to refuse you entry.

I have never been asked for my passport etc when signing on. Last year they simply asked if I was Person A, but of course that is only my example ad it was on the morning of the event so maybe they are clamping down.

FWIW I don't think it is worth the hassle.

BenderRodriguez

Leroy42 wrote:

Person B will appear on any documentation as Person A. This of course would have implications from insurance, but it is possible to arrange your own insurance so that would cover that area.

And would an insurance company be obliged to pay out if a claim was made by someone who had been impersonating a third party, and taking part in an event that the organisers had not given them permission to ride in?

stanthomas

I am the god of hell fire wrote:

Thanks, although strictly speaking you havent answered my question or told me anything I didnt already know...

As far as I could tell Bender answered your question in full. Hard to know what you were fishing for but the answer is no, you cannot transfer or take over someone else's entry within the rules of the event or the laws of France.

Leroy42

Whoosh. Did any body else hear that?

That was all the time you thought you had back in December flying by. Only 9 weeks to go.

9 weeks! Last week is a tapering week so in effect less than 8 weeks of training time left.

barrybridges

Scary stuff! I actually thought it was 9 weeks, but either way it's not long!

Really looking forward to it now, although hill repeats of Titsey Hill have made me wonder whether I'm fit enough!

manxshred

Not long!! My training plan is filling up fast!

I'm having a bit of a rest week this week, then back on full gas.

At least we have had some absolutely wonderful weather for training, although I doubt it will last

itboffin

Leroy42 wrote:

Whoosh. Did any body else hear that?

That was all the time you thought you had back in December flying by. Only 9 weeks to go.

9 weeks! Last week is a tapering week so in effect less than 8 weeks of training time left.

thanks :?

nammynake

Fred Whitton this weekend will tell me how my prep is going. I am reasonably happy with my preparation so far but having never done an alpine climb I am a little apprehensive. At least I don't have any real weight to shed. Down to 63kg now.

ransos1

Hi Everyone

I've also entered La Marmotte this year - it's amazing how quickly it's coming up! I'm not following a formal training programme as such, but am working on my endurance, following advice from a ramp test I did a while back, to improve my fat burning by doing long rides at low intensity. I've now got to the point where I can ride hilly centuries comfortably at a moderate pace, the next step is to try and do them a bit faster.

I get the impression (having never done them) that Alpine climbs are as much a mental challenge as a physical one - provided you're reasonably fit. As for the bike, the one change I'm making is to fit a 12-30T cassette. I'm more of a spinner than grinder on the climbs, and slow is fine as long as I can keep going.

I'm doing Le Terrier next month which will give me a pretty good idea of how I'm doing.

bernithebiker

ransos1 wrote:

I get the impression (having never done them) that Alpine climbs are as much a mental challenge as a physical one - provided you're reasonably fit. As for the bike, the one change I'm making is to fit a 12-30T cassette. I'm more of a spinner than grinder on the climbs, and slow is fine as long as I can keep going.

Indeed - sometimes the view opens up to show you the summit; I would strongly advise not looking up at that point! Always look behind to see how far you've come. Often looking up can be demoralising as you can see how far you have to go.

Good cassette choice, makes alot of sense.

barrybridges

ransos1 wrote:

I get the impression (having never done them) that Alpine climbs are as much a mental challenge as a physical one - provided you're reasonably fit. As for the bike, the one change I'm making is to fit a 12-30T cassette. I'm more of a spinner than grinder on the climbs, and slow is fine as long as I can keep going.

I think you've hit the nail on the head with that one.

5 years ago I'd never even been to the Alps - and I was completely taken aback by just how different they are compared with anything on offer in the UK. There is, quite literally, nothing here that can match them in terms of difficulty or length.

Yes, there are plenty of UK hills which have steeper gradients, but often for no more than a few hundred metres. Some of these climbs (like the Galibier) are over 20 miles long. Probably the best word to use is 'unrelenting'.

I'm also fitting a 30 cassette as from experience it's always good to have an escape gear to resort to when the going gets tough.

shazzz

I put a 12-30 cassette on my bike at the weekend in preparation for the Fred Whitton. Will likely use it for the Marmotte also. Only problem is it doesn't work well with my DA 7800 derailleur, so there's some "jockey wheel rub" when in the 30 cog. Should be fine for the short climbs of the Fred, but will need a new RD for the Marmotte. It's getting expensive!

ransos1

shazzz wrote:

I put a 12-30 cassette on my bike at the weekend in preparation for the Fred Whitton. Will likely use it for the Marmotte also. Only problem is it doesn't work well with my DA 7800 derailleur, so there's some "jockey wheel rub" when in the 30 cog. Should be fine for the short climbs of the Fred, but will need a new RD for the Marmotte. It's getting expensive!

The latest ultegra mechs will take a 30T cassette (even in short cage), or if you just need a mech for the event, any decent shimano 9-speed MTB one will do.

shazzz

ransos1 wrote:

shazzz wrote:

I put a 12-30 cassette on my bike at the weekend in preparation for the Fred Whitton. Will likely use it for the Marmotte also. Only problem is it doesn't work well with my DA 7800 derailleur, so there's some "jockey wheel rub" when in the 30 cog. Should be fine for the short climbs of the Fred, but will need a new RD for the Marmotte. It's getting expensive!

The latest ultegra mechs will take a 30T cassette (even in short cage), or if you just need a mech for the event, any decent shimano 9-speed MTB one will do.

Thanks. I've got a Deore LX RD but don't think I can bear the shame of putting it on my lovely roadie (and it would probably need a new chain anyway). My dignity is worth at least the £60 the Ultegra RD will set me back!

TheStone

I used a 12-32 (SRAM Apex) cassette with a compact chainset and short cage mech.
Worked fine. Rarely needed the 32, but mentally nice to know it's there.

Training for this year is only starting. Concentrated on running the marathon, so only been training since start of the month. Will attempt a hilly 170k tomorrow.

kfinlay

Does anyone know if there will be rolling road closures? I notice some package companies offer their own feed zones and wondered if they were able to drive there during the event or if they have to do it early then hang around until the roads re-open. My wife is coming with me and I know it's a long shot but she is up for providing my own private feed; however, I'd still want her to be able to get to the finish before me (I know she won't get up Alp d'Huez but she could go via Vanjany as there is a mountain top road over to A d'H from there)

nammynake

My first major training progress check today, did the Fred Whitton in 7h51m, which I was pleased with. 34-25 was not enough for Honister, Hardknott and Wrynose but managed them all without stopping or walking.

How does the Marmotte compare?