Marmotte 2014

stanthomas

On 5 July 2014 (as you would expect).

Something new on the French version the web page:

"Voir et être vu" : sur le parcours, les tunnels en montagne sont peu ou pas éclairés. Il est obligatoire d'avoir un éclairage et des éléments réfléchissants (gilet de sécurité etc...)

Which translates as:
"See and be seen. There are dark, unlit tunnels on the route. It is compulsory to have lights and reflective bands (e.g. HiVis vest)". So more like a CTC run than a race then.

manxshred

Hmm, I must have been riding a different route last year as I didn't see any unlit tunnels. Lights are a good idea regardless.

DeVlaeminck

Lights are one thing but HiViz vest ! That isn't going to happen. I reckon there will be so many people with neither that just having lights will be more than enough.

Maybe I'm mistaken but the tunnels seemed better lit is year than previously.

mrc1

I think this is a bit badly worded. My take on the French is that a gilet or jersey with reflective bits on it (most of them have something reflective on after all) will be fine - probably an insurance requirement at their end.

The lights are compulsory year round in the tunnels and they have started to get hot on the enforcement of this so I suspect the police have mandated lights for the Marmotte as well to reinforce the message...

lee_d_m

hi,

does anyone know when registration will be open. I see it mentions November on the web-site, but no specific date.

Thanks

Lee

GJTheunisse

This year they gave small lights for front and back in the pack everyone got at signon. Also, all tunnels were lit (as far as I can remember).

The Real Gromit

Surely everyone just closes their eyes as they go through the tunnels.

oneof1982

The lighting in the tunnels is vastly improved, but they gave out free lights and reflective bands at the sign on last year.

caledonian1

Just got an email from sport communication. it takes me to their ever useless website for La Marmotte....something about entries on the afternoon of 4th November...is this correct ? (or possibly this is for one of their other events.)

I do look forward to the frustrations of entry, paying twice and not getting a refund.

dandrew

oneof1982 wrote:

The lighting in the tunnels is vastly improved, but they gave out free lights and reflective bands at the sign on last year.

I am sure that's right but if the lighting is so good why would they have to give out lights and reflective strips? I remember doing the Etape and going through tunnels with hardly any working lights! Horrid!

hypster

I am intending to enter the event this year with some friends but I have heard the on-line registration process is horrendous. Could anyone who has been through the process before possibly answer the following:-

1. Does each person have to enter individually or can one person enter the whole group?
2. If you can enter a group is it advisable to do this anyway? i.e. would it be better/easier to enter individually?
3. What information do you need to provide for each person when registering?
4. I've read you need some sort of medical certificate to enter. Do you need this when you register or does that come later say at sign-on for the event?
5. What happens if say 3 out of 5 of a group get in but 2 don't. Could the 2 theoretically still ride the event, they are public roads after all aren't they?

Any other pertinent info would be helpful too.

DeVlaeminck

You don't need the medical to enter, just a debit or credit card. If you all enter right on the minute it opens you will all get in if you persist - it might take a few tries though. Yes the roads are mostly open and you wont physically be stopped from riding - far better just to make sure you get in to the event though.

js14

caledonian1 wrote:

Just got an email from sport communication. it takes me to their ever useless website for La Marmotte....something about entries on the afternoon of 4th November...is this correct ? (or possibly this is for one of their other events.)

The email is a bit vague about the exact time, but it says you should register for the Marmotte on their website which will "be accessible on the afternoon of Monday November 4", so I guess you should try from 11am UK time.

hypster

Nothing on the Marmotte website yet (11:10 UK time). To be honest I'm not all that impressed with their organisational abilities, their website is a joke. Perhaps it's all part of thinning out the Marmotte entries down to those that can be arsed to stick with it.

genki

€80 now. This will thin out a few more people. There's much better value for money elsewhere! Beyond having a timing chip and being in the results I'm beginning to wonder.

http://www.sportcommunication.info/web2 ... in2014.pdf

2 years ago it was €55, and I'm sure it was a lot less a few years before that.

http://www.sportcommunication.info/web2 ... in2012.pdf

Interesting to see for the other events (apart from Les 3 Ballons which is now also getting very popular), the prices have only gone from €36 to €38 over the last two years. The Marmotte is being milked.

GJTheunisse

Looks to be open now. Has already got a bit 'crashy' but I got registered ok...

janogorzalek

Overpriced or not, I need to go back and get my gold medal...

I'm in.. Painless compared to last year! 8)

BenderRodriguez

genki wrote:

Interesting to see for the other events (apart from Les 3 Ballons which is now also getting very popular), the prices have only gone from €36 to €38 over the last two years. The Marmotte is being milked.

Fair enough in my book. I have ridden some of the other Sports Comms events such as The Morzine and Deux Alpes and they are very well run but only attract a couple of hundred entries. If it were not for the income from the Marmotte non of these events could be run.

BenderRodriguez

hypster wrote:

Nothing on the Marmotte website yet (11:10 UK time).

In France après-midi generally means 2 pm onwards.

caledonian1 wrote:

I do look forward to the frustrations of entry, paying twice and not getting a refund.

Did you e-mail them and request a refund? I double entered last year because my name was not coming up in the confirmation list, but when I sent my transaction numbers they refunded me within a couple of days.

davidof

GJTheunisse wrote:

This year they gave small lights for front and back in the pack everyone got at signon. Also, all tunnels were lit (as far as I can remember).

The last tunnel on the way down from the Lauteret is unlit unless theyv'e done works on it very recently.

Marmotte is filling up fast, 2500 entries a little while back.

el_vino

OK, I'm in, seemed relatively painless, the only bit I struggled on was the license. I guess all options were french?

j_smith

I have registered, and I have received payment confirmation.

I was wondering if there is a list of all registered participants in order to get confirmed that I am registered, and if that's the case, where do I find the list?

hypster

I'd been out all afternoon and evening and got back at midnight. I opened the registration website to find that entries had opened. I managed to get all six of us in quite painlessly, certainly not the scrum I was expecting.

Just the 8 months of training left to do then. :!:

bernithebiker

Was thinking about doing this as I can't make the Etape this year, but wow, that website is truly awful in a way that only French websites can be.

I think I might go for one of the less well known cheaper options, the one in St.Tropez in April looks good.

I work as a tour guide for ronanpensectravel.com ; they do a good package for the Marmotte and take good care of you, but I won't be guiding on that one.

mrc1

Think they managed to surprise quite a few people with the early entry - their site worked flawlessly yesterday.

DeVlaeminck

I think they did surprise a few people, also maybe a bit of been there done that and in the uk people wanting to see the Tour in Yokshire.

itboffin

Registration closed in just one day wow!

So every Dutch cycling in the world has signed up

caledonian1

Oh dear I see i have missed out on registering for 2014....what are the best options now 9not overly keen on using one of the tour companies as their hotels are typically rubbish and over priced.

manxshred

Classic Cycling use a Chalet up near the airport. Nice place, lots of space, although I was cursing the extra bit of climbing you had to do after the finish.

mrc1

For those who have entry already we are based in Bourg d'Oisans for the Marmotte - no climbs to end the day on

DeVlaeminck

caledonian1 wrote:

Oh dear I see i have missed out on registering for 2014....what are the best options now 9not overly keen on using one of the tour companies as their hotels are typically rubbish and over priced.

Why not look out for an entry for sale and ride in someone elses name, ok I know you aren't meant to but what's the harm. This year I was offered two entries when I was there though you probably want to sort one before you leave.