Marmotte 2015

DeVlaeminck

140k averaging 28mph is a good start anyway

Mine was going OK but been off the bike 10 days with a virus - early days yet though I've got a run of longish road races in April and I'll fit in some long rides around them - could do with losing half a stone.

cc78

I've been training almost exclusively indoors since the start of the year. The turbo sessions have been going reasonably well and the early spring in these parts means I should be able to get out on the road properly fairly soon. Then it will be a case of building up the distance and getting the legs (and brain) back in the swing of climbing for 1 hour + at a time. I'm lucky that I am already in the Alps so have the perfect training terrain. I have a couple of smaller sportives lined up in June and I'll carry on the interval sessions throughout to keep building the power. A new bike arriving at some point in the next few weeks should also help

ilav84

cc78 wrote:

I've been training almost exclusively indoors since the start of the year. The turbo sessions have been going reasonably well and the early spring in these parts means I should be able to get out on the road properly fairly soon. Then it will be a case of building up the distance and getting the legs (and brain) back in the swing of climbing for 1 hour + at a time. I'm lucky that I am already in the Alps so have the perfect training terrain. I have a couple of smaller sportives lined up in June and I'll carry on the interval sessions throughout to keep building the power. A new bike arriving at some point in the next few weeks should also help

I was reading the first part of that post thinking to myself, "he would need to get out on the road! Id be shitting myself if I was him". Then I got to the part where you said that you're based in the Alps!

ilav84

I am heading to tenerife on Friday. Hope to climb teide a couple of times. Looking forward to cycling in shorts again! I am hoping this will be the main part of my preparation for La Marmotte. Learning how to climb for that long and also learning how to descend is obviously the big focus.

cc78

ilav84 wrote:

cc78 wrote:

I've been training almost exclusively indoors since the start of the year. The turbo sessions have been going reasonably well and the early spring in these parts means I should be able to get out on the road properly fairly soon. Then it will be a case of building up the distance and getting the legs (and brain) back in the swing of climbing for 1 hour + at a time. I'm lucky that I am already in the Alps so have the perfect training terrain. I have a couple of smaller sportives lined up in June and I'll carry on the interval sessions throughout to keep building the power. A new bike arriving at some point in the next few weeks should also help

I was reading the first part of that post thinking to myself, "he would need to get out on the road! Id be ******** myself if I was him". Then I got to the part where you said that you're based in the Alps!

Cheers, now the ski season is coming to an end, the roads are clearing up and I have more time to get out on the long rides. There is still, what, 14 weeks to go so plenty of time to build up the distance (I hope).

Enjoy Tenerife!

Ankles50

It's hard to replicate the climbing here in UK but being out grinding away into the wind has been "helpful"
+200km Audaxes have been, and will continue to be, my main bread & butter. I'm a bit annoyed with myself I didn't sign up for one of the Classics in April this year, they're always a decent bridge to the summer challenge

ilav84

Went up Teide, 67 mile with about 40 of it just a constant climb. I found it very tough! Absolutely relentless. I've never experienced that sort of constant climbing before. Gradient wasn't a problem it was the length that killed me. I know now more than ever that if I am to finish la marmotte then I need to do some serious work and lose about 2 stone. What a great day out on the bike though. Orica, Saxo and Katusha all passed us. Nibali is in Tenerife at the moment as well, hopefully I will drop him on wednesday when I do it all again from the other side haha

I was starving for the last 10 mile, one of the fellas I was sticking with was hungry from about the 20 mile mark. He ended up in the broom wagon with 5k from the top. Devastating for him. I learned loads from the experience though:
- I need to eat more while on the climb. I was like a different man when I got some food and coke into me at the top.
- I will definitely be going for 50 34 and 11-32 gear ratio for La Marmotte!
- I am a pussy while descending, although I was still going near 40mph at times. Some of the others were just diving into corners and flying down the mountain.
- I need to shift a good stone and half at least. Carrying that weight up a long climb will soon wear you out!
- I need more climbing miles in the legs. I would go ride 80-100 mile tomorrow at an average of about 18mph but this was totally different than I have ever done. Don't know how you could prepare for that at home though.
- Pros are amazing! I don't know how they do that for their job. Bound to be easier ways of making money than that.
- The guide was a semi pro who rides a Wilier zero 7. I now want that bike as well as a Colnago C60 Italia.

A great experience and a massive wake up call for La Marmotte.

pechacheli

ilav84 wrote:

A great experience and a massive wake up call for La Marmotte.

A great post and insight, thanks...

I've been plagued by injury the last 6 weeks and have lost valuable training time and therefore put on weight rather than losing it!

I've not had the opportunity to train on any long climbs and only have 3 sportive left in the diary before Marmotte to stretch the legs, the last being the Wiggle Dragon. I hope that this will give me some idea of what to expect!

I guess it's going to be a challenge of mind over matter as much as leg work!!

ilav84

Well I had a **** week on the bike last week. Wasn't feeling it at all and my legs felt weak. Think I needed a bit of a rest and relax. Still pretty worried about finishing this bloody thing, the stick i will get if I don't finish it haha 120mile hilly sportive next sunday should give me an idea of where I am at currently. Going to really try and replicate La Marmotte as much as I can, i.e. the food I bring and clothing I carry etc.
This link has been put in here before but it is full of great advice.
http://sandmteam.blogspot.co.uk/2013...arts-1-6a.html

pechacheli

A great read, thanks. Still panicking though

cc78

It looks likely that the route of this year's Marmotte is going to be changed as the work on the tunnel at Chambon, which is on the road between Lautaret and Bourg d'Oisans, is going to take longer than planned and there is therefore no way to get from Galibier back to Bourg.

The most obvious solution would be for the race to climb the Col de la Croix de Fer and then descend the south side of Glandon back to the Oisans valley but there will have to be at least one other climb added to the parcours to keep the length and elevation broadly similar to the original.

Watch this space...

DeVlaeminck

Thanks for the heads up, a quick google confirms what you say. Have Sport Communication said anything yet, I've got a house and minibus already booked so hopefully cancellation isn't an option. If they change the route I'm not too fussed as I've done it before and was reasonably happy with the time I did, wouldn't have minded a try at getting inside 7 hours but that would probably require too many stars to align to happen anyway - different route would make a time comparison meaningless so I'd probably just treat it like another long ride and do more riding in the week which to be honest would probably be more fun.

Coming back over the CdF does appeal - only done it in a car but it's a lovely road - as you say though they would need to add in something to keep it as tough - is ascending part of the Madeleine an option then descending that hairpin road - never ridden it myself but doesn't it lead back to the Maurienne valley ? Don't know what other options there are as it's a big event and some of the minor roads are probably too small. Descending the CdF back to Bourg will be interesting too - bit different to the Lauteret!

cc78

Yes that would be one option.

Or they could go to Telegraphe and then come back down through the Maurienne to Croix de Fer (possibly via Mollard). But that would mean riders passing each other both ways on the same road, so maybe best avoided.

Or I guess they could add in a loop to the south of Bourg d'Oisans either at the start before Glandon or at the end before the Alpe.

Who knows, have to wait and see...

fuzzdog

Or maybe they could put more men on the job and get the tunnel finished 6 day quicker.
Just a thought.
Looking closely at the map and the satellite photo. I doesn't seem like there is any way round it. Apparently the whole area is effected. There will be a local meeting with council officials next Monday to decide what is going to happen apparently.
There does seem to be some tracks on the other side of the lake that come out at La Freney d'Ouisans but I doubt they are suitable for thousands of cyclists. I understand the locals are being shuttled to and fro in small boats by the fire brigade.

fuzzdog

This is a translation of a notice on the Sport Communication Website.

"following the court work in the tunnel of Chambon, the road of the Lautaret Pass is currently inaccessible and should be closed to traffic until a mid-July.
in this hypothesis, the groundhog offers a change of its course as always with the most beautiful passes of Oisans and Maurienne and the legendary Alpe d'Huez.
a little patience and we will give you details of this unpublished variant of original route. fans will not be disappointed."

I am a fan and I am disapointed because like most people I want to climb the Galibier. I had to stop last year at the bottom of the Galibier and I was having another go at it this time but looks like I's not happening again.
Having said that I don't know what else they can do.

cc78

It's likely that this will also affect the Tour as the penultimate stage is scheduled to use the same road.

It's a shame not to have Galibier but I'm sure the new route will be equally challenging. I wonder if they might avoid the Col du Chaussy given the Etape is also using that road later in July.

I know that it is an absolute nightmare for the locals, there are plenty who live up the valley and have to travel down every day for work. The long way round through Italy costs € 40 return in tolls on the Frejus tunnel!

shmooster

I was planning to cycle the route near the end of June but might not be able to now, although there is apparently going to be a boat taking people around the closed tunnel. Wouldn't work for the Marmotte (unless it was some kind of enormous cruise ship) but it might work for the odd tourist rider (and the locals).

stanthomas

Looks seriously broken:
http://www.dici.fr/actu/2015/04/10/iserehautes-alpes-la-rd-1091-entre-grenoble-et-briancon-est-coupee-suite-un-eboulement-582652 (click the 'tunnel du Chambon' button below the picture for more news items)
http://www.itinisere.fr/perturbation/index.asp?rub_code=17&pert_id=1316329
And you can't even get to the Sarenne turn off.
My guess is they'll put in a completely new route; perhaps go up to the Sarenne, down the back road from Alpe d'Huez, head south over the Col d'Ornon and then loop back to the usual final climb of the Alpe.

ilav84

Gutted!!

gavinbay

Hi guys I live in Serre for most of the winter and a couple of months in the summer and the tunnel closure really affects us, though also provides super quiet roads as well which I had late in the winter season.

As Galibier has not been opened yet it mean massive detours to get from Grenoble to Serre or you pay an arm and a leg to go through the Frejus tunnel.

Here is the report on the problems and proposed solutions to the Chambon tunnel

http://freneydoisans.com/freneytique/wp ... i_2015.pdf

So will certainly be interesting to see what happens in time for the Tour Stage - I wonder if they will "bodge" it for that, and then return to more main stream works in the inter season?

I have friends who own the Edelweiss in La Grave where they have over the years built up their cycling clientele and groups replacing the randoneurs (walkers) and with Marlon being Dutch (his Mrs) they have lots of Dutch groups over for the crazy ADH Dutch week and then many of the big American cycling tour groups (Trek) especially for the TDF.

This just in from them this morning

Hi Gavin
Tunnel will be closed until (at least) July 10th. We have checked out the free ferry across the lake, 15-20 minutes and it runs non-stop between 7am and 7pm. We have even managed to get them to run it for our Alpe d'Huzez and Marmotte clients in the dark (if they are still going to come). Marmotte is a big problem, they will probably have to change the route.....
See you when you come out? Galibier is likely to open a bit earlier than scheduled, I have heard the early part of the week of 18th, we'll see. If it wasn't yet another public holiday (today) it could have been open tomorrow I expect...
cheers
Robin

DeVlaeminck

stanthomas wrote:

Looks seriously broken:
http://www.dici.fr/actu/2015/04/10/iserehautes-alpes-la-rd-1091-entre-grenoble-et-briancon-est-coupee-suite-un-eboulement-582652 (click the 'tunnel du Chambon' button below the picture for more news items)
http://www.itinisere.fr/perturbation/index.asp?rub_code=17&pert_id=1316329
And you can't even get to the Sarenne turn off.
My guess is they'll put in a completely new route; perhaps go up to the Sarenne, down the back road from Alpe d'Huez, head south over the Col d'Ornon and then loop back to the usual final climb of the Alpe.

I would hope not the Sarenne is not wide enough to handle the early stages of the Marmotte and is the loop round from the Ornon suitable too - I skipped that ride the day our group did it but seem to remember them mentioning a scenic but quite minor road looping back if you want to avoid an out and back route. Assuming a Bourg start and Alpe finish I think it has to be a Glandon/CdF loop or a cancellation if they can't get that past the police or whoever agrees the route with them. The only real question is whether they add something in off the Maurienne valley to make it comparably tough to the normal route.

BenderRodriguez

GavinBay wrote:

See you when you come out? Galibier is likely to open a bit earlier than scheduled, I have heard the early part of the week of 18th, we'll see. If it wasn't yet another public holiday (today) it could have been open tomorrow I expect...
cheers
Robin[/i]

Well-off British immigrants whining that the French working class aren't held in quite the same state of slavery as those in the UK are? ("Imagine, giving them time off work just for Labour day, or to celebrate the end of WWII in Europe. Put them on Zero-hours contracts and the buggers would work alright!" ) Surely not!

P.s Nothing personal, but since I moved out here I have met far too many Brits who think exactly like this!

gavinbay

BenderRodriguez wrote:

P.s Nothing personal, but since I moved out here I have met far too many Brits who think exactly like this!

I'd surmise that this guy has been out a fair while longer than you and runs a business and is a "pillar" of the local community etc etc and he is merely voicing probably not only his comments but those of the villages & communes affected.

His hotel is in La Grave which is just about the worst place to be at the moment.

They had to close two weeks earlier than they normally do this ski season and they are due to open May 22 - and as you are such a long standing French resident you must be aware of all the "bridging" of holidays into weekends that takes place in France in May - so he sees nothing getting done

Rodrego Hernandez

It'll be open in time for the Tour;
http://www.lemedia05.com/2015/22333/tun ... 0-juillet/

Rumoured Marmotte route going over the glandon as usual then croix de fer descent, over one of the climbs there before heading towards Grenoble and back to Bourg up the main road and finish up the Alpe. Tough day out however that route isn't confirmed just yet.

DeVlaeminck

Whatever they do I hope they take the opportunity to make it even more epic rather than choosing the easiest route they can get away with.

Rodrego Hernandez

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Whatever they do I hope they take the opportunity to make it even more epic rather than choosing the easiest route they can get away with.

Yeah, maybe make everyone ride with backpacks full of bricks.

Too many easy routes around the alpes so hopefully they'll do something to make it worth getting out of bed for.

BenderRodriguez

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

Rumoured Marmotte route going over the glandon as usual then croix de fer descent, over one of the climbs there before heading towards Grenoble and back to Bourg up the main road and finish up the Alpe. Tough day out however that route isn't confirmed just yet.

I really, really hope that they don't do that, the road up to Bourg is a grotty, boring slog with lots of high-speed traffic. I did most of it in the Deux Alpes sportive and it has put me off from doing that particular event again.

There are very few roads in that area that would allow a loop to be done that was not excessively long, or wouldn't see the fast riders crossing paths with the donkeys. Perhaps they could do the Deux Alpes route in reverse, riding down the valley to start with, and/or do the loop over the Sarenne, but this would be effectively be a duplication of the Vaujany route.

DeVlaeminck

Rodrego Hernandez wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Whatever they do I hope they take the opportunity to make it even more epic rather than choosing the easiest route they can get away with.

Yeah, maybe make everyone ride with backpacks full of bricks.

Too many easy routes around the alpes so hopefully they'll do something to make it worth getting out of bed for.

To be fair just being in the Alps doesn't make a ride any harder than being in the Peak or Yorkshire Dales, part of the attraction of the Marmotte is that it's both a mass participation ride and a long tough day in the saddle, I don't mind a different route but I'd like it to be as tough.

Le Commentateur

cc78 wrote:

It looks likely that the route of this year's Marmotte is going to be changed as the work on the tunnel at Chambon, which is on the road between Lautaret and Bourg d'Oisans, is going to take longer than planned and there is therefore no way to get from Galibier back to Bourg.

Does this affect le Tour as well? The stage on 25th is routed to go to Alpe d'Huez via Galibier/La Grave....

Rodrego Hernandez

Le Commentateur wrote:

cc78 wrote:

It looks likely that the route of this year's Marmotte is going to be changed as the work on the tunnel at Chambon, which is on the road between Lautaret and Bourg d'Oisans, is going to take longer than planned and there is therefore no way to get from Galibier back to Bourg.

Does this affect le Tour as well? The stage on 25th is routed to go to Alpe d'Huez via Galibier/La Grave....

No