Maratona 2015
mamba80
Posts: 5,032
Who on BR is doing this years event? and how is your training going to cope with 7 col's plus 200m of 20% toward the end as you go up through la Villa 
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Yep, I'm doing it for the 3rd time and very much looking forward to it. Haven't ridden an edition with the final climb on the route so that should make it interesting. It's always a fantastic event and a great place to ride a bike.0
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Second time for me.
Really looking forward to it.Top Ten finisher - PTP Tour of Britain 20160 -
Riding up grades is not my thing at all. I much prefer the upgrade option. I'm looking forward to it, but not excited about it. But I read somewhere, embrace your fears.
So me and a cycling buddy have turned this into a road trip to arrive Friday. easy ride from Hotel to register on the Saturday and then hoping to ride the route with the Cycling Weekly guys on the Sunday. And then race back to Calais Monday morning for the ferry at 20.00Hrs.
Do I take my 'new this year', carbon clinchers, or stick with the Kyrsiums? I hear so many horror stories about about carbon clinchers overheating and blowing out on long descents, I'm a bit reticent. Plus, blowing a front tube on the descent of the Col du 'Granier on my Kyrsiums a couple of year's ago gives no comfort either.Live to ski
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colinsmith123 wrote:Riding up grades is not my thing at all. I much prefer the upgrade option. I'm looking forward to it, but not excited about it. But I read somewhere, embrace your fears.
So me and a cycling buddy have turned this into a road trip to arrive Friday. easy ride from Hotel to register on the Saturday and then hoping to ride the route with the Cycling Weekly guys on the Sunday. And then race back to Calais Monday morning for the ferry at 20.00Hrs.
Do I take my 'new this year', carbon clinchers, or stick with the Kyrsiums? I hear so many horror stories about about carbon clinchers overheating and blowing out on long descents, I'm a bit reticent. Plus, blowing a front tube on the descent of the Col du 'Granier on my Kyrsiums a couple of year's ago gives no comfort either.
Ouch, you've taken the tough option there imo. It always takes me a few days to acclimatise both to climbing for 30-60 minutes and to the altitude. I wouldn't fancy rocking up and doing it 'cold' so to speak. I'm a fellow CW'er though so the very best of luck to you, it's a fantastic event with organisation that's second to none and a really nice atmosphere in Corvara/La Villa.0 -
phreak wrote:colinsmith123 wrote:Riding up grades is not my thing at all. I much prefer the upgrade option. I'm looking forward to it, but not excited about it. But I read somewhere, embrace your fears.
So me and a cycling buddy have turned this into a road trip to arrive Friday. easy ride from Hotel to register on the Saturday and then hoping to ride the route with the Cycling Weekly guys on the Sunday. And then race back to Calais Monday morning for the ferry at 20.00Hrs.
Do I take my 'new this year', carbon clinchers, or stick with the Kyrsiums? I hear so many horror stories about about carbon clinchers overheating and blowing out on long descents, I'm a bit reticent. Plus, blowing a front tube on the descent of the Col du 'Granier on my Kyrsiums a couple of year's ago gives no comfort either.
Ouch, you've taken the tough option there imo. It always takes me a few days to acclimatise both to climbing for 30-60 minutes and to the altitude. I wouldn't fancy rocking up and doing it 'cold' so to speak. I'm a fellow CW'er though so the very best of luck to you, it's a fantastic event with organisation that's second to none and a really nice atmosphere in Corvara/La Villa.
I missed out on CW trip, too late in replying, so am going with Holomites, which I did last time and works really well for me.
I do a road trip, leaving Monday evening stopping over in Dunkirk and Nuremburg and arriving on Wednesday. I'll have a couple of days gentle riding, a day sightseeing on Saturday and then the ride Saturday before a rush back Monday to Namur and a watch of the TDF Tuesday. Back to work Wednesday.
If you see me in my Team Cystic Fibrosis top, give me a wave!Top Ten finisher - PTP Tour of Britain 20160 -
Hey colinsmith123, the road trip is a pleasure if you enjoy driving. Best route I find is across Belgium then down through Germany. This I think is a more scenic route and you avoid all the French tolls If at all possible as others have said, allow another day or so before event 8)
I'd go for aluminium rims, as no matter how good a descender you are, your smoothness will undoubtedly be disrupted by less confident riders, resulting in more braking !!
Have a fantastic trip, the whole valley and area truly embrace the event :P0 -
Bump.
Everyone ready for this? Or, as ready as you can ever be.
Anyone else planning on meeting up with the CW crowd n the Saturday?
6am start on the Sunday?/ Feck! That means getting up at 5am. Scoffing breakfast, throwing bikes in to the car and then driving for 20 minutes and hoping there is easy parking.
And finally, does anyone know what the cut-off time is for the long route, ie. how far is it to the medium / long route change and by what time do you need to be there by.Live to ski
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Getting really excited about it I must say
Training seems to have come good after a period of feeling knackered a few weeks back. Should pop down for the CW pootle up the Campolongo on Saturday.
I've no idea on parking for the start as we always roll down from Corvara on our bikes, but wouldn't count on it. La Villa isn't a big place and there are thousands of cyclists.
I don't know what the cut-off point is but I'm sure you'll be fine. It's basically the Sella Ronda loop with a roll down to the medio/long turn off so not too bad in terms of difficulty. Certainly no Giau anyway
If you're worried about time though, make sure you depart well stocked with food and don't stop until you get to the feed zone before the Giau. That'll be around 3 hours of self sufficiency, which should be easily doable.0 -
Cheers Phreak, I should get around without too much problem. It is my podgy cycling buddy whose idea of training is to talk about what he is going to do, rather than actually doing it. (Probably a bit harsh) A weekend warrior who rides every other weekend to the corner shop and back. And then wonders why he gets his head kicked in when out with me.
A bit more research revealed the cut off time for the long route is 11.40am, which allows just less than 5 hours to beat the cut off so he /we have to average 18kph. Which even he should be able to manage.
For some unknown reason I've become fixated about eating a pizza at the top of Passo Giau. Probably stems from earlier this year, when I had to ride like a man possessed on empty (there are only so many energy bars and gels I can eat) after P-R to get the Eurostar from Lille. On the train I had the worst 'best' pizza, ever.
We're 16km down the road from La Villa, so it might be just a case of driving up as close as we can on Sunday morning and parking the car Italian style.Live to ski
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Cheers Freak, I should get around without too much problem.
...i hope they are not famous last words....
Hats of to you Phreak for getting to the cut off around the 3hr mark, thats motoring, your training is obviously going a lot better than your letting on 8)0 -
Cheers Freak, I should get around without too much problem.
...i hope they are not famous last words....
Hats of to you Phreak for getting to the cut off around the 3hr mark, thats motoring, your training is obviously going a lot better than your letting on 8)
Originally I wrote I will get around without too much problem, but like you, thought they may end up becoming famous last words. I had a proper purple patch in the ToC a couple of week's ago, so I'm uncomfortably aware of the potential for it to all go wrong.Live to ski
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Cheers Freak, I should get around without too much problem.
...i hope they are not famous last words....
Hats of to you Phreak for getting to the cut off around the 3hr mark, thats motoring, your training is obviously going a lot better than your letting on 8)
Last time round the first 'check point' was 2h1m, which I presume was Corvara, so I figured maybe an hour and a bit to get up and down the Campolongo and along the descent to the split point. Might be a bit more. 6h47m for the total last time out. The Giau is obviously very hard, and the Falzarego harder than it should be due to the miles already in the legs
On second thoughts, found a more detailed breakdown and it says 3h54m to Salva Cadore at the foot of the Giau.0 -
Cheers Freak, I should get around without too much problem.
...i hope they are not famous last words....
Hats of to you Phreak for getting to the cut off around the 3hr mark, thats motoring, your training is obviously going a lot better than your letting on 8)
Last time round the first 'check point' was 2h1m, which I presume was Corvara, so I figured maybe an hour and a bit to get up and down the Campolongo and along the descent to the split point. Might be a bit more. 6h47m for the total last time out. The Giau is obviously very hard, and the Falzarego harder than it should be due to the miles already in the legs
On second thoughts, found a more detailed breakdown and it says 3h54m to Salva Cadore at the foot of the Giau.
Ah thats a bit more like it, i was starting to think you were Mike Cotty
yep i find the falzarego/valporola very hard but tbh the one that catches me out is the Santa Lucia climb before the Giau, just 2.5 @7.5% but straight up, no shade and always done too quickly.....
Its easy to go too hard before the final 2 climbs and suffer so much.
the final 20% climb isnt soooo bad as its much more like the sort of thing we d find in the UK.
seemed to have picked up a virus since the w/e were i did a great 100miler, feel just like sleeping all the time
time for some RnR 0 -
Cheers Freak, I should get around without too much problem.
...i hope they are not famous last words....
Hats of to you Phreak for getting to the cut off around the 3hr mark, thats motoring, your training is obviously going a lot better than your letting on 8)
Last time round the first 'check point' was 2h1m, which I presume was Corvara, so I figured maybe an hour and a bit to get up and down the Campolongo and along the descent to the split point. Might be a bit more. 6h47m for the total last time out. The Giau is obviously very hard, and the Falzarego harder than it should be due to the miles already in the legs
On second thoughts, found a more detailed breakdown and it says 3h54m to Salva Cadore at the foot of the Giau.
Ah thats a bit more like it, i was starting to think you were Mike Cotty
yep i find the falzarego/valporola very hard but tbh the one that catches me out is the Santa Lucia climb before the Giau, just 2.5 @7.5% but straight up, no shade and always done too quickly.....
Its easy to go too hard before the final 2 climbs and suffer so much.
the final 20% climb isnt soooo bad as its much more like the sort of thing we d find in the UK.
seemed to have picked up a virus since the w/e were i did a great 100miler, feel just like sleeping all the time time for some RnR
Aye, I don't think the climb at the end will be too bad. It's fairly short and you get a nice descent from the Valporola to recover a bit.
Hope you feel better after a bit of rest. Guessing it's approaching 'taper' time anyway?0 -
Starting pack emailed and printed out ..... exciting times ahead wonder what the new Castelli kit will be like?
Cheers Phreak, 3 days of RnR and i feel good again, might have been hayfever as pollen levels super high at mo.
also, plan a trip up the Passo Erbe, prob on the Monday, it looks a tough climb.0 -
Starting pack emailed and printed out ..... exciting times ahead wonder what the new Castelli kit will be like?
Cheers Phreak, 3 days of RnR and i feel good again, might have been hayfever as pollen levels super high at mo.
also, plan a trip up the Passo Erbe, prob on the Monday, it looks a tough climb.
The Erbe is a lovely climb. We did it last time we were there, going up and down the Gardena and then over the Erbe and back in via La Vila. There's a reasonable section that's a constant 10% but then it becomes quite gentle after that. There's a cafe (hut really) about half way up if you want some refreshments.
What's more, it was absolutely empty for the entire climb. We didn't see a single car or bike, although there were some cows across the road. I think the whole loop was around 90-100km (back to Corvara).0 -
Hi all. Re: tapering and fatigue (discussed above), I need some tips. I'm also feeling like I need to sleep all the time. Once I'm out on my bike I feel good and strong. I've been doing around 250-300k per week, including intervals and the usual whatnot, with the odd rest week thrown in. I know my body is now telling me to rest, so after one last big ride on Sunday I plan to taper. Does anyone (who has been doing similar mileage) have any exact ideas of how low to go with the taper?
A couple of years ago I did Marmotte and did around 9days of tapering, but I still felt fatigued (possibly eating too much may have also caused this - also a common problem?).
Also, other than the Erbe, any other tips for what I should do Monday and Tuesday? :P0 -
Hi all. Re: tapering and fatigue (discussed above), I need some tips. I'm also feeling like I need to sleep all the time. Once I'm out on my bike I feel good and strong. I've been doing around 250-300k per week, including intervals and the usual whatnot, with the odd rest week thrown in. I know my body is now telling me to rest, so after one last big ride on Sunday I plan to taper. Does anyone (who has been doing similar mileage) have any exact ideas of how low to go with the taper?
A couple of years ago I did Marmotte and did around 9days of tapering, but I still felt fatigued (possibly eating too much may have also caused this - also a common problem?).
Also, other than the Erbe, any other tips for what I should do Monday and Tuesday? :P
Not really sure on tapering. I always go out for a bit of riding before any events so try and leave myself a bit 'under done' and then use that week to catch up again so I'm ok for the Sunday.
I was lead to believe that tapering maintains the intensity but drops the duration, but I'm not sure how that applies if you're there in advance. It's a shame to be in such a great cycling location and not go for some rides, so my approach above seemed a happy medium.
If you're after another route, check out the Fedaia. If you go up and over the Campolongo from Corvara, and turn left at Arraba, you work your way down towards the Fedaia. The bit where you turn left for the Giau, you turn right and head down towards a little village. You can follow the main road, but make sure you turn off and cut through the Sottaguda gorge as it's stunning.
You can then descend past the lake at the top (also stunning) towards Canazei and take the Pordoi back, either all the way to the top and back via the Campolongo or turn off half way onto the Sella and come back via Gardena.
It has the added bonus of being the famous Giro stage (or the main part of it) that Pantani famously asked when the climb starts, having already ridden half of it!0 -
3rd time for me, 2nd for my son. We missed last year so haven't climbed the steep little ramp in La Villa towards the end - does it add much to the overall time? I have been a few minutes under 7 hours on both of my previous rides so it's important to me!
My lad has different ambitions. He managed 5h 55m on his first visit but is a much stronger rider now. He knows that a sub 5h 25 ride gets him a place in the front pen on a future visit....
We are hoping to ride the Stelvio on the Tuesday before - weather permitting. It's probably a mad idea but we missed this out on our trip in 2013 and its a long way to go for one 85 mile ride...
Cheers
Rich0 -
Click on the link about peaking for your A event.
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2013/04/tapering-and-peaking-review.htmlLive to ski
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3rd time for me, 2nd for my son. We missed last year so haven't climbed the steep little ramp in La Villa towards the end - does it add much to the overall time? I have been a few minutes under 7 hours on both of my previous rides so it's important to me!
My lad has different ambitions. He managed 5h 55m on his first visit but is a much stronger rider now. He knows that a sub 5h 25 ride gets him a place in the front pen on a future visit....
i dont think it ll make much difference to your son, as he ll get there early before it gets busy, but for most, its the recovery needed after going into the red getting up the thing and that it gets packed.
I slowed a lot at the bottom to make sure i had a clear run at it, as riders stop, weave or fall off trying to get up it, so i reckon about 5 to 10mins to my overall time ?
i also think its a lot steeper than 19% too, that seems to be the average.0 -
Starting pack emailed and printed out ..... exciting times ahead wonder what the new Castelli kit will be like?
Cheers Phreak, 3 days of RnR and i feel good again, might have been hayfever as pollen levels super high at mo.
also, plan a trip up the Passo Erbe, prob on the Monday, it looks a tough climb.
The Erbe is a lovely climb. We did it last time we were there, going up and down the Gardena and then over the Erbe and back in via La Vila. There's a reasonable section that's a constant 10% but then it becomes quite gentle after that. There's a cafe (hut really) about half way up if you want some refreshments.
What's more, it was absolutely empty for the entire climb. We didn't see a single car or bike, although there were some cows across the road. I think the whole loop was around 90-100km (back to Corvara).
Phreak,
This sounds like a nice ride but I cant work out the route. Are you able to give any more details, pleaseTop Ten finisher - PTP Tour of Britain 20160 -
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Thanks for the tips Phreak and Colin. For some reason I thought the Fedaia was further away than it is - will definitely give that a go on the Monday or the Tuesday.0
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Now i am confused (not difficult) i was going to ask the same question, the Passo Erbe is well north of Corvara on the road out from Picolino sp29 isnt it?
I can t see any road bike route that could link Corvara/Gardena with this climb or rather a relatively short one. the route you link too looks nice though!
But regardless, we ll ride up it on the Monday after the race 0 -
Sorry, I read this before my morning coffee and did the Fedaia loop rather than the Erbe.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/39033+Corvara+In+Badia+BZ,+Italy/46.5961944,11.5957051/Passo+delle+Erbe,+San+Martin+de+Tor,+Province+of+Bolzano+-+South+Tyrol,+Italy/@46.6009487,11.6456889,12z/data=!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x47783f06e3b1a69f:0xdcaa4319e9c97824!2m2!1d11.8742745!2d46.5525905!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x4778177bfcad1ef3:0x4e21093f63ed3cca!2m2!1d11.814167!2d46.675!3e0
That takes you to the summit, and then you descend down again and take the main road back through La Vila into Corvara. From memory, the road to San Valentino is more of a main road (but very quiet), and then you turn left at the village of San Pietro and it ramps up onto the steep bit as you weave through smaller lanes. This is the climb proper, although the prior road is still uphill.
The whole loop is around about 100km if I recall.0 -
Sorry, I read this before my morning coffee and did the Fedaia loop rather than the Erbe.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/39033+Corvara+In+Badia+BZ,+Italy/46.5961944,11.5957051/Passo+delle+Erbe,+San+Martin+de+Tor,+Province+of+Bolzano+-+South+Tyrol,+Italy/@46.6009487,11.6456889,12z/data=!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x47783f06e3b1a69f:0xdcaa4319e9c97824!2m2!1d11.8742745!2d46.5525905!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x4778177bfcad1ef3:0x4e21093f63ed3cca!2m2!1d11.814167!2d46.675!3e0
That takes you to the summit, and then you descend down again and take the main road back through La Vila into Corvara. From memory, the road to San Valentino is more of a main road (but very quiet), and then you turn left at the village of San Pietro and it ramps up onto the steep bit as you weave through smaller lanes. This is the climb proper, although the prior road is still uphill.
The whole loop is around about 100km if I recall.
Yes thats the route we also looked at but for me, its too hard to ride before the Maratona, we dont get there till Wednesday night, so a possibility on the monday, cheers for the map link 0 -
If it helps at all, the road from the Gardena is largely downhill so you can get to the start of the Erbe relatively easily, although it's a drag then back to Corvara. I remember the ascent of the Gardena being lovely and sunny, but the other side was incredibly cold as the sun hadn't got round there yet. Didn't enjoy that descent at all.
It's not quite Maratona level of hardness, but as you say, maybe hard enough to take a bit too much out of you pre-event.0 -
If it helps at all, the road from the Gardena is largely downhill so you can get to the start of the Erbe relatively easily, although it's a drag then back to Corvara. I remember the ascent of the Gardena being lovely and sunny, but the other side was incredibly cold as the sun hadn't got round there yet. Didn't enjoy that descent at all.
It's not quite Maratona level of hardness, but as you say, maybe hard enough to take a bit too much out of you pre-event.
Thanks for that.
I think I will give the Fedaia one a go. The other is a bit far and half of it is one the route I'll be driving in on.
I'll probably give it a go on the Thursday.It looks like a lovely route. Then depending on how I feel I might go up the east side of the Erbe on Friday and then just come straight back down.
Plenty of lovely options.Top Ten finisher - PTP Tour of Britain 20160 -
This time net week we should all be there (cycling gods willing). So excited about this; the same excitement of a child in anticipation, the days before Christmas.
We arrive Friday lunch time and after a bowl of pasta we're going to ride up the backside of Passo Valparola from our Albergo in Marebba.
On the Saturday morning, we plan to go go for a steady ride up the Passo Campolongo for a coffee at the top. We're meeting up with the Cycling Weekly guys at 11am at the Nolo Ski School just next to the finish line in Corvara. You should be able to spot the finish line easily. All of the barriers will be up, the podium should be there and maybe the big kite inflated. Nolo Ski is opposite the big sports hall/ice rink which is the venue for the post-ride pasta party.
So if you fancy joining us and the CW guys you are more than welcome. We're the bungling idiots on the black Cervelo R3SL and the Trek Domane with the Spartacus paint job (nice).
Long term weather forecast looking good for Sunday too. Depending which one you click antything from 18C cloudy to 30C sunny.Live to ski
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