Marmotte 2017

Ankles50

medals all 1 type, nothing to do with your finishing time

There is a cut off at base of D'huez, after the feed stop, so keep an eye on the time and if needs be grab food and cycle over mat, then pull over and eat it

rc856

Ah...so everyone gets a medal but you can say you finished in a gold or silver time?

fuzzdog

If you don't have a race licence then yes. Just a med certificate is what you need. You might have to pay about £40 for the doc to give you an examination though.
You need bike race insurance as well. The Marmotte people sell it on the registration site or you can get it elsewhere just for a few days.

I was wondering about the Medal thing too. Having not reached the bottom of Alpe d'Huez before that cut off time in the past and this year probably being my last attempt I would quite like something solid to show for my efforts. So how long do the officials remain at the finish seeing as lots of people are still climbing the Alpe way past 10pm? What if when I get there and they have all gone home?

rc856

Cheers.

I like a nice medal nice ones from de Ronde and LBL.
At the moment with Marmotte I'll be happy to get to the foot of the Alpe a minute before the cut off!!
I thought that after that you're 'safe'. Not sure if the organisers pack up at the top by a certain time?
Whenever I've read about times it's always been the gold and silver which made me wonder if you got anything for at least finishing.

fuzzdog

Yes. I know. They say loads about gold and silver and no mention of bronze. Someone on here did tell me once that you can exchange your number/timer chip for a medal at the top or you can have money instead. Last year when I got back to Bourg d'Oisans I had my number taken off and was given 10 Euros in exchange but I really want a medal. You wont get one if you miss the cut off time though and you wont even get a mention in despatches (the website results and times) no matter how heroic your efforts, which frankly is a bit hard to swallow as just getting back to Bourg is an achievement in itself and one that should be recognised I think. After all anyone missing the cut off time at 6pm will have been cycling for at least 10 or 11 hours at that point with the Alpe yet to come if they are brave enough.
I guess you could say that if you can't make the cut off then you haven't trained enough. So how is yours going? Apart from a few cold rides out around Christmas I've been on the turbo for some intense sessions but need to shift some weight really. Determined to beat that cut off this time.

rc856

I signed up for this thinking it would all be ok!
Shift working and having a young son in the house has seriously hindered my riding so I'm definitely
just there to finish.
I managed the 170 miles at LBL and then Flanders so I'm sure it'll work out fine!!

Being a pasty white Scotsman, I'm more concerned about the heat!

itboffin

Good for you fuzzdog my mate decided at the bottom of ADH this year that he was done, he's going for it this year as well, I'm acting as support this time, twice is enough for me.

Also were staying at turn 1 so quiting is pointless as he has to get back anyway.

It's gonna be ace

fuzzdog

Thanks itboffin.
Are you staying at the campsite then. That's where I was last year and probably again this year.
I see that Marmotte entry places are still available on the website. So strange. Normally sells out in hours.

I think this year I might drive round part of the course and hide myself small bags of supplies at strategic points so that I don't end up carrying so much stuff as last year.

You are right to fear the heat RC856. I've done this the last 3 years . Year one was supposed to be reasonable conditions but I still sweated buckets. I remember being soaked through and amazed to see the sweat that had pooled in my helmet vents pour out when I slumped over my bars at the top of the Glandon. Year 2 was crazy. 40+ degrees and apparently 45 on Alpe d'Huez. Needless to say I never got that far. Then last year (year 3) was much cooler but still very warm for us Northern Europeans. It rained a bit around the Galibier and was really cold on the way down. But if you can get 170 mile under your belt then you are more than capable. Apparently its a good idea to just stick your hear under a waterfall for a few mins going up the mountains. The pros put ice packs on their necks. It's gotta help I guess.
Good luck with your training. I am short on time too hence the turbo sessions. Will cycle part of my commute when the clocks go forward but it's hard to fit in regular long rides.

fuzzdog

Ah. Just realised turn 1 is at the top. So you have to finish.
That's a good strategy. It's hard to cycle past the campsite where your comfy tent and the swimming pool are. Not to mention the cold beers. In fact you could just dangle a cold beer in front of your mate all the way up. That would work for me.

itboffin

not so great for me as i'll be spending all day in Borg eating and drinking leffe, riding back up ADH might take a while.

No camping, why would anyone when there's a millions cheap as airbnb, we paid 70 euro for a basic sleeps three chalet, that's not each, total!

fuzzdog

Think I must have missed the boat on the Airbnb thing. Not much left now. I was planning on arriving days before. I'm not big on camping but really enjoyed it last year to be honest. Also I'll probably be on my own so it's cheeper and there is a nice pool, bar, etc. As long as the weather is okay and not too many thunderstorms.

fuzzdog

Just checked the Marmotte website and start numbers have been allocated. Despite registering very early I am in the 5000s which I assume means a late start. That's not going to help me in my attempt to get a registered time. I don't know how it's decided. It's still not a sell out I see.

Ankles50

Yes, you'll be in the third and final wave
Which means more pressure hitting cut off times

The first feed stop is on the peak of Glandon, that's bedlam and you'll lose time there if you're looking for food & water as queues are massive

Take a bottle of water and a banana to the start pen with you, as you're held there a while and you can eat/drink that just before the off
Carry enough snacks/energy gels to see you through to 2nd station if you can and there is a natural water spring just a little way on from the peak(which is easy to spot as all the local riders use it)
Actually, knowledge of all the springs/fountains around the route is damned handy, i was fortunate enough to buddy up with a local, it really is the last 2 feed stations where the scrum for fluid isn't intolerable

And as i've mentioned before, keep an eye on the d'Huez cut off time. You can grab and go at the base/final feed station, get across the timer mat - on the 2nd or 3rd switchback there is space enough to park up for a rest and graze before going again

narbs

It's based on previous times if you've ridden before, not sure how they do it after that but it's certainly not done by time of registering.

Your time doesn't start till you cross the start line, and other than the first 5k and the drag between Saint Etienne de Cuines and the base of the Telegraph there's not much scope for being towed along.

I'm 1800 odd so I'm sure you'll pass me before the top of the Glandon

fuzzdog

This will be my forth year in a row. Didn't finish the first two so was surprised to be in the first 2000 starters last year ( if only the last 10) I doubt I'll catch you Narbs. I was left behind pretty much by the bottom of the Glandon last year and was caught by the next wave long before the top.
Good advice about the fountains Ankles. I can't hang around to much if i'm to beat the cut off. I'm gonna drive round the day before and hide some rations/spares in stratiegic locations to save carrying too much. No photo stops, hopefully no punctures either.
Does anyone know if there are different arrangements for the traffic this time, it being on a Sunday. Last year I got badly held up on the new road by the Chambon lake. There was a traffic light system working on the narrow road. I think I'm going to be cutting it fine to say the least that might make the difference.

rc856

fuzzdog wrote:

Just checked the Marmotte website and start numbers have been allocated. Despite registering very early I am in the 5000s which I assume means a late start. That's not going to help me in my attempt to get a registered time. I don't know how it's decided. It's still not a sell out I see.

Hi.

Sorry, but where can I find the start numbers?
I've entered through Sport Tours. I found the gran fondo series website. Is that the main one?

Cheers

fuzzdog

Hello.
This is the official website for Sport communication.
http://cyclingclassics.sportcommunication.info/
You need to go to the reigistration section for the marmotte alps and then check your registration. After you enter your password etc you will be able to see your page with all that stuff. However if Sports Tours did the entry for you you may not know what the password is. So I guess you will need to talk to them. I suspect you wont be in the first wave unless they promised that in your package.

rc856

Cheers.
Yeah...I see that bit now.
I guessed Sport Tours would tell me but my OCD wanted to find out as soon as I can!!

How much later is the last pen away? All the chat above about missing feeds etc has put the fear into me

I like the idea of driving the route the day before and stashing stuff!

Cheers

fuzzdog

The first wave goes off at 7 and as far as I know the last one is at 8.
I know people often say you can sneak into an earlier slot but in my experience the marshals are quite strict and the numbers are different colours too so they can see if you are trying to sneak through. I don't know how fast you are likely to be. I'm not very fast and just want to finish (but I do want to beat the cut off at 6pm to get that recorded time and a medal) When I've started at 8am I've not really experienced the crush too badly at the feed stations. It was much more crowded at the Glandon when I started at 7 last year but not impossible. My problem along with many others was that if you are with the stragglers then some of the water stops and feed stations seem to be packing up or running out of stuff by the time you get there. Especially later on. Lesser cyclists are probably more in need of sustenance but are less likely to get it. Which seems a bit stupid. If you are fast then you might want to heed the earlier advice or do the stashing thing.
I like to take my own gels etc but the amount of time I've taken in the past means that I've been a bit laden down with rammed pockets. Not great when you really want to be as light as poss. They do hand out gels and energy drink but it might not suit you and they seem to have lots of cheese and bread which I defo don't really want. A few glugs of full fat coke seems to have amazing recuperative powers though and always welcome. Shake it up in your bottle first though to make it flat is my top tip.

rc856

Cheers.
6 of us are going. At the moment I would say 3 should be ok, the other 3 (including me) are just looking to make the cut off!!
Doing the Fred Whitton in between so hoping I'll be ok for the Marmotte if I can do that.
Different climbing I know.
One advantage with Sport Tours is they have staff at other non feed points apparently to get stuff from them.
I was introduced to the Coke and water mix doing the Nove Colli a few years ago
I swear by it now for long rides or warm weather.

davidof

RC856 wrote:

I was introduced to the Coke and water mix doing the Nove Colli a few years ago
I swear by it now for long rides or warm weather.

Following in the footsteps of giants there, both Ullrich and Boonen liked a bit of the old okey-doke before hitting the Alps.

diplodicus

I have got bib number 6507.

I'm guessing that's a late start?

DeVlaeminck

Yes unless they've changed it anyone who hasn't done a previous half decent time or entered the whole set of sportives they put on gets in the late start - at least half the field I think.

narbs

Wherever you start you'll cross the start line by about ten past 7 - it's incredibly well organised

sammi1618

I seem to have entry number 8019! As someone is just hoping to make it to the finish this is a bit scary! Also seems a bit odd given that I thought the limit was 7500?

DeVlaeminck

sammi1618 wrote:

I seem to have entry number 8019! As someone is just hoping to make it to the finish this is a bit scary! Also seems a bit odd given that I thought the limit was 7500?

Yes but where you start within your wave depends when you turn up in the morning so you don't need to be right at the back if you've got the highest start number - if you get there early you start at the front. Last time I did it our house was 100 yards up from the start so we just waited outside the door til we saw the motorcycles coming and tagged on - ended up right at the front of the big bunch which i think does help if you are going for a decent time.

Piton

I will participate in the Marmotte again this year. Will be my 4th participation after 2003, 2004 and 2007. This time and for the first time I'll participate in the whole trophee d'Oissans. 4 events in one week.

narbs

Well, it's finally full by the looks of it.

lee_d_m

Piton wrote:

I will participate in the Marmotte again this year. Will be my 4th participation after 2003, 2004 and 2007. This time and for the first time I'll participate in the whole trophee d'Oissans. 4 events in one week.

Did all 4 last year and doing the same this year, it's a great week. Just don't do like I did and underestimate the first sportive, it's almost as tough as La Marmotte and if it's hot that final climb faces the sun and can be a right bugger.

Piton

lee_d_m wrote:

Piton wrote:

I will participate in the Marmotte again this year. Will be my 4th participation after 2003, 2004 and 2007. This time and for the first time I'll participate in the whole trophee d'Oissans. 4 events in one week.

Did all 4 last year and doing the same this year, it's a great week. Just don't do like I did and underestimate the first sportive, it's almost as tough as La Marmotte and if it's hot that final climb faces the sun and can be a right bugger.

Thanks for the info. I'll keep that in mind.