La Marmotte 2019

3Pears

Hi,

Anyone else entered La Marmotte on 7th July 2019. I'll be returning to do event 10yrs since my first attempt.

Really motivated to improve my time in 2019, as it nearly destroyed me first time around.

On reflection I'd have to admit I was ill prepared for the enormity of the challenge in 2009 (1st European event)

3Pears

Just 500 places remain if anyone was considering entering :shock:

crawleyspur

Hi, I am entered. Just trying to think about gearing being it is my first time climbing in the Alps or any long climbs for that matter. I have a semi-compact (52-36) on the front and looking at an 11-36 on the back. Any thoughts on that? Thanks.

aberdeen_lune

Gearing is very much down to the individual and depends on weight. I used a 52/36 chain set with a 11-28 cassette last year and that was fine for me at 66kg. A mate borrowed my bike to do the Alpe a few days later and found my gearing wasn’t right for him he had to push above 300watts to keep within his preferred cadence range. So it all depends on your weight and fitness.

crawleyspur

Thanks for the reply, I am fairly fit having just done Amstel Gold and currently crit racing (cat 4) and training for Marmotte. Weighing 80kg at the moment but looking to get down to 76kg if possible.

manxshred

What gearing would you use for 10% + hills?
Alpe de Huez comes at 100 miles in to the race, starting with a 10% section, then easing off for the rest of the climb.
The top of the Galibier is 8%+, at 2,600 meters above sea level, so an easy gear to spin up there is massively helpful.

I ran a 50/34, 11-32 and used all the gears at 74kgs, but my power profile is probably very different to yours.

aberdeen_lune

Yes get the bigger cassette. Your knees will thank you on the day. Especially on the Alpe after you’ve been in the saddle for 6 odd hours.

crawleyspur

Thanks for the response guys.

DeVlaeminck

Done it a few times, never under 80kg, 3rd cat at the time, used between a 36*27 and a 34*29. Seems like most here have used similar gears.

Checked strava - at the end of the Marmotte the Viell Alpe segment (think that is the full thing) I'm doing about 6.4mph but I actually think when you are exhausted pushing a lower cadence can be better rather than trying to spin.

aberdeen_lune

I must have been spent by the time I got there last year. My Alpe segment on Strava shows average 10.6kph average power 201watts average heart rate 165. Time was 1hr 6 minutes.

Very disappointing performance. Need to do it on fresh legs. Heading out there in 5 weeks time. Will give it a bash. Want to get under the hour. Your never going to do it justice at the end of the Marmotte. Especially if it’s hot.

DeVlaeminck

I'm guessing you were around 7 hours or faster overall?

Agree the heat makes a huge difference - last year I did was the notorious changed route year - it's always been hot when I've been over but this was extreme - strava says I climbed it in 1:15 which includes several stops to fill up bottles but I remember that was the fastest ascent of the 10 or so club riders I was over with including a young 2nd cat who beat me by a good 20 minutes plus overall.

aberdeen_lune

Was 7hrs 20 odds last year. Started at the back and stopped at all the feed stops which were busy. Great day out. I felt really good until the final climb. Then I suddenly went from feeling good to survival mode on the first long straight. I wanted to stop and lie down but forced my rapidly weakening body to the finish line. 21 bends it felt like 121.

crawleyspur

Some decent times here. Going to try and get out for a few longer rides on the new set up in the next couple of weeks. Never done any alps before so looking forward to it.

ALawson

I am returning this year did it in 2017, time was 9hr 15mins 52/36 with a 11/32. 80kg. Done a few big rides this year with back to back 100 milers in Tenerife with 4000m climbing.

Cocked up fueling last time, didn't drink enough and forgot electrolytes in the chalet. AlpD was about 1hr 35 in 32 degrees heat.

We also rode to the start from LDA and planned to ride home, was a long 215km day with about 5500m climbing, staying at the finish this year which should help. Hopefully won't break PM day before.

ugo.santalucia

Wow, this used to be a thread of 14 pages, not 14 comments... what happened to people, all on Zwift?

DeVlaeminck

We seem to have passed peak Marmotte. It still fills up but no longer straight away. Are people moving on to different sportives or cycling challenges - I hear PBP is still getting harder to get into - or are we seeing a slight decline in road cycling?

ugo.santalucia

DeVlaeminck wrote:

We seem to have passed peak Marmotte. It still fills up but no longer straight away. Are people moving on to different sportives or cycling challenges - I hear PBP is still getting harder to get into - or are we seeing a slight decline in road cycling?

That seems to be the case for the Fred Whitton too.

PBP and LEL are booming... I think the keywords now are "adventure" and "ultra". It's not uncommon to have more people entering a 400 km Audax than a 200 km. The number of 1,000 km+ audax events is ballooning...


I think there are two populations growing: the virtual cyclists, who do most of their miles on Zwift and the Ultra cyclists, who aspire to do RAAM, TCR, TAW, LEL etc... as they grow, they chip into the traditional 100 mile sportive market

DeVlaeminck

Zwift holds no appeal for me, though I've never swifted, not sure ultra cycling and sleeping in bus shelters holds much appeal either although again I've never done it, well once in Hanley when my vespa broke down, that experience kind of puts me off long distance audax.

ugo.santalucia

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Zwift holds no appeal for me, though I've never swifted, not sure ultra cycling and sleeping in bus shelters holds much appeal either although again I've never done it, well once in Hanley when my vespa broke down, that experience kind of puts me off long distance audax.

Low cost long distance is one way of doing it, but don't think for a minute it's the only way of doing it. Many overnight Audax have sleeping facilities, although basic, In RAAM people bring full support and I am told at the PBP controls there is a hoard of campervans and motorhomes waiting for the wealthier riders who want to do it in style.

mtb-idle

I was in Cycle Republic today collecting some stuff along with some other random punter and while the counter staff were absent looking for our respective orders we got chatting.

He is riding an ultra endurance race from Vienna to Barcelona. 2,000 km over eight days although he somewhat optimistically (his view) would like to target six days :shock:

EDIT: Here we go https://bikepacking.com/event/three-pea ... race-2019/

ugo.santalucia

MTB-Idle wrote:

I was in Cycle Republic today collecting some stuff along with some other random punter and while the counter staff were absent looking for our respective orders we got chatting.

He is riding an ultra endurance race from Vienna to Barcelona. 2,000 km over eight days although he somewhat optimistically (his view) would like to target six days :shock:

EDIT: Here we go https://bikepacking.com/event/three-pea ... race-2019/

There are more and more of these endurance long distance races, inspired by Mike Hall's TCR. I can see the lure, I'm probably not there mentally (yet)... I kind of enjoy a very long day, but I am still unsure about multi day with 300 km + a day.
I have a guaranteed entry for LEL 2021, but I will probably volunteer to help instead... it's kind of more fun