La Marmotte 2017

Kyran7

We are flying in to Lyon at 4:30. Have to drive down and collect bikes on top of the Alpe. Then have to drive to Les Deuxe Alps for accommodation. Any idea what time reg closes at on the Saturday night? And cheers for the info.

paulie gaultieri

Are the bikes going with shipmytribike?

Kyran7

Nope, renting bikes from guy on top of Alpe D' Hueze. have used him for past 4 years. They are 2017 Lapierre Sensiums.

Leroy42

It takes roughly 2 hours to drive from Lyon Airport to Bourg. Reg closes at 19.00 I think. But reg will be open on the morning if you miss that. Down at the roundabout for Alpe D'Huez, where the final food stop will be. Opens at 6am I think on Sunday morning.

mp2012

Kyran, could you let me have the details of the shop you are renting from please, one of our group still hasn't sorted out their bike yet.

Thanks

07Lapierre

Best of luck to everyone taking part this year! enjoy!

Kyran7

Sure,
 

[img=225x168]file:///C:/Users/gfoley/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.gif[/img]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]ROCKY SPORTS[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]Rue du 93ème RAM 
L'Eclose
38750 Alpe d'Huez[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]Tél. +33 (0)4 76 80 63 02
Fax. +33 (0)4 76 80 61 40[/font] [font=Arial, sans-serif]Plan d'accès[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]Site Location:[/font][font=Arial, sans-serif] [/font][font=Arial, sans-serif]www.rocky-sports.com[/font]
[font=Arial, sans-serif]Site Boutique:[/font][font=Arial, sans-serif] [/font][font=Arial, sans-serif]laboutique.rocky-sports.com[/font]

Kyran7

I'll try that again, it didn't paste in

Kyran7

ROCKY SPORTS sports.rocky@wanadoo.fr
The owner's name is Berni, just send him a mail with your info.

fat bloke

My experience of the food was very good. You're not going to get Ring of Kerry hang 'n egg sliced pan but there were baguette cheese and ham things, pastries, lots of sweets and jellies and bananas and stuff. A couple of the stops also had powerbar style stands with loads of shots and gels and bars.

Kyran7

Any last minute advice? What to do, what not to do over the next 2 weeks in the run up?

07Lapierre

Kyran7 wrote: »

Any last minute advice? What to do, what not to do over the next 2 weeks in the run up?

Don't taper down your cycling. Get another 150k spin with 2,000 meters climbing) in next weekend. It's warm at the moment, so wear arm warmers and a cap! Get used to heat!

fat bloke

Kyran7 wrote: »

Any last minute advice? What to do, what not to do over the next 2 weeks in the run up?

I'd be spending the next two weeks standing on my weighing scales and crying.

2 Wheels Good

Kyran7 wrote: »

Any last minute advice? What to do, what not to do over the next 2 weeks in the run up?

Will you have a chance to get a col or two in before the event when you're there? It's good to get out to acclimatise to the altitude and heat.

07Lapierre

If you're bringing your own bike, now would be a good time to replace the tyres/tubes and brake pads. If you've been doing a lot of training for the last 6 months, then they probably need to be replaced anyway. How old are your gear/brake cables? if they're a year old or more, I'd change them. The last thing you want is a mechanical problem on the Galibier! Look after your bike and it will look after you!

I'd also have a look at your cleats on your shoes. if they're worn, replace them now. This will give you two weeks to iron out any niggles.

2old4this

As long as your scales aren't in the kitchen, it just might work :-)

Leroy42

Kyran7 wrote: »

Any last minute advice? What to do, what not to do over the next 2 weeks in the run up?

Don't get stressed about it.

Whatever you have done is what you have done. Nothing in the next two weeks is going to make any massive changes to the outcome.

In saying that, there are, IMO, certain things you can do/not do that will help maximise the day for you.

As 07Lapierre said, now is a good time to get everything done to your bike. New types, brake pads. If you plan on using a different cassette/chainring combo make sure that is on. The cycles over the next two weeks will bed all these in. Make sure you are happy with the indexing, the braking performance etc

Same is true for any clothing etc that you intend to wear. Not a good idea to wear a new pair of shorts on the morning. Could be ok, but could end up with 10+ hours of chaffing! So if you haven't tried them out on a longer ride now is a good time. Even something as simple as socks can be a PITA on the Marmotte. The event is tough, so small things tend to amplify themselves.

Don't taper too much. You have two weeks left (well 1 1/2 now I guess) which is plenty. Get a long ride in this weekend. Plenty of climbing. Depending on how long you expect to do the course in something over 6 hours would be good, although not essential to do that long. But again, a long ride gives a great test of the eating/drinking strategy. How you react to gels early/late in the day.

Try to familiarise yourself with the course. There are plenty of youtube videos showing all the different parts of the course. The pens at the start, the fast blast to the bottom of Glandon etc. Basically anything you can do to reduce the level of stress and nervous energy leading up the rollout, as you will need that energy for the bike. Don't fret about the smaller things. If you didn't lose the weight you wanted, if you didn't get to train as much, if, if, if. Doesn't matter now. You ride what you have.

I usually flew out on Thursday afternoon, and would do my last long cycle on the Sunday before, with a few short but intense cycles during the week, with a short (50 min) TT (early morning so traffic wasn't an issue) on the Thursday morning before final packing.

If you are over there and get a chance to ride a climb defo do it but keep the intensity down or at least limit it to a short part of it. One great part of climbing is the chance to experience what seemingly endless climbing is like. It also lets you get a sense of the descents. You can get a great sense of Alpe by just descend (if you are staying in Alpe) 5km or so down and climbing back up. Do what you feel works for you. If you are staying in Bourg maybe climb the 1st 4km of Alpe or maybe head over to the Glandon to spec out the start.

At the end of the day though, it's just another cycle (at least until you cross the line then it revert back to the most epic day that anyone, anywhere has ever done and you are a legend!). Remember to enjoy it (well I never 'enjoyed' it as such, too much time in pain for that) but isn't that what we signed to! But this is the thing you have been building up to for the last few months. Everything will work out fine. Just keep pedalling. If you feel down, simply look around at the amazing views and remind yourself that you are literally in the very heart of cycling.

terrydel

Leroy42 wrote: »

Kyran7 wrote: »

Any last minute advice? What to do, what not to do over the next 2 weeks in the run up?

Don't get stressed about it.

Whatever you have done is what you have done.  Nothing in the next two weeks is going to make any massive changes to the outcome.

In saying that, there are, IMO, certain things you can do/not do that will help maximise the day for you.

As 07Lapierre said, now is a good time to get everything done to your bike.  New types, brake pads.  If you plan on using a different cassette/chainring combo make sure that is on.  The cycles over the next two weeks will bed all these in.  Make sure you are happy with the indexing, the braking performance etc

Same is true for any clothing etc that you intend to wear.  Not a good idea to wear a new pair of shorts on the morning.  Could be ok, but could end up with 10+ hours of chaffing!  So if you haven't tried them out on a longer ride now is a good time.  Even something as simple as socks can be a PITA on the Marmotte.  The event is tough, so small things tend to amplify themselves.

Don't taper too much.  You have two weeks left (well 1 1/2 now I guess) which is plenty.  Get a long ride in this weekend.  Plenty of climbing.  Depending on how long you expect to do the course in something over 6 hours would be good, although not essential to do that long.  But again, a long ride gives a great test of the eating/drinking strategy.  How you react to gels early/late in the day.  

Try to familiarise yourself with the course.  There are plenty of youtube videos showing all the different parts of the course.  The pens at the start, the fast blast to the bottom of Glandon etc.  Basically anything you can do to reduce the level of stress and nervous energy leading up the rollout, as you will need that energy for the bike.  Don't fret about the smaller things.  If you didn't lose the weight you wanted, if you didn't get to train as much, if, if, if.  Doesn't matter now.  You ride what you have.

I usually flew out on Thursday afternoon, and would do my last long cycle on the Sunday before, with a few short but intense cycles during the week, with a short (50 min) TT (early morning so traffic wasn't an issue) on the Thursday morning before final packing.

If you are over there and get a chance to ride a climb defo do it but keep the intensity down or at least limit it to a short part of it.  One great part of climbing is the chance to experience what seemingly endless climbing is like.  It also lets you get a sense of the descents.  You can get a great sense of Alpe by just descend (if you are staying in Alpe) 5km or so down and climbing back up.  Do what you feel works for you.  If you are staying in Bourg maybe climb the 1st 4km of Alpe or maybe head over to the Glandon to spec out the start.

At the end of the day though, it's just another cycle (at least until you cross the line then it revert back to the most epic day that anyone, anywhere has ever done and you are a legend!).  Remember to enjoy it (well I never 'enjoyed' it as such, too much time in pain for that) but isn't that what we signed to!  But this is the thing you have been building up to for the last few months.  Everything will work out fine.  Just keep pedalling.  If you feel down, simply look around at the amazing views and remind yourself that you are literally in the very heart of cycling.

One of the best posts I've read on here in a long time. Great advice.
Off to do the Maratona on July 2nd, totally agree that whatever training you've done up to know, nothing here on in will make a a huge difference. Just keep ticking over til then, get a good long spin in the weekend prior but keep the intensity down as the following week will probably be hectic, what with packing, getting things sorted at home/work etc.
I fly out the Wednesday, I wont cycle the Mon/Tues prior, and plan is to do about 25-km on the Thursday (mostly to try out the rental bike and get used to it). Then do 2 of the climbs Friday (Pordoi being the long one) at a low intensity. Saturday will rest up and get ready. And thats it. Then its just about doing your best. And not missing the cut off point this time!

paulie gaultieri

Tell yourself you are going to finish it and you will finish it.

LeoD

Relax and enjoy the ride. If you start fretting over every detail you will convince yourself something is wrong with you, your bike, your clothing, etc. It's just another cycle albeit a bit more hilly and a bit longer than anything you've ever done before but it's just another bike ride. Enjoy the atmosphere. Stay relaxed and ride at your own pace from start to finish.

paulie gaultieri

This link should give you a good idea of whats instore on the neutralised descent

https://youtu.be/cikcmE8Pha0

2 Wheels Good

paulie gaultieri wrote: »

This link should give you a good idea of whats instore on the neutralised descent

https://youtu.be/cikcmE8Pha0

Just don't be stuck to the brakes like in the video, let gravity do its job

2old4this

From weather forecast it looks like it could range from 40 degrees in the valleys to 0 degrees and snow on top of Galibier. I might just wear winter gear, might lose a few kilo's during the day :-)

paulie gaultieri

The heavens opened just as I turned the corner on Galibier last year and didn't stop until I was half way down the otherside. Thank god I had my pakajak.

If the forecast is sketch around the middle of the day or afternoon my advice is force your way into the 7am start pen and get going as early as possible.

Kyran7

I've been keeping an eye on the weather also. Looks like it could be February temperatures with a drop of rain. Not sure if it's a bad thing or a good thing. Will bring along extra kit and decide on the morning. I think going up will be fine but coming down it could be absolutely freezing.

2 Wheels Good

Kyran7 wrote: »

I've been keeping an eye on the weather also. Looks like it could be February temperatures with a drop of rain. Not sure if it's a bad thing or a good thing. Will bring along extra kit and decide on the morning. I think going up will be fine but coming down it could be absolutely freezing.

We'd similar on the Etape Tourmalet in 2014, we were pre-warned so had some extra gear with us. Arm/leg warmers, full finger gloves, a bandana or 2 for the head/neck, even light neoprene shoe covers would help. It was horrible coming off the other side. Between the rain and cold I'd get the shivers every time my heart went below 80, I'd stop and do star jumps to get the circulation going!

Kaisr Sose

Kyran7 wrote: »

I've been keeping an eye on the weather also. Looks like it could be February temperatures with a drop of rain. Not sure if it's a bad thing or a good thing. Will bring along extra kit and decide on the morning. I think going up will be fine but coming down it could be absolutely freezing.

It can be very cold coming down of it's raining or anyway cool. If it's likely to be like this, pack a light cape at least, glove liners or even latex gloves for the descent. Speaking from
Experience, cold hands are a nightmare on a long descent. If you start to get the shivers also, it's no fun!

paulie gaultieri

Any reports or is it still to raw to talk about?

Kyran7

All good, still in Lyon, will put up a report this evening, epic!!

07Lapierre

Ah lads....No reports yet! Are yez all asleep or what?