Oetztaler Radmarathon - August 30th

August 30th, Start / Finish: Sölden Austria

http://www.oetztaler-radmarathon.com/

238kms, 5500m of climbing. A loop through the Oetzal alps, past Innsbruck, briefly into Italy and back to Sölden. This one is so popular there is a lottery to get in.

After the Marmotte in July my enthusiasm took a kicking. I was regretting signing up for this one as I had to keep some sort of fitness for another 6 weeks as this was to be the longest ride I'd ever done. I hadn't perused the course in detail until the night before. The final climb to the Timmeljoch Pass (2509m): 28.7kms of climbing with an average grade of 8%, climbing 1759m?! That's something like 14 consecutive times up Cochrane hill after already doing 180kms and 3700m of climbing !! Luckily, somehow, it didn't seem that nasty.

I finished in 9.33, 1029th out of 3900. Everyone had a timing chip attached to their number that was then mounted on the handlebars. My computer at the finish said 8.33hrs. It wasn't until I received an email with my various splits over the 4 climbs did I realize I had spent an hour at the various rest stops. My climbing splits were between 500-550th for each of the 4 climbs so I was surprised that my fitness was still pretty good.

It started at 6.45am. All 3700 people on the line. I was lined up more than 1km from the line. Everyone had a number on their back with their name on it. Mostly Germans, Austrians and Italians. Only 3 Canadians, with one finisher (yes!).


The first 30kms were all downhill then boom, in the town of Oetz, first roundabout and the road shot up at 12% and continued for another 18kms at an average of 8%, the road was packed with cyclists. One great thing about this sportif, all the roads were closed to traffic.

On the finish line I told Marlen to remind me I said "never again" but I just saw a sportif the day after the Tour of Lombardia (Oct17) on the same course....well, one more? I can't let my fitness go to total waste.

The organization was excellent, every finisher got a 2009 öztal jersery, öztal bidon, certificate, pasta party, poster, energy gels and free massage.

Le Marmotte Cyclosportif

This is the big one. They capped the entries one week before at 7000. Loads of Brits, Dutch etc. all wanting to test themselves on the legendary TDF climbs in the Alps. 5000m of climbing, 175kms and 4 monster TDF classic climbs. Almost 70kms of climbing. Anything under 8hrs is reckoned to be a good time. All the roads were open to traffic making the descents very hairy. Had to ride down from L'alpe d'Heuz in the morning to the startline with tons of others. Saw some guy in the ditch with an ambulance siren coming in the distance, fack. There were three start waves, I was in the last. Took 20 min just to cross the line cause there were so many people. Passed people all day long. The road was completely filled with cyclists and I was never more than 50m from someone at all times even whilst descending at 70km/hr. After 6.5hrs saw a sign for 15km to the finish, normally this would take 20 min. 13 of those were a constant 8% up L'alpe d'Heuz. There were people flaked out all over the place in the heat. Afterwards, I said never again. Marlen laughed as I'd said the exact same thing last year.

Start: Bourg d'Oisian at the base of Alpe d'Heuz
Climbs:

Col du Glandon, 24kms of climbing, 1150m gain, ave 5% grade

Col de Télégraphe, 12kms of climbing, 850m gain, ave 7.3% grade


Col de Galibier, 18kms of climbing, 1245m gain, ave 6.9% grade
L'Alpe d'Heuz, 13.2kms of climbing, 1070m gain, ave 8.1% grade

The majority of the these events are within 1-3hrs of our house. You can sign on, on the morning for most of them. They are all mass start or in waves for the really popular ones.

Here's a few of the sportif calendars:

France:
http://www.velo101.com/cyclosport/calendrier.asp

http://www.cyclosport.com/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=38

Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Germany
http://www.radmarathon.at/index.php?rmlang=en

L'Ardéchoise Cyclosportif

June 15th, 2009
Ardéche Region of France, SW of Lyon, 3hrs from Geneva

This can be a three day event. Sort of like the Golden Triangle except there were 13400 people signed up. The longest course is the La Meridionale-Montagne Ardéchoise: 654kms, 35 passes and 11255m of climbing !!

7700 people lined up on Saturday for 6 different courses from 66kms to 275kms with 5100m climbing.

I rode the L'Ardechoise circuit above. 216kms, 4100m climbing took me 8 1/2hrs.

Drove there the night before. The town was totally quiet. Crashed in my van. I was woken up at 6am by a constant stream of cars, bicycles and people gearing up. The start was unreal. I lined up but couldn't see the start banner in front nor the end of the line behind. The route went through dozens of towns, every one decorated with bicycles, banners, live music, people in costumes passing out cakes, cookies, cheese and drinks like it was Christmas. At the far end of the course, things thinned out slightly as different cyclists took different junctions for the various distances. At one point I was completely in the countryside, rounded a corner and entered a super small town to see a Yeti and Roman gladiators in the distance. Huh? The whole town was dressed up and on the route cheering and passing out drinks. I rode through with the biggest grin on my face. All 13000 people had to ride this final climb to the finish. There were at least 12 switchbacks. Every corner had a band or choir playing or singing traditional French songs. One corner had an electric rock band playing Loverboy, I couldn't believe it!! At the finish there was a huge lock up for bikes and a buffet for every finisher. Definitely one of THE best ride I've ever done.

Some pics I took:
View towards the start line.
Tons of "scrubbers" as my Dad would say.

View behind me (look under the blue banner)
All the villages were decorated and the residents wore costumes and handed out drinks, local cakes and cheese.

One of the many feed stations.

Can't believe buddy cut off the bike!

Here's the website:

http://www.ardechoise.com/index_en.php5

Time Megéve Cyclosportif

June 14th Megéve, France
1 hr from Geneva and very close to Chamonix.
Hot, light winds, 32 degrees
Rode the long Course 145kms with 3980m of climbing
1900 people on the start line for the short, medium and long courses.
Finished in 6.03.25, 58th of 310 that did the long route.
This one was hot !! I grovelled up the final climb in the stifling heat, probably burned it up too on the first climbs but its soooo much fun passing hundreds and hundreds of people. I always take it easy on the descents as the non-climbers try to fly by and gain time only to be passed again in the first 100m of the next climb. I am so surprised there aren't more crashes. The roads are fully open to traffic, there are always idiots who can't ride in a straight line or descend. This one started with an 8km decent, so both sides of the road was completely packed with cyclists negotiating round abouts, traffic islands, potholes etc. How the boys in the Tour could race a stage like this and get up the next day and do it again and then again is just unreal (don't think drugs)

http://www.csportsmegeve.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=86
Climbs:

Col de Aravis

Climbed both sides

From Flumet: 15kms of climbing with 760m gain, max 11.8%

From Thones: 13km of climbing with 867m gain, max 8.6%

Col de le Croix Fry

From Thones: 13kms of climbing with 825m gain, max 9.3%

Col de Saises
Up the one side, down and back up the other.
From Flumet: 15kms of climbing with 810m gain, max 11.1%
2nd side: 15km of climbing with 950m gain, max 9.6%

Challenge Dauphiné Cyclosportif

Autrans-Vercor Region of France
1.5hrs from Geneva, just outside Grenoble.
Long course: 173km with 3200m of climbing

This one is put on by the same daily newspaper that sponsors the Pro Dauphine Libere race every year. All 2000 or so started at the same time. Things split up pretty good until the middle of the course when we hit a long flat stretch, guys didn't want to ride so the group I was in ballooned from 12-15 to more than 50 at least. The next climb sorted that out and there was only 8-10 of us left. Great, we've got a nice group here I thought until a couple of minutes later the long course turned left. I sat up to turn and couldn't believe it as I watched everyone else disappear up the road. Didn't see too many guys after that. The scenery and weather was perfect though. I Really enjoyed this one.

http://challenge.ledauphine.com/
Climbs:
Col de la Croix-Perren
Col d'Herbouilly
Col de St Alexis
Col de Lachau
Col de la Portette
Col de la Machine

Time: 5.52.16, 56th of 224 that did the long route.
Average: 29.47km/hr

A few photos I poached from the web.

Scott 1000 Bosses Cyclosportif

April 28th, 2009

Just outside Lyon, France, 1.5hrs from Geneva.

139kms, 2800m height gain

1500 people on the line

Finished in 4.52.25, 213rd of 469. I rode "tranquillo" after the first decent, seeing buddy on the floor, bike in the ditch, crawling towards it, ouch.

Steady rain with temps. btwn 8 &12 degrees.

Gorgeous countryside and great organization.

Too bad the weather blew, made the decents fun at least.

http://www.scott1000bosses.com/course-cyclosportive-monts-du-lyonnais/