Bourg D’Oisans must have one of the highest ratios of cyclists, bikes and bike shops per capita in the world. Situated at the base of the mythic Alpe D’Huez in the French Alps, it has become a must on every cyclists’ bucket list of places to visit.
I have come here to train and race a number of times before, and each time loved the region, the cyclo-nut vibe and of course slogging up and whooping down the cols. Last month I had the opportunity to head back to the Oisans area to race the Marmotte Granfondo bike race.
Each June, just a few weeks before the Tour de France visits the 21 hairpins of Alpe D’Huez (twice this year on the same day), 7,000 amateurs are let loose for what was the first and is still one of the most desired races in the cyclosportive calendar, La Marmotte. It is an epic day, even for the fittest of cyclists, equal to the most challenging of mountain stages in the Tour de France, with 174kms (108 mi.) of French Alps climbing and descending, +5,000m (16,400 ft.) vertical and as such an objective of many keen cyclists around the world.
As George Hincapie once said “winning or getting last in race, the pain is the same”.
On a course like the Marmotte, nobody has it easy. That is why we are attracted. It is an opportunity to test ourselves, shaving as close to our limits as we dare, managing our speed, on road tactics and technique, energy, hydration and mind so that we get to the finish line as fast as we can, generally with nothing left, having put it all out there on the course.
My day was certainly physically and mentally hard, but hugely rewarding as well. I started in the last group (+4000 numbers) and with a sellout each year of the 7,000 available places, I was slalom people cycling for at least the first 50 miles to the base of the Telegraph. After we got away I found a few cyclists keen to put in a good time and we carefully weaved our way forward through the crowds. It was nice to get onto the Glandon as it kicked up solidly after the Barrage du Verney. From there with people generally moving slower it was safer to work our way forwards. I felt smooth all the way up the 15 mile, 3,437 ft ascent holding back a bit given there were plenty more big climbs yet to come and getting into my normal groove for nutrition and hydration. The two steeper ramps at the 4 mile and 7 mile marks seemed to pass without too much ado, except for the funny sight of seeing one poor man crunch, wobble and then unceremoniously fall off his bike after changing gears too slowly as we swapped from a short steep descent to very solid ascent of 11% after the village of Le Rivier.
I was glad that since 2010 the organisers have neutralised the descent down the Glandon. Although I had ridden out of a lot of the +4000 numbers by then, and those still around me were similarly paced, there were still masses of earlier starters who descended tentatively. The roads in places was narrow, rough through the forests, crowded at times and at one point even had a bemused looking cow standing in the middle of it. The timer stop was also just before the aid station at the top, so I took the opportunity to fill my bidons, drop in some electrolyte tablets as the day was quickly warming up and zip up my gilet/vest for the descent.
Once the clock was on again at the base of the descent I found one guy and eventually two or three added to our little possy to share the load as we worked up past groups through the valley to the base of the Telegraph at St Jean-de-Maurienne. We enjoyed the shade through the forested 7 mile climb to the Col de Telegraph (1,566m/5,138ft). This climb is really just the lower part of the Galibier as after a quick 3 mile descent to Valliore, providing a good chance to refuel, you reach the higher slopes of the Galibier. I love the high alpine terrain here, very open and this year with plenty of snow up above the 6,500ft mark. If you saw the Giro d’Italia in May you may remember the stage that was meant to finish on the Galibier was shortened to end in Valloire over a kilometer vertical lower. Even then they arrived in a massive late Spring snowstorm. Our day was the opposite, with temperatures in the valley well over 90f and even on top of the Galibier at 2,645 metres (8,678 ft) it was over 68f.
By the final switchbacks of the ascent above the car tunnel I was digging deep and looking forward to the start of the 30 mile descent back to Bourg D’Oisans.I was paying for my late start to my cycling training this year. Here in the Alps we were still skiing in April and rather than hit the turbo trainer I decided to let the bike take a 6 month rest in the garage as I built my fitness base cross country skiing. I drew in some energy from the surrounds and trusted in my powers of recovery kicking in on descent. With bidons filled, some banana pieces and a cheese bagette loaded in my pockets from the aid station on top I was off, whooping my way down the spectacular southern side of the Galibier to the connection with the Col de Lauteret. I descended as fast as I could, the roads having now opened up with more space for solid speed. I felt great and quickly lost the two girls that had ridden up past me at the top of the Galibier. So far only one female had past me that I had not got back and I wasn’t about to let two slip by so easily. I may not be racing seriously in the women’s field this year but I am still a competitive soul and hate getting passed by any other women on course.
The Lauteret descent is pretty straight and technically easier than the Galibier, although it can be a bit hair raising for a few reasons. Firstly I was now emptying out my pockets of their nutrients. Eating a brie baguette while riding over 40mph is a touch challenging. As you can’t brake properly with a baguette piece in hand, I opted for the take a bite, stick the remainder in your mouth while you chew the bite and focus on the road. Next straight section once the first mouthfull is swallowed, repeat again. It worked and meant I had some solid food in my stomach rather than just gels and homemade almond/chia/coconut protein balls I had eaten to then. I was sick of sugar so a savoury sandwich with enough time to digest it on descent was great.
The other challenge is the tunnels on the Lauteret. Some are long enough that you have no light from either end in the middle and you are descending in packs at solid speed through them. The roads are not closed so traffic either direction adds some solid object fear factor. The race organisers are well aware of these hazards and issued everyone small lights and reflective snap straps for improved visibility. It doesn’t make it any easier to see though, and in one tunnel I lost my nerve a bit and slowed down well below my normal descent pace as others bombed by. A friend had taught me the trick of closing one eye when you first see the tunnel so that by the time you enter it and open the eye it is better adapted to the dark. On a sunny day such as we had, that helped.
30 miles later I had held with a nice group of hard working Spanish riders, gracias señores, throughout the descent and the short flat section back to Bourg D’Oisans and the base of our final speed bump, Alpe D’Huez. Heat, along with nutrition and hydration now played a huge factor as sun beats down directly on the south facing Alpe and there is almost no shade on the way up. I felt great at the bottom and set a nice tempo that got me up the first steeper section to La Guarde without noticing it too much. I maintained a steady rythym through to Huez about two thirds of the way up but again had to suck it in a little to get from there to the finish. Like the top of the Galibier I played all the mental games required to keep the legs ticking over despite their complaints of heat, weariness and lack of form. Shut up legs!
Finally I got the boost I needed as a German lady I had seen earlier tried to pass me through the village just 500m from the finish. Even though she had started in an earlier group so was 30 minutes behind me in real time it gave me the boost I needed to extract that last ounce of effort and turn it to speed when one minute before I was sure I was going as fast as I humanly could. Challenge taken in, I crossed the finish line just ahead of her in 8:01. If she had come up beside me a kilometer earlier I may even have made it just inside the 8 hour mark.
No regrets. I had a fantastic day out. It is a spectacular course, was relatively well managed and provided a very good quality field to challenge myself within. I finished knowing that I had pushed consistently and strongly, leaving nothing at the end and hugely enjoyed the challenge. When the results came out I found out I had done enough to finish 18th female overall and the first female from the last wave. After just 8 weeks back on the bike having taken my longest break off it since I learnt to ride as a little tyke, I was happy.
If you are feeling up for a challenge, and the distance and vertical seem manageable to you, I would strongly recommend getting your computer at the ready this November and getting your entry in for the Marmotte. If it seems a little much given your training or experience, there is also the Mi-Marmotte that runs from Valloire back to Alpe D’Huez on the same day, cutting out the Glandon, Telegraph and losing 62 miles of the full distance version (47 miles and 8,200 ft +). Either way, a great day and a solid challenge in the Alps awaits.
Race Summary:
Race: La Marmotte, France
Distance: 174kms / 108 miles, 5,000m / 16,400 ft vertical
Type: Grandfondo/Cyclosportive Amateur Bike Race
Category: International, 41 nations registered in 2013
Event size: 7,000 cyclists max. (sold out every year)
Location: Bourg D’Oisans / Alpe D’Huez
Timing: 2nd weekend July
Ron Callahan is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.