La Marmotte - The Big One
Dave Lloyd is a professional Cycling coach with an impressive array of racing experience. Below is his own experience of the La Marmotte event.
I had begun my "rebirth" as a cyclist about 2 years ago in the winter of 2005, when Sportactive asked me to coach at their prestigious Training Camp in Majorca with Sean Kelly. I had been keeping fit and was delighted to accept their offer. I realised I needed to get "bike fit" again , however, and got stuck into some serious training. Well, I loved it and realised how much I had missed the bike. I got reasonably fit for the Camp and when I was there everyone was commenting on how fit I was, how well I was climbing and descending, and why didn't I race again. I came home with great morale and , although I didn't want to race again, I really needed something competitive to get my teeth into. I had heard of something they called "Sportives". These seemed an ideal way to channel my new found enthusiasm, so I enetered a couple. Well, what an eye opener ... I LOVED them and I have ridden over 20 events since that that first one. I know they aren't supposed to be races, but, come on, they can be competitive up at the front. I was always well placed, time wise, and was fastest in quite a few. So I started to look for a bigger challenge and La Marmotte seemed to fit the bill. This went over the Croix de Fer/ Glandon, the Telegraph, Galibier and the Alpe d'Hez to finish. All climbs I had ridden as a pro and climbs that suited me really well... Or so I thought!
So the plan began in 2006 and I was going to ride it then, but problems with my car on the way to the airport forced me to miss it. No worries, I would make this my main aim for 2007 and really get in great shape for the ultimate challenge. I got big miles in on my favourite Welsh climbs and was getting stronger and stronger. The UK Sportives were hard, but I was flying in them by now.. "Bring on La Marmotte"! The hotel was booked and 4 of my athletes were going to join me for the 2007 "campaign". Now, gear choice wasn't a problem as I had been climbing the side of houses on my 39/25. I had had a special light Carbon bike made to measure and built by Terry Dolan and all was in place for me to storm the event! Some people were questioning my choice of gear, but, come on... I had ridden every Sportive on this gear and I had been over these climbs when I was a 24 year old Pro with TI Raleigh and in those days I only had a 42/25 or similar. It was no problem then , so what's the big deal?
The day soon arrived and Wayne Girdlestone flew out with me to Geneva where we were to get a hire car to take us to our hotel at the top of the Alpe d'Huez. Here we would catch up with my other athletes, Rich Chapman, Jane Kilmartin and Graham Hindle. We arrived the day before the event in order to register and recce the Alpe. To this end Wayne and I rode down the Alpe, did a short ride on the flat and then back up the Alpe to see how the bikes were and to check the gears etc. My gear seemed ideal, and I was climbing like ten men. The scene was set, and the weather, although a bit iffy the day before was forecast to be beautiful for La Marmotte day!... GREAT!
The big day dawned and indeed the weather was fantastic. We made last preperations, got our kit sorted, food and drink on board and descended the Alpe d'Huez for the start. I was lucky to get a great start number of 255 out of 8,000 starters, so I would be at the front of the event. My first misgivings were when I looked at the top riders at the front on the start line! Most were on compact chainsets or even triples. What was this all about? You don't need gears like that for a 107 mile blast over four climbs. OK, there were 18,000 feet to be negotiated, but that would be a doddle on 39/25 surely!? We were due to start at 7am and as soon as the start hooter went it was bedlam. The front guys were down the road at 35 miles per hour and racing for the foot of the Croix de Fer/ Glandon. I stayed with the pace and we were soon on the first climb. The group disintegrated very quickly and I was at the front of affairs. I was climbing with ease and topped the Glandon in the front group. The descent of the Glandon was a bitch. It was so technical and dangerous.. No wonder two guys were killed on this last year I thought! But I decended well and after a short respite in the valley, we were on the Telegraph/ Galibier climbs. By this time , I was beginning to notice just how damn hot it was, but I was drinking and eating and all seemed to be working fine and dandy. I sailed up the Telegraph, catching some more riders who had "escaped" on the flat after the Glandon. Now we were on the Galibier and the start was really shallow and easy, although VERY hot. I wasn't stopping at any feed stations as I had enough to get me to the finish on board. All was looking great.
Endurance: The ability or strength to continue or last, despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina
