IronTour Hautes Alpes

Triathlon Forum
1

As a follow up to my IronTour Lake Placid, I just thought I would start soliciting interest in an “IronTour” in the Alpes in 2006/2007. I am thinking something like 8 days of riding and runnning. Plan to run for zero to 1.5 hours per day, and ride 3-8 hours per day. Measure your progress in vertical ft/hour and not miles.

Over the 8 days, there would be activities staged out of three distinct locales…

  1. Chamonix-Argentiere

  2. Bourg d’Oisin

  3. Provence near Ventoux…perhaps detour to Cote D’Azur

So you guessed, it, we’d also try and line it up to catch some TdF stages (run focused days) and we’d do all many big Alpine climbs including the likes of

Galibier, Telegraphe, Glandon, Izoard, Croix de Fer, Alp d"huez, Les Saisies, Simplon, Grand Bernard, Ventoux. Perhaps a hike up to Mont Blanc etc etc. Lots of ideas

At this point, it is a pipe dream, (actually I kinda did it last year with a college friend from 15 years ago), but it would be cool to do it with a bunch of dudes like we did 9 days ago in Lake Placid ! You can count on something like 30-35 hours of mainly riding over the 8 days

Who is interested ? I’ll post more details over time, but right now, I am just doing some market research.

Dev

2

Dev that sounds REALLY nice! Might be up for it. Getting up all those classic col and climbing Mont Blanc, that sounds like a dream!

3

Richard, I think it would be awesome. I thought with the TdF going over Galibier tomorrow, I’d have more responses, so I’ve changed the title of the thread…

Dev

4

Dev, don’t know if I’ll be able to make 8 days, but would definitely drop in for a few days. Any info you need on ride route, climbs, cols, etc, just give me a shout. I’ve probably ridden most of the major ones and in a couple of weeks will be back down near La Grave doing some hiking so know the area pretty well.

Can help you out with all the areas you mentioned.

Cheers

Camel

5

Dev, just call me a poser and I’m in. It definitely sounds interesting.

Stefan

6

Camel, thanks for the help. This thing has some serious potential. We are all in trouble if poserboy Stefan “The Kaiser” Kusurelis shows up. Add in some more Euro studs like Diable, Ironguide, Felix and others and there could be some serious smack laid down at the summit of Ventoux…

7

I might be interested in something like this. You could probably use an extra domestique to get the kaiser over those climbs.

8

I need some domestiques to get my old ass over those alpine humps. The only problem is that all potential domestiques responding to this thread are dudes who are faster than me…in which case, I’ll gladly do my best Rubiera imitation.

9

Could be an incentive to do some training. Ironguide needs to be paid back for the smackdown he put on me up a 20% grade near Nice recently :slight_smile:

10

I am also interested to join for one or more days. Probably the ones from Chamonix-Argentiere because this is close to Switzerland (2 hours from here, 1 hours where we often go to holiday).

I would also be happy to show you some Swiss passes in the Wallis (south-western alps). I just spent there a week cycling with the military. The Sanaetsch for example is a nice climb from 400 to 2240m .

  1. Provence near Ventoux…perhaps detour to Cote D’Azur
    I wouldn’t go to southern France in summer. I is very hot. When we go south (France, Italy, Greece) we always go in spring or autumn but never in July/August. Best month in the South are May/June and September.

Felix

11

Felix…the hotter the better. Nothing like doing Ventoux on a 39 degree celsius day (at least that was what it was like last year). It just makes the Ventoux moonscape that much more impressive, with the heat rising from the pavement as grind past the Tommy Simpson memorial.

I was also Fortunate enough to have a 37 degree celsius day on an 8 hour ride that included Croix de Fer-Telegraphe-Galibier. At the Galibier summit, it was still warm, which was nice for the descent down the south side, but yes, it sure was hot on the lower slopes of Telegraphe leaving St. Michel. I’m on the edge of my seat today as Vino and Botero head through Valloire and start the ascent of Galibier. I can feel it in my legs !

There is a great story about Galibier here on velonews.com:

http://velonews.com/tour2005/news/articles/8336.0.html

If you have not done this climb , your life as a cyclist is incomplete. It is a must do !

12

guys…would there be any interest in doing this in May 2006 ? I am thinking third week of May and boot over to Italy at some point to check out the Giro ?

CLM, if you are reading this can you put me in contact with your pro cycling/TrekTour logistics buddies with respect to getting one of those large 10 passenger Renault Vans and a 12 bike roof rack ?

Dev

13

Dev, I will at the very least come and ride with you guys for a long weekend.

Agreed about your Galibier comments. This is a great climb. Must start from St Michel de Maurienne to appreciate the change in climatic zones !! The climb from Bourg d’Oisans via the Col du Lauteret is cool too, but not that tough. Awesome views of La Meije when climbing up up La Grave.

I went snowboarding in Valloire last winter. Small resort, very nice for a few days. Cool ski resort, very laid back. Traditionally doesn’t get a lot of snow, except for when we went. It was awesome, the locals just weren’t used to going off-piste, so I was riding untracked powder all day !! This weekend we’re going hiking on the other side of the Galibier from Valloire. Will stay at La Grave, which is on the way up to the Col du Lauteret. One day’s hike will start from the Col du Lauteret… I love that whole area, would love to drop down there for a few days of riding with you guys next Summer.

14

Camel…will Galibier be open in the third week of May, or is going to be like Hampsten riding up the Gavia in a snowstorm ?

Agreed, the only way to do this climb is from the St Michel side. In fact, we better plan an 8 hour day and do the Marmotte route: Bourg d’Oisin to Croix de Fer, down to St. Jean de Maurienne, over to St. Michel, up Telegraphe down to Valloire over Galibier, down Lauteret, back to Bourg D’Oisin and up Alpe D’Huez. I am getting totally pumped up just typing this sentence. Now I have to figure out how to make this work on the home front :slight_smile:

15

guys…would there be any interest in doing this in May 2006 ? I am thinking third week of May and boot over to Italy at some point to check out the Giro ?

May sounds good. But I would probably join only for a few days.

Felix

16

Camel…will Galibier be open in the third week of May, or is going to be like Hampsten riding up the Gavia in a snowstorm ?

Agreed, the only way to do this climb is from the St Michel side. In fact, we better plan an 8 hour day and do the Marmotte route: Bourg d’Oisin to Croix de Fer, down to St. Jean de Maurienne, over to St. Michel, up Telegraphe down to Valloire over Galibier, down Lauteret, back to Bourg D’Oisin and up Alpe D’Huez. I am getting totally pumped up just typing this sentence. Now I have to figure out how to make this work on the home front :slight_smile:

Galibier 3rd week of May ?? Good question. I rode it early Summer 2 years ago, but not sure when, possibly mid-June. There was lots of snow on the ground beside the road, but not walls of snow and no problem on the road.

Last year I rode in the Pyrénées the 3rd week of May. Hautacam was no problem, with a bit of snow on the side of the road above 1,500m. Tourmalet was a no-go though, the road was blocked by snow above 1,700m. This would suggest the Galibier could be difficult. I rode the Gavia and Stelvio end of May last year, both around 2,700m like the Galibier. Both were cleared, although with huge snow walls on the side of the road. Stelvio was only cleared from one side, to access the ski station. An alternative pass in the region was totally under snow. That area is generally warmer than the French Alpes as well.

Last year I rode the Gran Fondo Campagnolo cyclosportif in Italy, it was mid-June and it snowed on the highest Col at 2,500m. That descent was painful beyond description !

On top of the Gavia Pass there’s a restaurant with heaps of Giro photos. They have big photos of snow on the pass during the Giro, I can’t remember but it was probably Andy Hampstead like you mention. No snow for me fortunately, but the snow walls were 20 foot high ! It was sunny and hot in the valley at 1,200m (around 90+ degrees). On the pass the weather and clouds rolled in and it was around mid-40s, crazy!)

The more I think about it the more I’m not sure for 3rd week of May. I was down there start of July hiking this year and it was no problem, but a lot can change in a month or so. I don’t know if there’s an official date when they open the pass or if it depends on the snow ? I think mid-June would probably be the earliest you want to plan for, apart from anything else it’s pretty painful descending some of those Cols when it’s cold, you freeze. I think mid-May you’re rolling the dice pretty heavily.

17

Agreed, the only way to do this climb is from the St Michel side. In fact, we better plan an 8 hour day and do the Marmotte route: Bourg d’Oisin to Croix de Fer, down to St. Jean de Maurienne, over to St. Michel, up Telegraphe down to Valloire over Galibier, down Lauteret, back to Bourg D’Oisin and up Alpe D’Huez. I am getting totally pumped up just typing this sentence. Now I have to figure out how to make this work on the home front :slight_smile:

I’m totally up for the La Marmotte route. I’d rather do it with a bunch of you guys than during the official cyclosportif. The area is too amazing to want to do it in a race.

Keep me informed well in advance, coming off winter I’ll definitely need to put a few miles in the legs first. Marmotte will be HARD !! The Telegraphe / Galibier alone is tough enough, without the Croix de Fer and then Alpe d’Huez at the end. So tough, but what a ride !! I’m all up for pushing solid efforts on the climbs but taking time out on the Cols to appreciate the scenery. I think lunch on the Col du Lauteret (descent of the Galibier) would go down a treat !

18

Hi Paul,

I might be game if you do the Galibier stage in July, I could take a day off and meet some fellow slowtwitchers for the first time. Sure would be a blast doing the Telegraph + Galibier combo with some of you guys!

As for the Galibier being opened in late May, if i remember correctly I did it three years ago middle of third week of May, it had just been opened. (Two days before there had been a freestyle snowbording contest with snowborders flying across the road at the top of the Galibier pass).

It was memorable to climb the Galibier on a really sunny day, between melting snowdrifts on each side of the road, plus there were plenty of happy groundhogs, pretty excited about seeing the sun again.

Let me know when you have planned your trip, if would be glad to join for this ride.

19

Well, now that I am fully awake :wink: , May would be fine for me, and it might be possible to do the Galibier then.

20

This year the Galibier was opened on May 30.

In 2004, it opened on May 14, see links below for some nice pics of the opening day, which is always long awaited by avid cyclists… it is our very own Groundhog Day!

http://www.cyclosport.com/article.php3?id_article=1040

Those with a keen eye will sure notice that on May 14, 2004 the road above the tunnel (opened in 1979) seemed to be still closed… this means missing the last km of climbing and one of the nastiest portion of the climb (definitely above 10%). 'hope it will be opened to cyclists earlier next year…