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That's it. I've just entered.
As the other half's just said, that's the easy part done.
I'm now commited to more than 6 months of intense training. Nice.
Nice one. I did it in 2009 and 2010. Good luck.
Link to the site please MrsMugsy
Have fun. Gran Fondo Stelvio for us next year, and maybe Gran Fondo Prosecco later in the year...
Did it five years ago. A world of pain! Enjoy.
I entered last night. I think we may have broken the web site - it was horrendous!
Now to start thinking about training...
And train you'll need too, it's a beast. did it in 2010. I still remember the pain of starting to winch yourself up L'Alpe after you've already ridden 100 mile over 3 **** off big mountains.
OK I need a yardstick - how does it compare in difficulty to the Fred Whitton?
it's about the same length and there's near 1.5km more vertically, but the gradients are pretty sane. you just need to get used to spending an hour going up one hill.
Did the Marmotte this year, great event. As others have said save something for the Alpe!
aP - we are planning on doing the GF Stelvio next year, have you entered or books flights / hotel yet?
DT
Entered, flights booked and hotel sorted 8)
Should be nice doing the Dragon ride the week after too.
For me riding the Stelvio (pass only) was easier (??) than riding the Galibier on the Marmot route. The Glandon is a tough little bugger straight out of the blocks too! I took a little under 7hrs on the old way of timing it, they neutralise the timing for the downhill off the Glandon now, The Stelvio is 1hr45 of seated climbing, not steep but a grinder.
Well that was a rubbish website and system. Finally in though, got the Etape the day after though 😆
I've entered. This may be a mistake...
2009 and 2010 for me too.
Its tough, made a better fist of it in 2010 by knocking the early pace off big time. Unless you are a climbing god, then my advice from learning from my own 2009 mistakes was to ride the Glandon so slowly that its seems boring and ridiculously slow, and then back it off some more 🙂
Went up the Alpe d'Huez in isolation in pre event training as a ride, and got up there in an hour exactly, Come the day, nothing can prepare you for the first two ramps when you have the Galibier and Glandon in your legs. Ouch. Its a great event though, amazing atmosphere, fantastic organisation too.
Oh and by the way, a lot of people disregard the Telegraphe as not a major challenge, or just part of the Galibier ! I thought it was as tough if not tougher as any climb of the day. An absolute b***h 🙂
Smash it up the Croix der Fer, descent well, get in a good group for the Mauriene valley.
Find your own pace on the Telegraph/Galibier. Descend sensibly, find a group for the La Grave valley.
Save something for AdH. Job done 🙂
Great event, good luck.
they don't do the Croix de Fer anymore, just the Glandon...
Much simpler to pace than the Fred, as it's just up,down,up,down-a-bit, up,down,up...
For prep you basically need to ride at 85-90% of your max HR for up to 1.5 hours. And be as light as possible. And have good shoes, as you'll give them a pounding. Save something for the Alp, it's a real test at the end.