So, anyone got recomendations for the logisitics on this? Am guessing easiest to sign up with one of the tour companies, presume plenty of folk do it independantly too?

Drive down, stay somewhere at altitude for a week before and ride for 5 days, move down to Bourg d'Oisans on the Friday, get up early Saturday ride a lot, sleep Sunday, come home.
You'll save a lot by doing it yourself as the entry fee is only about £30 and there's no shortage of them – you could always just turn up on Thursday and register in the leisure centre up Alpe d'Huez if you wanted to.
Logistically it works really well as you start and finish in broadly the same place.

I'm thinking of doing it again this year. The way we did it last time was flight down to Grenoble. Hire car to the The Alp where we stayed. Arrived two days before, so a couple of gentle rides around. The finish close to the hotel. Do the TT up The Alp the next morning if you can manage it (I couldn't).

mcboo – I've just sussed out who you are!

There's only one person in the world that I have ever called McBoo -and it's you! 😉

enough flirting you ginger headed freak!

McBoo, did last year – absolutely brilliant (if you like that sort of thing)

Just register yourself through sport communication – the tour packages can work out very expensive

Get a hold of the on-line alpe d'huez tourist information and they can sort you out with accommodation or try King of the Mountains who run a Marmotte special (I stayed there the Fiday – Sunday and would highly recommend them – run by an english couple – Guy & Helyn – food is excellent – they also do airport transfers depending on where you fly to)

BUT would recommend you make your entry as early as possible to get an earlier start number – with 7000 cyclists on the road, the descents can get a bit hairy & the feed stations get very hectic the further back you are.

The atmosphere throughout was great, the views from top of the Galibier were stunning, and the crowds the whole way up the Alpe were brilliant – a very memorable day

We rented a place in Bourg last year ended up about 23 euro each per night (as opposed to 18 euro camping). Definitely do it yourself loads cheaper. 950 miles from Edinburgh 1 and a bit tanks of fuel and 36 hours including to journey from Newcastle to Ijmugen.

Yeh some of these guys want £700, want to put you up for 4 nights…..prob 4 of us going so can share a big hire car at Geneva or Grenoble. Main thing is accomadation, sounds like it isnt too difficult as long as I sort now?

😆

We watched the last of the riders make their way up the 21 switchbacks this year, as we drove into town for the Mega. At close to 11pm, there were some very sorry (but proud) riders hauling themselves up the hill, with loads of folk cheering from the bars as you got into town.

Did it for the first time last year. Drove out after work on Thursday and arrived in Alp D'Huez Friday lunch. Registered, then went out on the MTB for a few runs down the top of the Mega Qualifier. Rode the Marmotte on Saturday, then spent the following week getting ready for the Mega.
Best 10 days riding I have ever had!
Loads of accommodation in the Alp and entry is easy as mentioned above. The only benefit I could see with using a company is that they had their own feed stations. Luckily I avoided the queues last year, but from photos I have seen there were big delays further back in the pack.

that will be me….nice and slow and heroic. You want to come do it with me Gav?

twelveski – that's quite a trip!

I rode with a few guys who did the Mega, then stayed out for the Etape a week later on Mt Ventoux. Thinking that would be a mega-Mega trip. Passportes du Soleil, Marmotte, Megavalanche then the Etape! If only I didn't have to work…

If you are going to enter do it in the first week after entries open. This means that you get in the 2nd or 3rd group off and so the chaos at the top of the Glandon and the descent shouldn't be too hairy. Don't try and get food from the Belgian cyclists feed stop as they're not very welcoming to Brits. You will see some very hairy descending coming off the Glandon whenever you start.

Glandon descending. Scary.

Top of Glandon was littered with people on the deck receiving treatment, but don't let that put you off as once you get out of the switchbacks the rest of the descent is excellent.

GavinB – this year you could also fit in the Hell race between the Mega & the Etape!

Hey Gav! thanks again for letting us crash your chalet!

I'm thinking the Marmotte this year. Dunno about the Mega 2010, was paranoid about breaking myself and not being able to do ventoux this year, the events are wrong order – have a word…

Passportes was a fun long weekend though. Agreed, the big 4 would be sweet, but fooking pricey. You could throw in the Lake Annecy TT course while you're there to settle any big chat.

Moonie is talking about getting a road bike to re-habilitate his knee, a lycra-clad moon – hilarious!

Any idea when they open for entries? Sounds like their might be quite a big gang of us heading out to do it….

Sometime over Christmas/New Year. The website is "interesting".

Apparently entry opens on 14 December.

Entries are indeed open, bunch of us just made it throught the aforementioned "interesting" website.

http://www.sportcommunication.info/GT/inscription.php?langue=2

Fill your boots

Glandon descent scary as anything. Galibier descent magical.

I've missed a week on this thread!

Simon/Mcboo – I'll check and see what can be done. I'd been planning a Whistler trip, so had written off the Mega this year, but it might be possible, and having now seen at first hand what some of those roads are like, it would be pretty amazing to ride them.

Only question I have is: Is it worth it? Could you not just go out for a ride with some mates and do the same route, using cafes/restaurants as feed stops etc and not have all the extra traffic to contend with? Or is it the ride PLUS the occasion that make the day?

Twelveski. I still think you're 'kin nuts for doing that 6 months later.

E says hi…. 🙂

>At close to 11pm, there were some very sorry (but proud) riders hauling themselves up the hill,

LOL – we drove up the hill at 8pm ish and there were some potential hospital cases dragging their sorry selves up, wonder what time the last rider finished.

I stay at the foot of Alp d'Huez,those first three switchbacks could get a bit tiring on the way home if you cycle every day! I take a good few days before to 'acclimatise', I'm going to make the event the last day of my stay next time.

It's a great event and cheap as chips compared to the rip-off that is L'etape du Tour. Enter on-line, take a group of mates and enjoy.

And be careful on the first descent, it was carnage this year.. 😉

Done the Marmotte a couple of times & the Vaujany the week before + the Traversee d'Oisans MTB marathon which is an experience. The marathon starts in 2 Alpes & finishes in Bourg d'Oisans about 90km & goes through AdHuez. The Marmotte has to be respected so get plenty of miles in with lots of climbing. Eat & drink every 15-20 mins & ensure your bike is 100% fresh tyres especially & brake blocks. I've also stayed with KOM just outside Oisans. http://www.kingofthemountains.co.uk/
They are very experienced & a Brit run outfit with Sky tv etc essential for the Tour etc.

Gav we're doing it for the whole big day out in a crowd experience…..yes you could ride the same route anytime but thats a bit like going clubbing in Ibiza in November. Quite nice but not full montage is it?

C'mon son get yourself sorted out…..

……plus if I was to do it with my mates on any other day it would turn into beers and lunch and cake and about 20hr round trip. Its not a race exactly but I'm going to beast myself. Might beast you too….. 😈