Fireflies got dumped on yesterday, roads closed……is this going to clear up by Jul 3rd?

http://www.thefirefliestour.com/news/day-3-val-disere-to-valloire-106km/

Wouldn't like to ride the Marmotte in conditions like that. It was perfect 2 years ago when I did it.

That was just the brief northerly at the weekend. It'll be much warmer now (just as it is here!).

It can snow at any time of year above 2000m in the alps (not that you'd believe it when you are up there on a nice hot sunny summer day).

Weather is shocking in the Aples at the moment from what I can see. We are heading to Livigno in a couple of weeks and it's been snowing there this week 🙁

I'm sure the Marmotte will be fun regardless. be safe on those descents

Have done it the last two years in too much heat !! Apart from on the Galibier where the weather always seems to close in a bit. Is it your first time ?

Yep, popping my cherry. 10 day weather forecast says 24c in Gap. That would be lovely, have heard horror stories of 38c just as you hit the bottom of the Alpe.

No snow please.

Sorry to compound the horror stories, but one of our guys recorded 42 degrees on Alpe Du Huez, if its anything like the last couple of years, its very very hot going up there. The people come out to spectate and pour water on you, It sounds like it'd be really annoying when you are knackered, but its like heaven.
Enjoy the event, its very special.

Unless your a 6 hour man, and I am being presumptious by giving you advice, then the two biggest pointers I would give anyone are.

1. Respect the Telegraphe, its often overlooked as its a 1st cat on its own and not a HC like the 3 others, but if you hammer the flat leading up to it which is dead tempting to do, assuming that the Telegraphe is the least worrying of the lot, then it really will suprise you its very hard, there is many people you see suffering on the Telegraphe as anywhere, treat it with exactly the same respect as the others !

2. Be prepared for the heat on the Alpe Du Huez, and try and ride the Alpe Du Huez before the event if you can. You may be just surviving on determination and fear of failure on the day, and knowing that you did the climb easier on previous days, makes it feel achievable when it seems impossible.

Oh yes and enjoy the descent off the Glandon, its a peach, if a little dodgy at times.

I am jealous I'd love to go back once more, maybe next year

Thanks hughjengin. There is an excellent guide to the Marmotte at the bottom of the wiki page, guy who did in 7.5hrs…..he warns about the long flat ride up the valley after Glandon into Telegraph.

I'm a 9-10hr man (hopefully). Did Dragon 2 weeks ago in 7:12, my first sportive. Was hard but I enjoyed it. Havent ever sat on a bike for that long, took me a while to get my head around it, let alone my body.

Got a bunch of mates doing the route this week. Wonder how they're getting on..

The road between the bottom of the Glandon and St-Michelle-de-Maurienne is a real sapper its on a major road and it drags uphill slightly, you are still buzzing from coming off the Glandon (which is a beautiful climb by the way, easiest the prettiest by far) and you can get dragged into some high paced riding in a group if you are not careful along there, in 08 I started in the last wave of riders, being a late entrant, and my clubmates were in the first wave (starting an hour ahead) as probably the best climber in our group at that time, I was daft enough to get egged on to attempt to catch their group, and battered up the Glandon like a nutcase and down the otherside in attempt to catch them, I then proceeded to get involved in some through and off along the main road you mentioned earlier presuming that the Telegraphe was not as hard as the others and I could waste a bit of energy beforehand.
I did catch them halfway up the Telegraphe, but having tried so hard on the flat to make up time, I blew on the climb and had a very long day after that. (Which is why my early advice would be to treat the Telelgraphe with the same respect as all the climbs) In 09 I accepted my limitations, fitted a compact (I rode with a 53/39 the year before) and conserved energy everywhere possible, and it was a great day, and will stay in my memory forever.

There is an excellent guide to the Marmotte at the bottom of the wiki page

That pretty much covers it all if I read the correct guide. Definately hes right about the feed station at the bottom of the Galibier in valloire, dont be convinced you've missed it and panic. I saw people panicking and going back down the hill because they thought theyd rode past, Its a massive feed station and you cant miss it, its just further up the road than you think 😀
There is a very small water stop about bend 13 or 14 on the Alpe, its like a magnet to want to stop becasue there is a big tree with everyone underneath drinking ice cold water, trying to get some shelter from the heat. My advice would be unless you feel really bad or are running out of food or water, I'd avoid stopping, Its so hard to start again after this stop, and some people bail here so near to the top, because they cant re-motivate to get back on the bike.

I'd also suggest ignoring the little feedstop at the top of the Telegraph and continuing on to the feedstop after Valloire. I amde the mistake of overdoing it just quite enough on the road up to the foot of the Telegraph.

I'd also suggest ignoring the little feedstop at the top of the Telegraph

Seconded, it was a right scrum up there, and not that well stocked. You only have a downhill and your at the good one after Valloire.

I amde the mistake of overdoing it just quite enough on the road up to the foot of the Telegraph

Join the club. 😉
I was so determined to throttle back on this section last year, I was sat up tootling along being passed by everyone, like a little old lady on a shopping trip

hehe! I reckon it buggered my Gold chances, oh as well as standing around like a loon at the Bourg d'Oisans feed and sitting on the barriers at bend 7 for 10 minutes feeling miserable.

That god forsaken bit of major road that people are talking about up there nearly killed my spirits last year. I was in a bad place mentally as I have some pretty bad vertigo and the descent off the glandon is not the best place for someone with vertigo as are many of the other places on the marmotte route. On that stretch of major road I just got the head down and tried to make a bit of time up that i'd lost of the glandon descent. After a couple of minutes I looked round and I must have had around 70 folk all in a line behind me wheelsucking like f***. Decided that this was the perfect time to peel off and have a piss and a stretch.

Will go back and do it next year though hopefully.