So, who's ridden up Alpe d'Huez and what did you think?

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So, who's ridden up Alpe d'Huez and what did you think?

32 posts & 26 voices | Started 10 months ago by SST | Latest reply from aP

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SST - Member

I rode it a few years ago - took me 1hr 17mins. It was an amazing experience.

I drove it first and was stunned - I think it took me half an hour in the car! The view from the road all the way up is just fantastic.

Then I rode it. When I hit the first right hand hairpin - about a km into the climb, I was convinced I wasn't going to be able to finish. It was shockingly hard. I plodded on and in my mind I broke the climb up into sections. I was a quater of the way, then a third of the way etc. After half way you really don't want to stop, and the last bit is amongst houses and hotels, through the tunnel etc, so it feels easier (well it's flat too which helps LOL)

When I finished I actually (and surprisingly) burst into tears for a few seconds. Partly from the relief of finishing such an extreme effort, and partly because I had ridden to the top of Alpe d'Huez . . . the same hill I'd watched the Pro's climb so many times on TV.

It was a good day

Posted 10 months ago #
joao3v16 - Member

I was expecting it to be more hilly.

Posted 10 months ago #
rigiddaddy - Member

Me. As above I thought it would be harder/longer. I guess you build it up in your mind to be this huge monster having watched it on the tour coverage so many times.

Did it in a group which helped - our fastest guy just broke the hour so does make you realise just how fast Pantani's 37mins is!

Posted 10 months ago #
boriselbrus - Member

I did it last year. I didn't think the hill itself was that bad - just find a gear and spin up. The problem I had was the heat as it was 38' at the bottom and I had to slow down a bit as I was overheating. I ended up stopping and getting in a stream to cool down and I stopped a couple more times to get more water, as I was having to throw it over my head. It cooled down a bit at the top though and I was able to go a bit faster. I didn't time myself but I was back down and hour and a half after I set off, so with the water stops and photo stop on the top I was pretty happy!

Posted 10 months ago #
aracer - Member

I did it in 35 minutes. Dead easy really - don't know what all the fuss is about.

Posted 10 months ago #
london_lady - Member

Rode it a couple of time before the Marmotte a couple of years ago and then on the day of the event - the hardest part for me (along with climbing Alp D'Huez after climbing Galibier) was counting down the turns to the top.

Posted 10 months ago #
reggiegasket - Member

Having ridden it a few times, I'm a little surprised that it is so revered. It's just a standard Alpine hill - a cul de sac to a ski village basically.

The Galibier is much better IMO, and a proper pass. I've just done the Passo Giao on the Maratona, which is a tougher climb, as is the Ventoux.

Posted 10 months ago #
birky - Member

Yes. I was on a motorbiking holiday and watched the Tour at Galibier/Lautaret the day before then stayed that night in Bourg d'Oisans. Next day hired a bike and rode up. Quite a slog in the heat but good atmosphere with so many others doing it too.
Also cycled the Stelvio pass on that holiday.

Posted 10 months ago #
mugsys_m8 - Member

Several times including 3 times at the end of La Marmotte.
As mountains go on a road bike, despite the recent history it is pretty uninspiring. It is a road to a man made resort, it's not a natural col (Col de Sarennes is nearby though I guess) and has no 'old' history nor inspiring landscapes.

It's not that long, nor that hard really... sorry!

I can understand the fascination with riding it though, despite how bitter I must sound! And I can understand it is a huge challenge to many and respect their feeling of achievemnt on ticking it.

Posted 10 months ago #
mtbmatt - Member

I think it is only the TDF history that makes the climb special. The road itself isn't the longest of steepest climb about, but is still a challenge. No matter what day you go up there will be others doing it, which is nice.

I rode it during the Etape (route of today's TDF stage) and I was dying on the last 4km. Pushed too hard on the Telegraphe/Galibier and paid the price.

Posted 10 months ago #
takisawa2 - Member

What tyres are best ?

Posted 10 months ago #
wl - Member

Sounds dull, but I guess it's another box ticked if you're into that stuff.

Posted 10 months ago #
lunge - Member

Me, a long time ago on an ancient mountain bike. I was slow and found it very hard, but I was 14 at the time so this may explain it.

I would love to do Galibier one day, though ideally not on a mountain bike.

Posted 10 months ago #
alanl - Member

"Did it in a group which helped - our fastest guy just broke the hour so does make you realise just how fast Pantani's 37mins is!"

Pantani - now he was brilliant that year. Drugs alone dont make you ride like that. Sadly he was suspected of EPO use, and banned for a while, but he dened it to the end.
Alan.

Posted 10 months ago #
RHSno2 - Member

The key to it is its sharpness through the hairpins and its location i.e. at the end of tours. Fireworks always happen here for the top guys.

This is my local climb...

I ride intervals on it on my 30lb MTB then rip down a singletrack. Alp d'Huez becomes a special hill when its part of a race.

Posted 10 months ago #
kimbers - Member

ive ridden down it, off road, kind of -the qualifier track for this years megavalanche ended half way down it, much more fun!

Posted 10 months ago #
aracer - Member

Drugs alone dont make you ride like that.

But they help a lot.

From Wikipedia:

The increased speed in the 1990s had been attributed to Erythropoietin or EPO. Riders with sub-40m times, such as Alex Zülle, Riis, and Virenque, have admitted using such products. Landis subsequently had a positive drugs test. There is also strong evidence that Pantani took EPO

strangely it doesn't mention the chap with the second fastest time

Posted 10 months ago #
london_lady - Member

reggiegasket - how did you get on in the Maratona. My SO rode the long route and I rode the medium route. We rode the Giau on the saturday and I was quietly smug afterwards knowing that I wouldn't have to ride that climb again - mind you 2nd time up the Passo Campolongo did my head in! Gutted that I didn't get to see Chippo or Bettini Cracking weather for it though.

Posted 10 months ago #
ac282 - Member

Its not so much the hill itself but the history that surrounds it. I remember looking up after 37 minutes and thinking how I only seemed to be half way there....

Posted 10 months ago #
Brycey - Member

I haven't ridden it, and have massive respect for those that have (especially in the heat).

However I've got even more respect for the punters that rode from Huez up to AdH on downhill bikes after the Mega qualifier because they couldn't be arsed waiting in the gondola queue.

Posted 10 months ago #
mtbmatt - Member

However I've got even more respect for the punters that rode from Huez up to AdH on downhill bikes after the Mega qualifier because they couldn't be arsed waiting in the gondola queue.

It was only 4km, so wasn't really that bad.

Posted 10 months ago #
instant hit - Member

I managed a 1 hour 10 about 8 years ago, having started from the campsite at the bottom. One day i will go and do a 100 miler warm up before attempting it, see if i can do it any quicker. Respect to the pros.

Posted 10 months ago #
Brycey - Member

It was only 4km, so wasn't really that bad.
Good work. Bad enough, and from memory it was roasting!

Posted 10 months ago #
tonyg2003 - Member

I've ridden it a couple of times. It's only hard at the end of long ride like the Marmotte. In fact it's the easiest grade of any of the Marmotte climbs.

Good to come down on though with big open hairpins and descent surface.

Posted 10 months ago #
mcboo - Member

+1 for Marmotte. Glandon, Telegraph and Galibier are properly beautiful mountain roads, Galibier feels like the moon. Alpe at mid-afternoon and 160km in your legs is a living burning hell. Seems each hairpin is named for a Tour hero, when I did it each turn was decorated with broken bodies.

Going back next year 10kg lighter

Posted 10 months ago #
stratobiker - Member

Yes, rode up it a few years ago in May. Got to the top, went in the swimming pool, lay in the sun, had lunch, rode back down. It was great.

I think Alpe d'Huez town/village is an horrendous shit hole ugly blot on the mountains.

SB

Posted 10 months ago #
jameso - Member

First time on an MTB - not a pleasant experience but riding over the names on the road and just being there was great, if you're a Tour fan that is.

Second time on a road bike during a week-long road tour, did the time-trial course up to the top. Nearly made myself ill (french breakfasts are crap for cyclists) and lost a few mins with near-puking, got a time i was fairly pleased with tho, still thought it was only good because of the history attached to it, the other cols I've ridden were way more scenic and many were harder. Had a lot more fun on the way back down.

38-40 mins at the end of a Tour stage is so fast it's almost unreal.

I have an old video of Hinault attacking up the first few ramps at the bottom - the most demoralising and hardest part - in the big ring, hauling ass and looking quite scary. Legend..

Posted 10 months ago #
andyfla - Member

On its own it isn't that bad a climb, but at the end of the marmotte it is a hideous torment. Looking at the collection of people gasping and vomiting at the side of the turns I get a feeling that the people who shrug it off prob weren't going fast enough ......

Posted 10 months ago #
SST - Member

I've only ever done it on a road bike. I think the gears on an MTB would make it quite comfortable.

Posted 10 months ago #
Paceman - Member

I'd say the fuss is the fact the TDF riders have already been riding for 150km before hitting the Alpe D'Huez climb, and have also been riding for over two weeks pretty much non-stop.

I've driven up it many times but not done it on a bike. I'd agree it doesn't look too bad if you pick the right gear ratio and pace yourself. Altitude and heat may well play a part though too I imagine.

Posted 10 months ago #
reggiegasket - Member

reggiegasket - how did you get on in the Maratona

The plan was to ride the long route but we had no idea the cutoff would be so ridiculously early ! so we missed the cut as we arrived at about 11.45 - 5 minutes late.... I was so pissed off I blasted up the Falzorago instead

Did the Giao the next day, so got all the climbs in eventually. The Giao is a nasty one ;o) Other than that it was a good event and the Dolomites were mega.

Posted 10 months ago #
aP - Member

reggie - bugger :o(
The little bump between the descent off the Campolongo and the foot of the Giau was surprisingly hard, but then the last 2 were really warm, and the final climb back up to Corvara into a headwind was a bit of a trial.
RE: Alpe d'Huez - it's much better if you ride the Col de Sarenne and descend back down via the road from the Lauteret.

Posted 10 months ago #

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