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Bucket-list time. I'm 40 this year, so planning on entering the Mega
Entries open this week:
http://www.ucc-sportevent.com/en/megavalanche-alpe-dhuez-en/
So, what's the craic? How does it all work with qualifications and different races?
Thinking of going out for the week before to scare myself witless. Any recommendations?
I did it in 2015, we went out the week before and got a chalet between 8 of us in Alpe d'huez which cost under 200 each. The entry fee was about 90 euro at the time and that got you the lift past for the week before to do other runs there and practice the course. We also went over to Les Deux Alpes for a day which again was cheap on the the lifts.
Qualifying was on the friday (I think) and depending how you did meant you were either were racing on Saturday or the Sunday, The qualification course is different to the main race and considerably shorter. I cannot remember what gets you in what race just that it's great fun and a great experience.
The riding I enjoyed especially the glacier slide and the technical bits which I did not find that tough its more the number of people trying to get down them. It was incredibly hot as well 40 degrees plus and staying cool was a challenge.
I enjoyed it and am hoping to go back in the next couple of years for hopefully a puncture free performance.
Do a search on here, this comes up every year about this time.
What we did as Mega Virgins:
Went out the week before, well worth it to be able to settle into the riding
Team of mates, drive, take spares for bikes
Got a chalet for the week vis HomeAway or similar. Some chalets we asked about didn't take Mega riders due to dirt and cleaning issues. Book early for the apartments
Stayed at the top of the hill in Alpe which for the race day, was a good option. Shuttle and lifts to the top are ok.
Take dual ply or dh tyres, its pretty rough
Its a great event, go for it!
Something I havel walways half thought about doing, but then some of the stuff I have read on here completely puts me off.
First 325ish go into the Main Race (Mass Start)
Next 325ish go into the Challenger (Mass Start)
Next 325ish into Amateur (Mass Start)
Everyone else into the Affinity Groups (not mass start)
Qualifying is tough, the fast boys are doing it in around 18mins. I managed to bag a 30th in my Heat and got down in 23mins.
Spent a couple of days in Les Deux Alps and arrived in Alp D'Huez on the Sunday Morning before qualifying. Gave us 5 days to practice the qualifying track and the main race day track, the two are completely different and only shared a fireroad in 2016.
Sessioned the bottom section of the qualifying track quite a bit, but should of done the top section a bit more, except there is a dull winding xc route to get to the station (next year will ride down to Oz and get the lift back up).
This year will be riding the main track a lot more, in particular the top section, as riding on snow is tough to master!
-Dual ply, super gravity, double defense tyres are a must. Exo type tyres will puncture, they arn't up to the job.
-Proper chain guide, even with a clutch mech and a narrow wide chainring the chain will jump off.
-Big discs and sintered pads, the track is fast in places you will be hammering your brakes. Would advise to take a few sets of pads and a spare set of rotors (lots of big pointy rocks)
-Full face helmet and armour (lots of big pointy rocks)
Cross everything & hope the weather is nice.
Get practicing for riding like an ar*ehole. Don't be afraid to run over someone & square people off in corners.
Oh, and get creative. There is little to no tape, short cuts are actively encouraged. Make a note of where they are & use them when racing to overtake people.
Im also interested is this as I'll be turning 50 next year, Always wanted to do this some best do it soon.
great fun, completely mental.
The qualifier in good weather was probably the most fun i've ever had [s]on a bike. [/s]
The qualifier in bad weather was ... *less* fun.
Set your expections-of-success to 'low' - you and 500 people are all fighting, sometimes literally, for the same space on the track. There is a very real chance that you won't make it further than the first corner. Brake hoses will get ripped out, mechs will get tangled, spokes will fly, there will be blood. I'm reasonably sure i've killed at least 3 people.
get a helmet with vents, lots of vents.
Downtube protection and crank arm protection if you care about those. I put a dent in my then brand new frame almost immediately in 2015. Brand new set of saint cranks looked 10 years old after the race in 2016.
Keep all cables/hoses short and out of the way. Loctite everything.
If you're a bigger rider like me and get caught behind a slower lighter descender your brakes can cook in no time.
2013 was my first Mega for my 40th, be warned it's addictive. In my experience the race is a lot more civilised than qualifying, which for me is the best bit.
Couple of other points.
Be fitter, fitter than you think you need to be. It's a killer when you're down in the bottom section just trying to keep going and just crashing through everything. The air is thin and it's a long way and it can be very warm.
Take all the spares you can. Wheels and tyres are expensive to replace up there and you might not be able to get you preferred choice of either.
Tempted to go again this year, but yet to convince anyone to join me!
I did it for my 40th as well. Just posted a blog on it today actually...
http://unduro.co.uk/mtb/that-time-i-raced-the-megavalanche-and-got-a-free-helicopter-ride/
🙂
Great trail and an ace week's riding.
The only downside is that the riding is all about being an aggressive ****t. However fast you are the only way to get past people is to push past them, in a way you would never normally do. Apart from that it's ace.
The only downside is that the riding is all about being an aggressive ****t. However fast you are the only way to get past people is to push past them, in a way you would never normally do.
Totally agree with this, probably the main reason I'm not interested in doing it again myself.
Well, that and the fact that it takes up so much time.
There are a few YouTube vids on it. Watch them to make up your mind.
I did it first time last year (43 years old) and did a fair bit of research. I qualified for the main race (33rd in quali).
The quali race was undoubtedly the most exciting riding experience I've ever had. Fun beyond words.
I would suggest taking it easy if you are going out so far in advance, I wouldn't exhaust yourself on 'practice' as nothing much can prepare you for the races. The adrenalin and pace (especially in quali) is such that you won't remember much about your practice runs and will just be balls out to take a good position.
For me the biggest challenge is fitness (presuming you are technically proficient on a bike in rough / steep stuff). I did lots of gym and bike work on core and anaerobic fitness but the main race was flat out and I was exhausted pretty much by the time we got off the snow (running fast through deep snow at high altitude pulling a bike ain't easy). By the time I got to the woods I was done and really had to nurse it home, just hanging on really. The arm pump you get is savage.
Best advice I got looking back was have fun and just get down in one piece. I think if you keep that as your strategy for the week you'll have the time of your life.
Was on my list but priorities in riding has changed and just doesn't seem to be my thing any more. Seems to be mainly about being a dick and smash the crap out of each other why trying to survive to the bottom. At least that's how the French treat it 😉
I'm interested in riding the course though, but really not fussed about competition or getting the crap kicked out of me and/or my bike just for the experience of the event.
Plus the years when it's a mud fest also put me off.
All said, Mountain of Hell looks more attractive. Much wider field at the start, seems less aggressive.
Mountain of Hell looks more attractive
Done both and I'd take the Mountain of Hell over the Mega anyday.
Marko
Interesting, 'The Mountain of Hell' is a more tempting option for me, can I ask why you would opt for it over the mega?
why you would opt for it over the mega?
The Mountain of Hell is a mass start on the groomed piste - the qualifier just determines your place on the start line (like formula 1). On the Mega I think it's only the first 50 of each group that qualify for the main race. Get a puncture or have a mechanical and you can wave goodbye to qualifying for the main race.
A lot less pedaling as well (about 200 metres if I remember correctly). You also get to ride down the footpath to Venosc (This is a out of bounds to Bikes normally) which is [i] like totally awesome[/i] (I believe that is the correct way you young chaps would express the pleasure of the descent).
Blinking early start though . . .
Hth
Marko
Mountain if Hell does sound good. But....
got my entry into the Mega. I'm doing it, yay!
I'm in again, I wasn't going to but i can give it up anytime, honest!
One thing that does strike me is how reasonable the prices are:-110euro for a weeks uplifted riding, qualifying, race day and some food. Even free beer last year.
There's also the Oz en Oisin enduro for 20euro too.
top tip, don't book your hotel on hotels.com and use the miles the resort feature, like i did, and plumped for the cheaper hotel a bit further out of town, the drive (i didn't road ride at the time) from les duex alpes to aloe d'huez soon gets boring 😆
Done it three times. Qualified the 3rd time in the actual mega which i was chuffed about. Was running a 180mm sx trail which helped during the week of crazy arm pump. I'd say start training forearm / grip exercises at least a month before you go. I'm sure everyone who has raced it will agree that yours arms are what go first physically.
If you can hold on you can have fun!
Tubeless for me was the best never once punctured.
Best weeks of my life. riding mad mountains with my best buddies. loved it!
I'd love to enter something like the megavalanche, but would be worried about being out of my depth skill wise. How capable a rider do you need to be to ride down at least semi safely ?
I remember the arm pump and was struggling to pull the brake levers by the bottom even with 200mm rotors front and back. Ran downhill tyres tubeless at I think it turned out to be 16psi.....
Arm pump I would say is fine all week & also on Quali (even when it was longer down to Huez).
Race day arm pump though? Probably the most savage thing I have experienced.
Once you get down the high speed bit after the fire road climb, as you enter the woods, it's just about survival.
I don't think I got enough time to get arm pump in the race, but I was shocked how hard it was to put any effort in at altitude.
Did you have time to acclimatize? It's worth going a good few days or a week before and getting used to altitude.
It's also cheaper to get pissed at altitude as takes far less pints 😀
We got there on the Monday or Tuesday, and stayed in AdH - only did one run from the top in practice, but it's more about the altitude you live & sleep at innit?
How quickly do the entries sell out?
I thought about it this year but we haven't organised dates and things for the trip yet.
centralscrutinizer - MemberI'd love to enter something like the megavalanche, but would be worried about being out of my depth skill wise. How capable a rider do you need to be to ride down at least semi safely ?
I'd say you need to be confident on all trail types:- Steep, Rocky, loose, Loamy, grass etc. There are no mandatory big drops or jumps. People do walk sections they're not happy to ride.
They haven't used the Boardwalk in qualifying for the last couple of years, that used to see a few getting off and walking.
They haven't used the Boardwalk in qualifying for the last couple of years, that used to see a few getting off and walking.
Or crashing and nailing their head on the rocks below.
😳