Have been wanting to do this event for a few years, and as Sister in Law lives 40 miles from Verbier, have decided that 2012 is the year to do it. Thinking through logistics etc, I need a bit of help from those who have been there before:
-Hardtail or FS? Reports I have read suggest lots of fire road type stuff, so race hardtail might be the way to go. I have a 22lb HTail, or a 26lb FS. Tending towards the HTail at the moment – any views?
-How much acclimatisation? Peak altitudes are c.2000 metres, which in my view is quite high. Will I suffer much if I don’t go out a week before, or is it low enough that it won’t have a great effect? (I know 14,000 feet is horrible, but haven’t spent much time in between sea level and 2000 metres).
Compared to the Kielder100, how hard is it? Looks like more climbing, but easier terrain?

Is it worth doing? Or a big disappointment (I am not expecting 125km of technical riding, but equally want to enjoy the riding, scenery and challenge)

Hi,

I’ve done this event twice now. There is a lot of fire road and road climbs (and a few descents) so I would definitely recommend your hardtail.

If you can, spend at least a few days before hand practising going uphill for long periods of time as this is the gist of the race. In terms of the actual altitude, it’ll be barely noticeable, even at the Pas de Lonas (sp.?) at 2785m if my memory serves me correct.

Definitely worth doing, just for the shear length and amount of climbing involved. I won’t be doing it again though, just because there’s much more technically enjoyable events out there. I wasn’t pleased with my first time so had to get out for a second attempt and get below the target I set.

Hope that helps.

Chris

Having done it twice, once on a HT and once on a FS I’d say a HT is better… That said, I’ve sold my FS now and only ride HT. I’d say pick the bike your the most comfortable on…..its a long day!

Unless your a real race whippet, your not going to be racing! It’s more of a reliability trial, beating the time cut-off all the way. If your reasonably fit, you can pace yourself and can ride for 5+hrs in a day you should be fine. As your not really going to be racing then I’d say arriving a day or so before should be fine for acclimatisation.

Can’t comment on Kielder 100 as not done it, however it is well worth doing. It is hard and some of it is soul destroying, the long road climb just after half distance being a low point! There are some really good trails along the way, but there is a lot of fire/double track… and save some energy for the bike-a-hike at the top of the last climb! Also take care on the downhills, they aren’t overally technical but a lot of the French/German/Swiss/Italian’s can not ride downhill, lots of roadies do it and this makes for some interesting riding….. 😛

I think they have moved registration now (used to be in Verbier) so you need to get into Martigny (10-20K away) day b4 to sign-on and have bike check. Start is also silly early 6.00am if I remember, so getting into Verbier in the morning or staying there night before is something to consider.

Final piece of advice, no matter how stupid it feels put on suntan lotion (and it will feel weird when its still dark outside!). I didn’t the first time….was a little crispy at the finish!

Hope that helps…… and good luck

I have been out 7-8 times in total, I find the altitude really trashs me, it really is person dependent.

The sign on used to be in Verbier and Heremence, they have now unified it in Sion, it is at the baracks. I used to catch the cable car from Verbier to Le Chable and the train from Le Chable through to Sion for the sign on, you need a half ticket for the bike on the train.

Weather expect anything, it might snow and the race be neutralised, it may be baking hot, hottest i can remember was c35 degrees, coldest on the same day was 1 degree and the top of the Croix de Coeur had a little ice on the ground. there are some nice sections of singletrack and some very mind breaking climbs on tarmac.

Done it on a hardtail and a FS, i choose the later to save my back, bumps hurt after a while.

For accommodation you always used to be able to camp by the sports centre. Depending on what you need you can get a bus from Grimentz to Sion, Verbier depending on where you need to get to. If you get eliminated you get driven to the finish.

Seen people head out to Verbier to do this race when I lived there. Looked like a waste of a good holiday to me. Unless you’re determined to do it to cross it off a list, I’d sack it and ride the incredible Verbier singletrack every day instead of spending your time stressing, resting and recovering. That’s just me. You did ask though. Either way, contact Bike Verbier – they’ve done the race themselves, they cater brilliantly for entrants, and they do the best biking holiday you can have if you do join their guided rides. Amazing set-up, unbelievable riding.

First – good choice, it’s a bloody superb event.
Second – good luck!
I did it a few years ago with Terrahawk. I was on HT he was on short travel FS. I can’t remember feeling ‘underbiked’ by the route so I’d recommend HT. It’s pretty tough. I think I struggled with the altitude and was dying on my ass by Pas de Llona, it was a real struggle getting up that rascal. Terra showed his superior fitness (and youth!) by romping round whereas I was glad to make the cut offs.
One thing I would recommend (apart from training up a lot of big hills) is try to take a bit of time to look at the scenery – it is truly stunning.
Have a good one. Oh, and watch out for b@stard speed cameras on the way back to Geneva airport…

I did The Cristalp and Kielder this year and I would say that the Cristalp is harder as the toughest section is at the end where you are

I didn’t have any time to acclimatise but 2800 m isn’t that high anyway.

The first half from verbier isn’t technical at all and I got a bit caught out. I pushed too hard early on and struggled a bit on the final climb.

There is great senery and challenge and I’m glad I did it but there isn’t much technical riding.

I would get some practise in riding gravel roads flat out. The europeans around me were generally pretty rubbish on the singletrack but absolutely trounced me on the gravel road descents.

Registration was in Sion this year which is quite a drive from Verbier which was a pain.
After the ride there is a coach which gets you back to verbier so staying in verbier makes sense.

If I did it again I would only take one full bottle. There were loads of aid stations along the way so carrying any more was a wasted effort.

Oh aye, the comparison to Kielder. I did Kielder on a SS with a 32:16 ratio and lived. Doubt I would have managed that at the Cristalp!

The Cristalp RULES. It’s chuffin’ mint. I really really must get back over there to do it again.

The K100 doesn’t even come close in terms of enjoyment, quality or difficulty. Keilder’s ok, but the Cristalp is class.

(but it’s not as good as Hit the North, obviously).
😉

Right, I will enter the Cristalp. Just need to find some decent hills to train on.
Now, decent hills within 50 miles of Warwick……nope!
Looks like a few weekends away to the Lakes or Wales to get some proper hills in – what’s not to like about that plan?

Just need to sell the idea of a couple of long weekends away in Switzerland seeing her sister to the OH. Shouldn’t be too hard!

when is it? I’ve got pals living in Verbier, might go bunk with them

No comparison with K100, the Christalp is a great event and I thought Kielder sucked in a major way. Did the Christalp about 5 years ago and I want to do it again in a few years time. It’s no technical challenge in the main but the views on the long climbs and some of the speed on the descents are fantastic. There are some techy sections (though I think these would have been easy in the dry) which test your handling skills and make lots of the rodaies get off and run. I did it on a wet muddy year and some parts are incredibly sapping as a result but the cheese, wine and fruit at the last checkpoint then a screaming fast descent straight onto the stage in a massive tent of drinking bike fans and a crazy alpine band is something I’ll never forget. It’s a long day but something you’d never replicate with a current UK event.

The above comment about not carrying too much is great advice – I didn’t know what to expect and carried a 3 litre bladder Camelbak with loads of food/energy gubbins and 2 large bottles on the bike. A large bottle would probably suffice with all the stops unless you get one of the 35 degree heat years.

As for acclimatisation, I turned up the day before after 2 straight days of driving and didn’t suffer any ill effects, granted I was tired by the end but unless you wear red underpants on the outside of your blue tights, you will be no matter how many days early you arrive.

OK I know this is an old post…. But, how does this compare with the SDW100?
Cheers,

I haven’t done the SDW100, but have done the Kielder a few times (100miles, 4500m climbing, the BearBones200 (221km, 5500m climbing) and I would say it sits in between.

Harder than the Kielder, not as hard as the BB200.

Climbs are generally long, no, very very long, and not that steep. There is a very steep bit at the end that is actually a push, but the descents more than make up for it.

As with any endurance race, most of it is in your head, so as long as you have a good level of fitness, finishing the race is a head job not a skill/fitness job.

if anyone is interested looks like entries are open.

https://secure.datasport.com/?graid13

Are you going again mrmo?

that is the plan, have a job and have money, which solves the problem for the last couple of years. Of course it is a lovely day out in the swiss alps,

Only downside technology means you now know hard hard it is.

South downs way
kielder 100
Cristalp

and the longest offroad i have done for a while.

a pootle in the Cotswolds.