2008 tijd-Megève Mont-Blanc Cyclosportive
Door Zal ≺ Jun achtste, de Categorie ≺ van 2008: Beklimt, Het cirkelen, Cyclosportives
Wow, ben ik vermoeid!
Aantrekkend verscheidene duizend ruiters, is cyclosportive tijd-Megeve één van de grotere het cirkelen gebeurtenissen in Frankrijk.
Er zijn drie cursussen van variërende moeilijkheid. De vermelde afstanden waren als volgt (hoewel de stijgengegevens vreemd en ernstig overdreven - misschien door 1.000 meter op elk been schijnen).
- Blauwe Route (zie kaart bij bodem): 80 kms - 2.850 meter stijgen (9.350 voet)
- Blauw + Groen: 110 kms - 3.930 meter stijgen (12.900 voet)
- Blauw + Groen + Rood: 140 kms - 4.810 meter stijgen (15.800 voet)
Het ontwerp van de gebeurtenis is zeer knap. U registreert niet voor een cursus. In plaats daarvan kunt u tijdens het ras beslissen. 10 kms van de afwerking van de gemakkelijke route is de draai weg voor de middelgrote route. En bij de bovenkant van de definitieve klim van de middelgrote route is de draai weg voor de deskundige route.
Zo als u goed voelt, kunt u aan een hardere route „bevorderen“. Mijn plan was de gemakkelijke route, maar ik had mijn oog op de middelgrote route. Er was een scheiding van de aankomsttijd om deze route toe te laten te nemen.
Is hier is het korte video tonen me die progressief uitgeputter wordt: 
Het begin was in Sallanches en was een weinig een dierentuin. Het nam een tijdje om de beginlijn te kruisen aangezien het in een smalle helling concentreerde om onze timingsspaanders teweeg te brengen - slechte planning.
Beklim #1 - Col. de la Colombière
Na snelle 20 kms door de vallei Arve, bereikten wij de eerste klim: Col. de la Colombiere - ik nam een pipi en zag opnieuw nooit Barry. Ik zag de Reis DE Frankrijk van 2007 bij de deze grote klim. Wow, de laatste drie kilometers is steil! Hoewel veel mensen me overgingen, was ik vrij pleased met mijn tempo - maar besliste een korte snackonderbreking slechts te nemen om de optie van de middelgrote open route te houden.
Beklim #2 - Col. des Aravis
De tweede klim - Col. des Aravis - is beduidend gemakkelijker. The last few kilometres are superb, big hairpins with big mountains on each side. By now most of the fast people (thousands!?) had already passed me, so generally I was passing people on the climbs and being repassed on the descents (wimp!). And this is a hairy, crazy, picturesque descent.
Climb #3 - Col des Saisies
At the bottom was Flumet and time to make a decision. I knew Barry was probably already finished, but I felt pretty good and was well ahead of the cut-off time, so I bravely (stupidly?) turned right to climb Col des Saisies adding the green track on the map to my day.
I ate and drank so much I possibly gained weight. But the extra calories definitely stopped me from bonking near the end.
The route avoided the main road and took a superb quiet back road via Crest Voland that was new to me. I chatted with a funny French guy and let my pulse drop 3 beats, relaxing a little - I enjoyed this climb a lot.
A fast descent on a terrible surface and I had succeeded.
I am pretty pleased to have made it through the middle course. Woooohoooo! A great day.
At the car I took my tights off and we walked through town to get a coffee. On the walk back we noticed that my bike shorts were inside out - very stylish!
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Will is Happiest while cycling uphill. More enthusiastic than talented, his 2008 Challenge is to (again) cycle 160,000 metres of vertical ascent.
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encore bravo !!!
(you’re really good at videos)
Congrats on completing the medium route. Looks like it was a great ride.
Fantastic ride Will! I know you feel truly accomplished and even with bruised/busted ribs. Congrats! I love the video… it really is nice to get a feel for the event and the French is a nice addition to learn. Thanks for the entertaining post.
I knew it, I knew it. All the rides we did together you were holding yourself back. Great ride. And now off to slogfester’s blog for another portion of “sad I wasn’t there”.
Oh yes, I trained too yesterday. Believe it or not, but Katy and I joined my parents for a 90km ride. Good fun for everyone and great ride for my parents as they are both well in there 60’s. But slow and flat for us. I can still hear my mum’s excited voice when we reached the bridge across the motorway: Go for it, go for it! She was genuinely convinced that the bridge would somehow make up for not being in the Alps. Sweet mom.
And sure belgian beer is the best in the world. I had many, without the slightest effect on my “performance”
Hi, Will!
Have come across your site a couple of times already! Absolutely brilliant! Supplies with all information one needs and will certainly help me to prepare for upcoming events.
Did the Time-Megève Mt.Blanc on Sunday as well and agree with you regarding the ascent data. Did the long run (with cramps in both thighs (flexor and extensor-hell!)) and had merely 3955m of ascent on my computer, thus 900 short of the announced 4810. Distance was matching!
Ride on,
Alex (Bavarian currently residing in Geneva)
Hi Alex,
Congratulations on doing the long course - and with cramps no less! I had to smile when you said “merely” 4,000 metres - still a huge day.
I was about 1,000 metres below on the middle course - and distance was correct. I think this must have discouraged a lot of riders from trying the harder routes - or even entering. Strange.
Eric - I hope you brought back some Belgium beer for the Dauphinée on Thursday