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La Marmotte 2009 Bike Race
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La Marmotte is one of the toughest one-day cyclosportive events in the world.
The route is 174 km long, but features more than 5180 metres of climbing. The event goes over the Col du Glandon, Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier and finishes at the top of one the most famous Tour de France climbs, Alpe d’Huez.
The 2009 event
Starts
7 am – Marmotte – 174 Km – Bourg d Oisans
10 am – La Mi Marmotte – 76 Km – Valloire
Finish
Alpe d’Huez
Snowjet flights to Chambery are NOW on sale for 08/09
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Snowjet flights to Chambery are NOW on sale for 08/09.
- Book early for the best deals.
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Snowjet prices start at £29 and are inclusive of all taxes, a 20kg baggage allowance, free ski or snowboard carriage.
How To Buy Bicycle Components And Bike Clothing Online
Posted by: | CommentsHow To Buy Bicycle Components And Bike Clothing Online
By Andrew Caxton
At one time you could only buy cycling equipment at your local cycle shop, if they had what you wanted or you had to hope they could order it and then you would have to wait for it to come and hope it was the right size, colour or price. Then cycling magazines started to have adverts for the bigger stores and you could post off a cheque and wait for your prized article to arrive. Now things could not be easier, your at home watching the Tour de France on television, you see you hero attack on the mountainous slopes of Alpe-d’Huez, what are those sexy carbon cranks he’s using? They look like FSA or are they Campagnolo, they could be Stella Azurra, which are they? How much will they cost? Where can I get them? Well, get on the Web, put the name of that most wanted item into your search engine and see what it comes up with. The next move can be nearly as exciting as riding your bike up the mountains, that’s making comparisons of all the equipment, something you probably wont be able to do at your local cycle shop and then ordering it online, the worst bit is waiting for it to arrive.
All the top cycle components, clothing, frames and cycle manufacturers have their own web-sites, once you’ve found what you really want for your bike, most sites can link you to a retail out let, from there, with the use of your credit card you can order the goods on-line, or check out a store near to where you live and if they stock what you are looking for. This is best for items of clothing, shorts and jersey sizes vary from one maker to another and there is nothing worse than receiving your new professional look a like kit and it is too big or small, so get down to your local cycle shop or sports store, try on your choice for size and if all is OK, you can buy it there and then or if you don’t mind waiting and it’s at a better price, order and pay for it online and wait for it to arrive in the post to your house.
There are many cycling shoes on the market, and finding the right ones for you can be hard. Look them up on the web, go through the search engine or if you have a particular make in mind, find them online and if you can’t try some in a shop, this is best, because size can be a problem, one manufacturer size 9 could be a half size bigger or smaller than another company, and most of the best cycling shoes are Italian, so remember that European sizes are very different from American or English sizes, and German shoes are wider and Italian shoes are narrower and you may be looking for a size 44 or 45, so try as many different shoes you can and then make your decision. Very importantly with shoes is which pedal system you are using, Look, Shimano, Campagnolo, Time and all the other systems have different fittings on the sole of the shoe, check up which they have on the shoe manufacturers web-site and then it should then be safe to order them online.
An other good and very important item you could look for online is a cycle helmet, as with most cycling goods there are many different helmets on the market, some times the helmets you see on the heads of the professionals are difficult to find, but anything is possible on the net, just type it in and away you go, it may be that just the helmet you are looking for is available in Holland, get it ordered, it may take some time to come but if its what you want it’ll be worth it. Sizes of helmets, like shoes can vary, so if it is possible to try before you buy, then make sure it’s a comfortable fit, the big difference between cycle shoes and helmets is that helmets come with different pads to go inside so you can make the helmet fit exactly, which could help if you’ve ordered the wrong size, this is not something you can do with cycling shoes.
The net is a great way to find the frame size you want for your new bike, with the new sloping frame designs it can be tricky to know which size to order, all frame designers have their own ideas for what is best, so if you know the top tube length of your present bike then you can compare online with the design dimensions on the manufacturers web-site and then you will know what size to order either at you local bike shop or from your internet supplier. As this is probably the most important and expensive thing you’ll buy for your cycling, and so with online shopping you can make sure you make the right decision.
Andrew Caxton contributes adding articles and professional reviews to http://www.bike-cycling-reviews.com. At his site you will find technical reviews on bike parts for both road bikes and mountain bikes.
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The Tour De France – An Introduction
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By Darren Gilbert
For experienced followers of the Tour De France, the colours, speeds and craziness of it all is exciting, inspiring and totally addictive. For those watching for the first time, however, like being dropped in the middle of a city without a map, it’s daunting and confusing.
The Tour De France in every sense is vast…
Comprising twenty two teams, one hundred and ninety eight riders, four different competitions, two and a half thousand kilometres, two of the world’s biggest mountain ranges and a supporting cast of hundreds of team cars, coaches, motorcyclists and helicopters, its numbers dwarf all other sporting events.
Taking three weeks to complete, the Tour draws the world’s biggest live and televisual audience. No event, not even The Olympics or World Cup inspires more people to forget about their everyday life and involve themselves with the drama of sport. In 2004 nearly a million people gathered on one 17km stretch of the Alpe D’huez climb alone. It’s audience figures are even more remarkable when remembered that unlike the World Cup or Olympics, the Tour is an annual event, and far from waning, interest in the Tour grows every year.
HIstory
The Tour was born in 1902 when Geo Lefevre put forward the idea of a cycle race that circum-navigated France to his two friends Henri Desgrange and Victor Goddet. Desgrange and Goddet, editor and accountant of the sporting publication ‘L’Auto’ were looking for ways to boost circulation, and put the attractive, if crazy idea into motion the following year.
The very first Tour De France left Paris on July 1st 1903. The uninitiated balk at the distances the modern day Tour riders cover, which can be over 200km a day. Imagine, then, the strength and determination required to ride the very first stage of that very first Tour, which incredibly started in Paris and finished in Lyon: A staggering 467km. More remarkable when one considers that roads in turn of the century France are not as they are now, and that bikes in the early 1900s did not have gears!
The inaugural Tour was ridden by 73 riders over eighteen days, six stages and 2,428km and proved a huge success. Boosting sales for L’auto and cycle manufacturers Le Francais, whose team won it, the Tour had also captured the imagination of the French public. Over a hundred years later it is more popular than ever, drawing a world-wide audience, and whilst the founding ethos remains the same, the race has changed somewhat.
The Modern Tour De France
The Tour De France comprises four different competitions, the leaders of which are awarded different coloured jerseys at the end of each day’s racing or stage. The overall leader wears the famed Yellow Jersey or Maillot Jaune, the heroic King of the Mountains is in the equally prestigious Polka Dot Jersey, whilst the points leader and best young rider wear the Green and White Jerseys respectively. To wear the Yellow Jersey, even if only for a day, represents for many riders the pinnacle of their career.
The Tour is designed to showcase the different types of cycling and thus now has about 20 stages which fall into three categories. Flat Stages, contested by the Sprinters, Mountain Stages, which are dominated by the climbers and Time Trials for the riders who can push a big gear around a course ranging from 40 to 60km. Every rider must complete every stage and specialists tend to dislike other disciplines; climbers for example don’t traditionally make good time triallists and sprinters don’t like climbing.
In recent years the Tour’s validity has been questioned in the light of drug enhanced performances. Some say it’s symptomatic of our society, but we should not let the actions of a few tarnish the reputation and honour of the many. To watch a rider battle an Alpine Col after cycling nearly 200kms in blistering heat is to witness a very human, and thus, very inspiring drama. To continue when every sinew and muscle is screaming for cessation, to meet one’s doubts head on and to triumph is to distil in sport the human condition.
Please see my other articles on the Tour De France for more detailed information on this magical race.
Darren sometimes writes content rich articles with no backlinks purely for your enjoyment and enlightenment! This is one.
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Family Cycling Holidays in France
Posted by: | CommentsFamily Cycling Holidays in France
By Martyn Davis
Cyclists of all abilities can look forward to some fantastic scenery whilst on a cycling holiday in France, along with experiencing traditional French cuisine in the many hotels you stop at on your travels through the scenic countryside.
France is a country that is extremely enthusiastic about cycling, as we are all no doubt well aware with the Tour de France, and they have made it ever so easy to explore the countryside and cities on two wheels, with dedicated cycle paths and routes all around.
Cycling holidays will give you peace and tranquility with awesome views of countryside, chateaux, medieval towns, hilltops, valleys and gorges and these are just some of things that you would easily miss out on if you were driving through France, and with the rich heritage, extraordinary landscapes and the gastronomic delights can all be appreciated more whilst cycling, especially because of the extensive national network of veloroutes.
These veloroutes will take you along canal towpaths, quiet country lanes and converted railway lines as well as getting you into the heart of the countryside by using voies vertes, also known as green ways, which are specially designated tracks that are completely shut to motorised traffic, you can even hire your cycle en route from one of many locations-velos that line the major cycling routes.
You can still find areas in France that are so peaceful, it is rare to see a car, yet you may be passed by a few very passionate cyclists! Stopping for lunch and experiencing the local cuisine and of course the local wine is must and you can often find fortified villages scattered along the hill-tops and valleys for the most pleasant of stops.
Or if you prefer to have your trip organised then why not let the hoteliers transport your luggage by finding establishments that offer an “accueil velo” which are hotels and bed and breakfasts that cater specifically for cycling holidays throughout France.
With a French Alps cycling holiday you cannot go wrong, as you will be able to discover some of the Worlds most spectacular cycling routes, with climbs like the world famous Col de la Croix der Fer and Alpe d’Huez around Grenoble. But as well as the Alps, cycling in the Pyrenees with its mountain climbs such as the Col de Portet d’Aspet and the Col d’Aspin will provide you with the opportunity to see some of Europe’s most beautiful locations. Although these are not for the feint hearted! If you have ever watched the Tour de France, you will have seen some of those mean mountainous routes and the suffering these cyclists go through, yet perhaps this could be just the type of holiday you are looking for!
Also, the Midi-Pyrenees offers a wealth of art and history from prehistoric cave paintings to Renaissance mansions and is also famous throughout France for its cuisine which is rich with foies gras, Roquefort cheese, Gaillac wines, and Armagnac brandy, but to make the most of this region, it is often advisable to plan your cycling holiday very carefully, so that you can enjoy the many different places en route.
Yet if mountain biking and going on strenuous cycling routes through the mountains is not you, then do not worry, there are plenty of other areas in France that will cater for the novice or the family cycling holiday, just like Brittany, this area is ideal for a family cycling holiday, as the coastal routes along the bays are reasonably flat, making the trip easier, whereas the Loire is more undulating, yet fabulous chateaux and riverside towns will enthral you and the family on your travels.
What about the Poitou-Charentes area, which is an excellent choice for those who love wildlife and bird watching, as the area is still extremely rural, even compared to some of the other areas in France and Burgundy is a great place to cycle along the many canal paths.
Then there is the Dordogne which is extremely picturesque, and from the rivers and gorges through to forests and vineyards, this area provides such a diversity you will enjoy the whole experience from the start to finish of your holiday.
Mind you, with a cycling holiday organised for you, there is no need to worry about where you will stop for a break or lunch or where you will be staying, which means you do not have to have your panniers full to the brim, as all your belongings are transported on for you, ready and waiting for when you arrive at your next stop, plus if you decide to add in other activities, such as canoeing and horse riding as well, then your bikes will be transported to your next stop and you will be picked up at a specified location.
So whether you are a cycling enthusiast or a novice with a family, France is a fantastic destination to explore on your bike.
Martyn Davis European Traveller, Author, Photographer and Business Development Manager, for all your French holiday needs and travel guide to France, with tourist information, landmarks and attractions – Family Cycling Holidays In France
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