Marmotte Granfondo Pyrénées We Take Care of the Logistics You Ride the Cols! Sun 25th August 2019 Test your Limits in the Pyrénées! Ride your Tour de France e 165km ­ 5600m climbing v i The Look Marmotte Granfondo Pyrénées is part of the Marmotte sportive t series. If you have ridden Marmotte Granfondo Alps you will already have r a flavour of what these sportives entail. Like it’s big sister Marmotte Pyrénées tests you on 5 passes used in the Tour de France and Vuelta. o It is said that Marmotte Alps is the toughest sportive on the amateur p circuit. If that is true then the new Pyrénées sportive is a close second. Featuring over 5000m of climbing and demanding gradients, the sportive S has everything to put your cycling skills through its paces. In some ways, it could be argued that Marmotte Pyrénées involves tougher climbing than Marmotte Alps. Where the latter has the edge is that the attitudes are s higher. e The views of the Pyrénées mountain range are spectacular and awe­ é inspiring. You will feel both small and part of the land as you reach summits and descend into valleys, surrounded by thousands of your fellow n cyclists all taking on the challenge offered by this fantastic sportive. é As you ride you will not only feel like you are competing in your own Tour r de France or Vuelta you will receive pro­style support from SportActive. y Our support starts before you get off the plane when we secure your registration. Once in France we collect you and your bike and take you to P your hotel and help you build it ready for the big day. Prior to the race we discuss strategy and ensure you know where the feed e stations are. On the big day, our backup cars are ready to help you should t you run into issues, and we carry your personal items and supplies. Our in­ t sportive rider, SportActive’s head professional cycling coach Martin o ensures your pacing is on point to the top of the first col. You will feel like a Pro when you ride Look Marmotte Granfondo m Pyrénées. This is your Tour de France. Ride well and good luck! r a M The Challenges of the Look Marmotte Granfondo Pyrénées! Pacing It cannot be overstated how important good pacing is to completing Marmotte Pyrénées. It is very easy to believe you have more in the tank than you actually do and this can and does lead to issues towards the end of the sportive especially how easy to get lost in the big event feel. One of the most difficult climbs happens at the end of the sportive and you have to ensure you have the energy to complete it. Be mindful of your pacing from the start and you will cross the finish line. Climbing Climbing is the prominent challenge. There are 5600 metres of it and hors category gradients to contend. Your legs will feel it, and you will have a renewed appreciation for pro riders. Once you get to the summit, however, you’ll be pleased to know that they are followed by winding descents. The peloton of thousands and the awe inspiring views will give you the inspiration to get to the top of each and every climb. Altitude Riding at a higher altitude than what you are used to also brings challenges. The air becomes thinner the higher you ride, and this causes issues even for pro riders. Marmotte Pyrénées is ridden at a lower altitude than his big sister but nonetheless, a little acclimatising goes a long way. Distance The sportive is 165 kms of ride which is a considerable and challenging distance. Given the amount of climbing involved this can make it feel like it is markedly longer. It should not be underestimated and will demand focus and endurance to cross the finish line. You will not have to worry about mechanical issues as we have your back. All you have to do is focus on riding the sportive. Peloton With thousands of riders natural pelotons form. This gives you the big event feel, and if you can use the peloton correctly, you can save a considerable amount of energy as you ride the demanding climbs. That said, peloton riding demands focus and attention. Mistakes can and do happen and this can cause accidents especially if you are riding with people you do not know. Climate The temperature can range from 10 – 30 °C during the sportive. The higher you go the colder it gets, and the lower you go the hotter it becomes. We recommend you prepare for the cooler side of Marmotte Pyrénées. As such bringing leggings, arm warmers, gilet, long sleeve wind/rain jacket, light long finger gloves, and overshoes is recommended. Descending The cols are steep and hard to climb and the descents are thrilling, but they do demand focus to avoid collisions. Unless you have ridden the sportive before you may not have experienced descending of this calibre or with so many other riders around you. It is best to think of the descents as an opportunity to recover. The Cols of Marmotte Pyrénées You will ride five major passes used in the professional tournaments of the Tour de France and Vuelta. These cols will test your limits as a cyclist. Col du Tourmalet (Luz St Sauveur) Tour de France First Appearance: 1910 Elevation: 2115 metres Col du Tourmalet is one of the most famous climbs in the Tour de France and is regularly used in the great race. It is often stated to be the highest paved road in the Pyrénées though technically this is untrue. Paved Pyrénées roads leading to the mountain lakes Lac de Cap­de­Long and Lac d'Aumar are higher. Nonetheless, Tourmalet, with its challenging gradients and distance is a test. It features 18 kms of ride and has an average gradient of 7.4%. Some stretches of the climb, however, exceed 10%. La Hourquette d'Ancizan Tour de France First Appearance: 2011 Elevation: 1564 metres Once you reach the summit of Tourmalet you will face the technical descending challenges of the Sainte Marie de Campan road. Once you have reached the end of the descent you will soon find yourself climbing la Hourquette d'Ancizan. This is a 22 kms climb and a 4% gradient. Do not get complacent on this climb as sometimes the gradient hits 12%! Col d'Aspin Tour de France First Appearance: 1910 Elevation: 1489 metres After a short ride, you start the Aspin pass. Aspin has been used in le Tour over 70 times as it links Tourmalet and Col de Peyresourde. Here you will ride 12kms to reach the summit facing an average gradient of 6.5% sometimes encountering a 9.5% gradient to keep you on your toes! This takes you back to Sainte Marie de Campan where you face col du Tourmalet once more riding a different side of the great mountain. Col du Tourmalet (Ste Marie de Campan) Tour de France First Appearance: 1952 Elevation: 1860 metres Faced from Ste Marie de Campan, Tourmalet offers a similar challenge but different views. This time you ride 17 kms rather than 18 kms. The gradients are similar, however, with an average of 7.4% and a maximum gradient of 10%. Once at the summit, the final challenge awaits: Hautacam ­ col de Tramassel. Hautacam ­ Col de Tramassel Tour de France First Appearance: 1994 Elevation: 1635 metres Arguably, the Look Granfondo Pyrénées has left the Crossing the Finish Line best till last. You now face Hautacam ­ Col de Tramassel. It is 13 kms of ride with an average gradient It is a real cycling acheivement to complete of 8%. In some places, you will encounter gradients Marmotte Pyrénées. reaching 11%. Once you have conquered this last beast you will be a Look Granfondo Pyrénées Finisher! Once completed a good meal awaits you Well done! featuring a starter, pasta, cheese, dessert, drink. Make Marmotte Pyrénées your Tour de France! Supported Tour de France Style! Ride fully supported with SportActive! Two Backup Cars and In­sportive Rider! Two Backup Cars Our backup cars are on hand to help you ride the French Pyrénées, and carry spare parts to deal with issues should they arise. Our expert logistical handling, mechanical know­how, and experience, all combine to keep you in the event. You are in good hands when you ride with us. In­Sportive Support Martin, our expert professional cycling coach has ensured that you will get the best in­sportive support possible. Our cars are stationed at key points in the sportive for easy access. After you have passed them, they will keep moving with the riders to be as close as possible should an issue occur. Martin’s teams are well drilled and know the sportive well. They are only a phone call away. Experience Marmotte Pyrénées! Granfondo Marmotte Pyrénées Map & Profile Distance 165 kms Climb 5600 m Finishing Times for Medals Complete the course within these times and earn • Col du Tourmalet (Luz St Sauveur) yourself a medal! • La Hourquette d'Ancizan Men Women Age Gold Silver Age Gold Silver • Col d'Aspin C (18­29): 07:55 09:25 A (18­34) 09:30 11:20 • Col du Tourmalet (Ste Marie de Campan) D (30­39): 08:15 09:50 AB (35­49) 09:45 11:35 E (40­49): 08:40 10:20 B (50&+) 09:55 11:55 • Hautacam ­ Col de Tramassel F (50­59): 09:05 10:45 G1(60­66): 09:30 11:20 General Information Your Schedule Friday Arrival in Toulouse Blagnac Airport Flight to Toulouse Blagnac airport and transfer with private coach to our Hotel in Luz St Sauveur.