Just back from competing in the megavalanche
14 July 2008, 02:40 PM
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Just back from competing in the megavalanche
For anyone that doesn't know the event, watch the vid here:
25framez.com » Video & Gallery: Megavalanche Alpe d'Huez 2007
Having been riding in the Alps the past five years, including riding in the Passportes du soleil event, this year we decided to enter the Mega! What an absolutely amazing week!
Headed out to stay at my friend's Lodge in Morzine last weekend, totally amazed with the performance of my 335i touring...2 of us, 4 bikes, clothes, tools, camera bags etc etc. all inside, plus we did calais to morzine door-to-door in around seven hours. We averaged (yes averaged) 90.2 leptons from calais to morzine, including the mountain passes through les gets!
spent the first few days hacking around the Portes du Soleil with Troy from 661...chatel, lindarets, les gets etc.
and then headed down to alpe d'huez on the Tuesday evening, staying with Troy on the amazing 661 mobile home. 150k of four-star hotel on wheels.
Spend the first day riding with some friends from MBR mag (Danny came 54th overall last year) practising the lower section of the megavalanche plus the whole qualifying track. Thursday was pretty much purely practising the qualifying track and fixing up the bikes. Qualifying went very well until the road section... next year I will be doing the full events on my ellsworth moment as all the time I made up on my downhill bike over the top section I lost threefold having to push up the hill. And then I got stuck badly behind some slow people who wouldn't move on the switchbacks down to the village. Still, managed to qualify 81st in my group, although I would dearly like to have made the top 50 and the main event.
Race day was unbelievable. Constant rain and thunderstorms, and the strong likelihood that the event would be cancelled. After waiting around for hours in the cold and rain the sky lifted and although we were not allowed to start from the top of the glacier, we were told to head for the start of the qualifier and that the race was on.
Two minutes before the start of the event, the sun came out, the paclite came off, and we were go. With several hundred riders starting at the same time, the helicopter hovering literally just overheard and music pumping from the PA, I cannot tell you what a buzz it was. Riding the top section of the qualifier again and this time on the Ellsworth only confirmed that its totally unnecessary to ride a downhill bike on this event. I made a fantastic start, and continued passing people over some of the treacherous rocks on the first section. I also managed the long arduous traverse without getting passed by more than two or three people, and I was looking good for a top 50 finish.
That was until I came to the steep switchbacks, usually my best bit. Unfortunately on one particularly difficult left-hand bend, where most people were walking, my front wheel stopped and I went over the bars, completely off the side of the trail. It took me easily five minutes to climb myself and the bike back up onto the trail. By this point I was totally knackered, and the ground was so steep and wet and muddy at 1.I thought I would just have to sit out the rest of the race til someone could help me up.
Further down the final section I had another similar silly off with similar consequences, and then couldn't use my goggles because they got steamed up badly and everything was too muddy to wipe them, so I had to stay a reasonable distance from people in front so as not to lose both my eyes
Anyway, I ended up 118th in the megapromo, which all things considered I am very pleased with. I learned a huge amount about the event, both in terms of preparation, kit and tactics, and am convinced I can return next year, qualify for the main event and get a top 200 finish overall.
I believe 64% of the racers were British this year, and the overall atmosphere was absolutely fantastic. Roll on the DVD!!!
Ed
25framez.com » Video & Gallery: Megavalanche Alpe d'Huez 2007
Having been riding in the Alps the past five years, including riding in the Passportes du soleil event, this year we decided to enter the Mega! What an absolutely amazing week!
Headed out to stay at my friend's Lodge in Morzine last weekend, totally amazed with the performance of my 335i touring...2 of us, 4 bikes, clothes, tools, camera bags etc etc. all inside, plus we did calais to morzine door-to-door in around seven hours. We averaged (yes averaged) 90.2 leptons from calais to morzine, including the mountain passes through les gets!
spent the first few days hacking around the Portes du Soleil with Troy from 661...chatel, lindarets, les gets etc.
and then headed down to alpe d'huez on the Tuesday evening, staying with Troy on the amazing 661 mobile home. 150k of four-star hotel on wheels.
Spend the first day riding with some friends from MBR mag (Danny came 54th overall last year) practising the lower section of the megavalanche plus the whole qualifying track. Thursday was pretty much purely practising the qualifying track and fixing up the bikes. Qualifying went very well until the road section... next year I will be doing the full events on my ellsworth moment as all the time I made up on my downhill bike over the top section I lost threefold having to push up the hill. And then I got stuck badly behind some slow people who wouldn't move on the switchbacks down to the village. Still, managed to qualify 81st in my group, although I would dearly like to have made the top 50 and the main event.
Race day was unbelievable. Constant rain and thunderstorms, and the strong likelihood that the event would be cancelled. After waiting around for hours in the cold and rain the sky lifted and although we were not allowed to start from the top of the glacier, we were told to head for the start of the qualifier and that the race was on.
Two minutes before the start of the event, the sun came out, the paclite came off, and we were go. With several hundred riders starting at the same time, the helicopter hovering literally just overheard and music pumping from the PA, I cannot tell you what a buzz it was. Riding the top section of the qualifier again and this time on the Ellsworth only confirmed that its totally unnecessary to ride a downhill bike on this event. I made a fantastic start, and continued passing people over some of the treacherous rocks on the first section. I also managed the long arduous traverse without getting passed by more than two or three people, and I was looking good for a top 50 finish.
That was until I came to the steep switchbacks, usually my best bit. Unfortunately on one particularly difficult left-hand bend, where most people were walking, my front wheel stopped and I went over the bars, completely off the side of the trail. It took me easily five minutes to climb myself and the bike back up onto the trail. By this point I was totally knackered, and the ground was so steep and wet and muddy at 1.I thought I would just have to sit out the rest of the race til someone could help me up.
Further down the final section I had another similar silly off with similar consequences, and then couldn't use my goggles because they got steamed up badly and everything was too muddy to wipe them, so I had to stay a reasonable distance from people in front so as not to lose both my eyes
Anyway, I ended up 118th in the megapromo, which all things considered I am very pleased with. I learned a huge amount about the event, both in terms of preparation, kit and tactics, and am convinced I can return next year, qualify for the main event and get a top 200 finish overall.
I believe 64% of the racers were British this year, and the overall atmosphere was absolutely fantastic. Roll on the DVD!!!
Ed
14 July 2008, 08:06 PM
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14 July 2008, 11:58 PM
#4
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Nice one. I have a full headcam of the quali run I'll upload at some point (although it's 44 mins long!!!)
Just found a good pic from one of the pro sites:
Just found a good pic from one of the pro sites:
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