Col du Tourmalet, anyone?

Just wondering if anyone on here has "done" the Col du Tourmalet?

If so, how tough is it and how much training did you do over how long?

I'm thinking about it as a challenge for 2011. I'm booked onto The Dragon Ride this year, which will be my first sportive. Need to get fit for it though, as not done anything like this before other than a 240-miles-in-four-days ride last summer.

Is attempting Le Tourmalet next year too aiming too high? I'm 46 years old and trying to get/keep fit now that the chances of a call from Sir Alex are fading fast. I'm thinking that if I don't do it soon I won't ever do it.

Thoughts?

[Bri w]

Not done it, nor been on a pedal bike for quite a while.

Age has bugger all to do with it - well sort of I guess. If you are training properly, and not expecting an Olympic time, I'd say go for it.

As a 51yr old with several unachieved ambitions, and father time and injuries not helping, I'd say do them before you can't coz its bloody frustrating having a 'bucket list' you know you ain't gonna get thro'.

[maviczap]

My old boss did it. He would have been about 63 when he did it, and did no specific training although he does cycle a lot, but not racing, just riding.

I lent him my triple chainset 52,42,32 so always a low enough gear. You might be able to get a wide enough range on a compact set up.

The Pyranean mountain roads are generally steeper than the Alpine roads, and although not as long as some of the Alpine climbs, they are just as tough.

My mate has done 3 E'tape du Tour's and trained hard for them. But they have a time limit, you don't. He's in his 60's. My neighbour did Alpe D'huez a couple of years ago and he's in his late 60's!

So you're not too old by far and I wouldn't mind doing this at some point, although I'd prefer to do Alpe D'Huez first and I'll be 49 this year.

If you complete the Dragon, you'll be able to do the Tormalet.

Some crazy feckers at work are talking about cycling from Lands End to John O'Groates this year. Not sure on their timescale for the ride, but there's a distinct lack of knowledge, planning or training going on at the moment

Originally Posted by Bri w

Age has bugger all to do with it - well sort of I guess. If you are training properly, and not expecting an Olympic time, I'd say go for it.

That's it really.... training. I'm the kind of guy that needs a target, but equally, I'm also a "last minute" sort, too. New boundaries for me, I guess.

Not bothered about the time, just achieving it will be something.

Doing the Dragon with 8 other "blokes of a certain age" so will have company on that.

Originally Posted by Bri w

As a 51yr old with several unachieved ambitions, and father time and injuries not helping, I'd say do them before you can't coz its bloody frustrating having a 'bucket list' you know you ain't gonna get thro'.

I don't have a bucket list..... just a few things I'd like to see or do, and riding the Dragon and Le Tourmalet are the two cycling ones.

The TDF riders have to do it twice this year. Can't be as bad as Mont Ventoux (sp?) in 2009, can it?

Originally Posted by maviczap

My old boss did it. He would have been about 63 when he did it, and did no specific training although he does cycle a lot, but not racing, just riding.

That's encouraging

Originally Posted by maviczap

I lent him my triple chainset 52,42,32 so always a low enough gear. You might be able to get a wide enough range on a compact set up.

My road-bike has a 50/34 compact chainset and a 10-sp 11-25 cassette. Should be enough there to haul my 13st (at the moment ) carcass up the hill

Originally Posted by maviczap

My mate has done 3 E'tape du Tour's and trained hard for them. But they have a time limit, you don't.

If you complete the Dragon, you'll be able to do the Tormalet.

One of my mates will doing his 3rd Etape this year. I think it's the Le Tourmalet stage this year. I guess I'll consider the situation in a few months when he's done it (which he surely will as he's dead keen) and I've tried The Dragon.

The Dragon Ride is timed, and you get a finishing time if you complete within a time limit (9.5hrs I think).

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Jabba

The TDF riders have to do it twice this year. Can't be as bad as Mont Ventoux (sp?) in 2009, can it?

No, its not as bad as Ventoux. My mate was prevented from starting the Ventoux on his last E'tape, as he was too far behind and the weather had changed dramatically at the top (like this year) so the gendarmmes had closed the road. When the Mistral wind blows at the top of Ventoux, it can blow you off your bike!

The Tourmalet doesn't have this problem! But like any mountain, the weather can be good at the bottom, but really bad at the top!

My boss said it was warm at the top, but he said descending he got really really cold coming down through the mist on the Tourmalet

[fizzwheel]

Jabba,

Register on www.bikeradar.com/forums and ask on there, loads of peeps will have done it and be able to give you speific training advice.

The only way to get good at going up hills, is to practice going up hills... so get out there on the steepest ones you can find in your area and keep practising.

I run a 50/34 with 12-27 on the back for sportive and there were a few I had to walk up last year. I dont like the weird spread of gears you get ont he compact, so I'm going to go triple 52/39/30 with 12-27 on the back. Which is basically what I run now but with the granny ring for a bailout set of gears.

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

The only way to get good at going up hills, is to practice going up hills... so get out there on the steepest ones you can find in your area and keep practising.

Really? Dang!!

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Jabba

Really? Dang!!

You know what I mean

How is the training going ? I've started now on the Turbo trainer indoors, sod riding on my 25mm road bike slicks in this weather !

I have alot of weight to shift to get back down to the 13 stone I was last year

Got myself entered for the Tour of Wessex again this year 102 miler. One day I will do Ventoux and I also want to do Alp D'uez as well.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Jabba,

Register on www.bikeradar.com/forums and ask on there, loads of peeps will have done it and be able to give you speific training advice.

The only way to get good at going up hills, is to practice going up hills... so get out there on the steepest ones you can find in your area and keep practising.

I run a 50/34 with 12-27 on the back for sportive and there were a few I had to walk up last year. I dont like the weird spread of gears you get ont he compact, so I'm going to go triple 52/39/30 with 12-27 on the back. Which is basically what I run now but with the granny ring for a bailout set of gears.

Good advice

lose some weight too

All the big blokes on the tour don't go up the hills well, unless you name is Indurain Even he limited his losses to the pure climbers

When I went to the Alps for the 1997 TDF the likes of Pantani and Ulrich were tiny compared to Eros Poli. Ok they were using EPO to fuel their rides, but simple physics dictate that they're going to find hills a bit easier.

I help Poli & Gerard Roux (?) by giving them a push on the climb to Courchevel. Ulrich & Pantani rode up like it was a flat stage

I'm sure that Shimnao or Campag have just released a rear cassette with a 27 or 29 tooth top gear, which is much better in a compact set up. But I'd rather have a triple set up, with a bail out gear. Even though I only weigh 10st 10lb