More gears you have, the better. I’d say bring a 32 at the minimum, more if you can. I’m not going to make it this year sadly, but for 2025 I’m going to be running 10-33 & 35/48. Go for 10-36 if you can run it on your bike, better to have a bail out gear and not need it, than find yourself sat in your easiest gear suffering, grinding away thinking “Oh, i wish I listened to that random on the TR forum” lol
The feed stop at the top of the Glandon (Or Croix de Fer) is very chaotic. Make sure you go over the timing matt before fannying around getting food, bottles etc (or not if you’re not bothered about your overall time). You can go over it and then keep a wide berth going round it if you need to get to a stall before the matt. Just make sure you don’t go over it again or you’ll mess up your timing.
If it goes down the Mollard again in 2024, just beware the road surface is attrocious and it’s super hard to see due to the tree cover/shade. Careful of the corners at the bottom as i saw a bad crash there in 2023.
Make sure you’re in a group for the drag from the bottom of the Mollard to the Telegraphe as it’s quite a distance to do on your own and it’s not completely flat. I got pulled along in a big group and it was bliss.
There’s a food stop just before the start of the Telegraphe if you need it. I picked up powders at the top of the Croix de Fer so i stopped just before the bridge at the base and used the public water pump to fill up my bottles.
If you see someone walking up the telegraphe, don’t feel too smug that you’re still on your bike grinding away. You never know, 10 minutes later you may hit the wall yourself and realise just how far you’ve still got to go (ask me how i know lol)
It starts to get super hot on the telegraphe as the morning sun starts to bake you alive. Make sure you’ve got plenty of water to get to the top. Better to have more than not enough. I found myself stopping for water numerous times just to keep my bottles topped up - I’d rather have more than have to take little sips trying to preserve it.
There’s no way around it, going up the Alpe is probably going to SUCK. It’s been baking in the sun all day so it’s stupidly hot and you can’t escape the sun. Fill your bottles up at the base feed stop, stand in the water mists until you feel brave enough to go suffer. Think to yourself, it’s not impossible, it’s just gonna be super hard.
You’ll probably get part way up and think why the heck have i spent all this money, all this time training to put myself through this suffering. Then, you’ll get to the top, get your medal and think yea, that was great - i 10/10 enjoyed that and all your negative thoughts will just vanish lol.
The crowd cheering you on going up the alpe will spur you on. Spectators at the side of the road offering to poor freezing cold mountain water on your back will be your best friends. I think one of the best feelings i’ve ever had was one of those water goddesses pouring freezing cold water on my neck and it trickled right down my back and down my crack. I get funny looks when i tell people that but it truly was something else lol
Make sure you do some low cadence training, you may find yourself having to grind. Heat aclimatise as much as you can. There’s no way round it, you’re going to bake so may as well be as prepared as possible
Hope that helps…
. The weather is what it is. I ride better in the heat than the cold. But great hearing your tips on water points!! Coming from NZ I live in an area that is all year round 15-30 degrees…. And having summer now is a luxury to ride outside.
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