Dave Lloyd Complete Coaching

LA MARMOTTE ... DAVE'S STORY

15-07-2007

• More Pictures:

• The Galibier
• Climbing the Galibier

I had begun my "rebirth" as a cyclist about 2 years ago in the winter of 2005, when Sportactive asked me to coach at their prestigious Training Camp in Majorca with Sean Kelly. I had been keeping fit and was delighted to accept their offer. I realised I needed to get "bike fit" again , however, and got stuck into some serious training. Well, I loved it and realised how much I had missed the bike. I got reasonably fit for the Camp and when I was there everyone was commenting on how fit I was, how well I was climbing and descending, and why didn't I race again. I came home with great morale and , although I didn't want to race again, I really needed something competitive to get my teeth into. I had heard of something they called "Sportives". These seemed an ideal way to channel my new found enthusiasm, so I enetered a couple. Well, what an eye opener ... I LOVED them and I have ridden over 20 events since that that first one. I know they aren't supposed to be races, but, come on, they can be competitive up at the front. I was always well placed, time wise, and was fastest in quite a few. So I started to look for a bigger challenge and La Marmotte seemed to fit the bill. This went over the Croix de Fer/ Glandon, the Telegraph, Galibier and the Alpe d'Hez to finish. All climbs I had ridden as a pro and climbs that suited me really well... Or so I thought!

So the plan began in 2006 and I was going to ride it then, but problems with my car on the way to the airport forced me to miss it. No worries, I would make this my main aim for 2007 and really get in great shape for the ultimate challenge. I got big miles in on my favourite Welsh climbs and was getting stronger and stronger. The UK Sportives were hard, but I was flying in them by now.. "Bring on La Marmotte"! The hotel was booked and 4 of my athletes were going to join me for the 2007 "campaign". Now, gear choice wasn't a problem as I had been climbing the side of houses on my 39/25. I had had a special light Carbon bike made to measure and built by Terry Dolan and all was in place for me to storm the event! Some people were questioning my choice of gear, but, come on... I had ridden every Sportive on this gear and I had been over these climbs when I was a 24 year old Pro with TI Raleigh and in those days I only had a 42/25 or similar. It was no problem then , so what's the big deal?

The day soon arrived and Wayne Girdlestone flew out with me to Geneva where we were to get a hire car to take us to our hotel at the top of the Alpe d'Huez. Here we would catch up with my other athletes, Rich Chapman, Jane Kilmartin and Graham Hindle. We arrived the day before the event in order to register and recce the Alpe. To this end Wayne and I rode down the Alpe, did a short ride on the flat and then back up the Alpe to see how the bikes were and to check the gears etc. My gear seemed ideal, and I was climbing like ten men. The scene was set, and the weather, although a bit iffy the day before was forecast to be beautiful for La Marmotte day!... GREAT!

The big day dawned and indeed the weather was fantastic. We made last preperations, got our kit sorted, food and drink on board and descended the Alpe d'Huez for the start. I was lucky to get a great start number of 255 out of 8,000 starters, so I would be at the front of the event. My first misgivings were when I looked at the top riders at the front on the start line! Most were on compact chainsets or even triples. What was this all about? You don't need gears like that for a 107 mile blast over four climbs. OK, there were 18,000 feet to be negotiated, but that would be a doddle on 39/25 surely!? We were due to start at 7am and as soon as the start hooter went it was bedlam. The front guys were down the road at 35 miles per hour and racing for the foot of the Croix de Fer/ Glandon. I stayed with the pace and we were soon on the first climb. The group disintegrated very quickly and I was at the front of affairs. I was climbing with ease and topped the Glandon in the front group. The descent of the Glandon was a bitch. It was so technical and dangerous.. No wonder two guys were killed on this last year I thought! But I decended well and after a short respite in the valley, we were on the Telegraph/ Galibier climbs. By this time , I was beginning to notice just how damn hot it was, but I was drinking and eating and all seemed to be working fine and dandy. I sailed up the Telegraph, catching some more riders who had "escaped" on the flat after the Glandon. Now we were on the Galibier and the start was really shallow and easy, although VERY hot. I wasn't stopping at any feed stations as I had enough to get me to the finish on board. All was looking great.

As I was getting further up the climb, it was baking and the last 6 kilometres were REALLY steep. I was beginning to find 39/25 a tad heavy, but, no matter. I was sitting down and occasionally getting out of the saddle on the steepest parts to keep the momentum going. No-one had passed me on the Galibier and as I got to 1 K to go, I looked at my watch and realised a time well within 7 hours was easily do-able. After this monster , all I had to do was fly down the descent and then rip up L'Aple d'Huez... I was 150 metres from the top of the Galibier now and feeling fine... THEN, what's this? Without any prior warning I got full on cramp in both my Quads and could not turn another pedal. I was devastated! How was this happening? Some one pushed me over the top and I couldn't get rid of the cramp! I spent the whole of the Galibier descent stretching my Quads and freewheeling. I lost SO much time and the cramp wouldn't go away. People were catching me hand over fist and my morale was taking a severe hammering. Eventually my legs did ease off a bit and on the flat to the Alpe, I came around a bit. I got into a group and worked well with them. I now had the Alpe d'Huez hanging over me like my worst nightmare, as I knew I was going to cramp again. Still, I started the climb on the 39/25, sittting down and getting into a slow, but manageable rhythm. More riders were passing me and , by now I was counting down the kilometres and corners to the top. My legs were OK , but I wasn't even breathing heavily and I was SO disappointed. Then with 5 k's to go, BANG, it happened again. Full on cramp in both Quads. I had to get off this time and stretch my Quads. The thought occured that I was going to have to walk the last 5 k's to the top. NO WAY ! I got back on the bike , and to stop the cramp occuring again , I rode the rest of the climb out of the saddle and eventually crossed the line in a time of 7.28.39. I have never been so relieved to see a finish line as the one on top of L'Alpe d'Huez. I was completely shattered and very disappointed with my ride. I had thought a ride inside 7 hours would have been a piece of cake for the "great" Dave Lloyd.

After a while I came around and wasn't so hard on myself. I had made a BIG mistake. I thought I was the "old" Dave Lloyd, when,as a 24 year old pro, I would have flown over that course with absolutely no problem at all. But, I'm NOT 24 years old any more. I am 58 years old and 39/25 is just much too high a gear to get through that course at my age. I also found out after the event that the temperature on the day had been 39 degrees. Nothing can prepare you for that! THAT WAS MY REALITY CHECK !!

But, am I downhearted? No way, I will be back next year with my Compact chainset installed and that 7 hours will be blitzed.. I may be an old fart now, but there are still challenges, and I will NOT be beaten. I just have to realise I am not 24 years old any more and use a gear I can handle next time. The good thing is ... THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME, and I am loooking forward to it already!

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