Megavalanche 2012 entries are now open. If you are a mountain biker, the Alp d’Huez Megavalanche is THE ultimate race and one you really should tick off your mountain biking bucket-list at some point.
If you haven’t heard of the Megavalanche, then I’ll give you a brief description of what it is: Picture the Alps, in summer, 200 riders on a single start line. You all start to the sound of some crazy Euro-techno and race down a 2600m decent across snow, rock, dust, tarmac and grass.
To put 2600 meters into perspective; South Wales’ second highest Peak, Pen-Y-Fan is only 800m… above sea level. Mt Snowdon is only 1085m, and Britain’s highest peak, Ben Nevis is 1344m. Or, the Rheola downhill track is 300 metres decent, so it’s the same as doing nearly 9 runs… in an hour!
If you are thinking of entering this year, here’s a few top tips:
- You will need to drive, going by plane will be far too much haste and you’ll never carry all your kit. Try and go with 3 other people in a van if you have the option – trailers will incur higher road tolls which are going to cost you about 100 euros each way – so be sure to factor it in your budget.
- Take spares. You really have to plan ahead when you’re heading to the Alps to ride. They do have bike shops in France, but your local bike shop will have far better stock.
- Book early. And try to stay in Alp d’Huez not at the bottom of the valley. It might be a bit cheaper, but there is far more going on in the resort and you won’t have to drive up the 21 bends to get your lift pass, which is tiring enough in a car, let alone on a bike.
- It’s a long drive – around 15 hours, so you could do a stop off at Les Gets on the way down to add a bit of variation to the trip.
Kit List:
You will need a full face helmet, long finger gloves and elbow pads. These are compulsory so don’t forget or you might not get to start. The Organisers also recommend knee pads and a long sleeve jersey. Some people recommend full body armour, but personally I’d find it a bit too restrictive for an hours riding.
You will need something warm for the start that is fairly light weight – a packable jacket maybe. The start line is going to be cold – the race starts at 3300 metres above sea level so it’s going to be cold, even in summer and if it’s warm at the bottom. Don’t take too much clothing as you are going to have to carry it… unless you have a support team.
You’ll need to take spare brake pads. I’d take two pairs to be sure. (Personally I’d have two pairs, one sintered and one resin, but you don’t have to break the bank). I’d also take brake fluid, as the alps do take their toll on your brakes – at least get them serviced before you go.
Goggles or glasses – I could never ride without eye protection. Especially not when you ride with 200 others and the terrain goes from snow to dust with everything in between.
Tyres - If you are running trail tyres or single compound rubber, I’d highly advise you upgrade to dual ply. Also, go for at least a 2.35 tyre and 2.5 max. My chosen rubber will be a 2.35 Maxxis Minion at the front and a 2.35 Highroller at the back. Take a spare if you can, if you bust a tyre wall it’s going to cost you.
Hydration pack. You are going to need to drink on the way down, so carry some fluid in your back pack. You can also stick a trail tool kit.
Trail tool kit – you might want to carry the following
- Spare tube
- Puncture patches
- Pump
- Multi tool (with chain splitter)
- Money (about 5-10 euros)
- Phone
- Power links
Don’t forget to take your Helmet cam - personally I don’t think any do it better than Go Pro. You are going to want to show people how crazy this race was and there will be crashes. Hopefully you won’t be involved in any.
Photos from:
