Overview

Test your Limits in the French Alps

Without question this sportive will test you. During the ride you will climb 5000m+ and have ridden the big four mountains of the French Alps. This sportive will test your limits.

High Altitudes

As you climb high into the mountains you will face the challenge of high altitude riding as the air thins! This and hors category cols in a sportive setting makes Marmotte Alps that little bit special.

Be Part of a Peloton of Thousands

The atmosphere and camaraderie of riding in the Marmotte peloton has to be experienced. As you ride you will come to rely on the peloton as you scale your first col. By the time you descend the last one you will share a mutual respect for every rider that has taken part. You will experience the big event feel, similar to riders who compete in the Tour de France!

Supported Tour de France Style

As well as riding the cols of the Tour de France, we support you like you were a pro rider in the great race. We use three back-up cars and back-up riders, so should you need fresh water, or a puncture fixed, we are here to ensure you stay on the road and finish the sportive. Support is given Tour de France style!  We are an official tour operator of Marmotte Alps.

 

Logistics - We've got you covered

Our logistical mastery secures your race number and entrance into Marmotte. We handle airport transfers for you and your bike, and our mechanic helps you building your bike when you arrive, ensuring it is in full working order. All your accommodation is secured by us. We've got you covered.

Check out our exceptional assistance on the DAY! 

With our growing reputation of quality and efficiency all you will have to do is turn up and ride. (You will need to have trained before though!). A SportActive team leader, a mechanic, and three back-up cars will give the SportActive riders support, coaching (if needed) and security. Martin, our expert SportActive pro cycling coach, will depart with the group offering coaching and pacing to those who require this help.

Secure your entry, book now with SportActive

The numbers of entries have been limited by the French Road Security Body to 7500. For this reason a lot of entry requests cannot be satisfied.

Guarantee your place, book today! All places will be gone in a couple of hours. Sportactive have secured a number of guaranteed entries. Book yours now and start training!

 

 

 

 

Itinerary, Cycling Location, and Profile

The sportive starts in Bourg d'Oisans, at the foot of Alpe d'Huez.

You fly either to Lyon St Exupéry airport or to Geneva Cointrin airport and drive through Grenoble to Bourg d'Oisans. Airport shuttle services are available form both airports to Grenoble.

 

The toughest Alpine Cycle-Sportive in Europe

La Marmotte is a one day sportive, known as the toughest in France and in Europe ; you will cover 174 km & 5000+ meters climbing over 4 major alpine cols: col du Glandon, col du Télégraphe, col du Galibier and Alpe d’Huez. This is going to be a hard day and you need to be well prepared for it. But it's worthwhile. The scenery over these mountains and through the valleys is enchanting and will sometimes allow you to forget the effort; just one look around and you realise you are not alone as you see your fellow 7500 cyclists.

 

 

 

 

 Profile

174 km and 5000 metres+ climbing. Just 12 km warm-up before starting the first climb, le col du Glandon. No point racing like in a 10km TT! Glandon is hard and will not forgive you if you don't manage your energies. The neutralized descend will allow you to recover. The long ride through 'la vallée de la Maurienne' looks flat but it is not and most of the time you will find a head wind.  If possible, ride it in a peloton to save your energies and get mentally ready for Télégraphe. Galibier is a gem: look round you instead of focusing on your screeming legs. Then, enjoy (if possible) the 40 km descend to Bourg d'Oisans : Alpe d'Huez is waiting for you to come.

 

 

 

  

Itinerary 

Thursday Arrival in Lyon airport

Flight to Lyon St Exupéry airport and transfer with private coach to our Hotel in Alpe d'Huez.  The bus  will leave Lyon at the arrival of the Dublin flight at 15:10.  Should you arrive from a different airport please make sure you arrive in a time bracket of 1 h after the Dublin flight.

Friday

Time to build the bikes, explore the area, test some hairpins of Alpe d'Huez, if not all of them..., get used to the altitude.

Saturday

Another day to get used to the altidude and get your legs in shape for Sunday. We'll have an information meeting in the morning and give you your registration bags with the race numbers. Prepare your bikes, get your bags ready for the back-up cars and have an early night.

Sunday: the BIG DAY

You "free wheel" down to the departure in Bourg d'Oisans (16 km). Race start time will be 7:30 for the SportActive group. During the Sportive, you can manage your own ride (feeding stations available ; details will be provided) or you can stay with the SportActive coach pacing the group up the first climb. Four back-up cars for support will be on the course; you will have telephone numbers to call the drivers. At the arrival in Alpe d'Huez, a warm meal is served to the riders: Featuring a starter, pasta, cheese, dessert, drink. Our hotel is situated very close to the finish: a good incentive to ride up Alpe d'Huez to the finish line!

Monday: Flight home

Transfer to Lyon St Exupéry airport with private bus.  Travel safe, see you next year!

Check out your time & Marmotte Alps Website

Official site for La Marmotte
To find your results

 

 

Prices and dates

 

 

 

What's included / not included

What's Included

• Registration to the Sportive
• Pre-event information meeting on Friday morning, in which we hand out your registration pack and race number
• Full support including 3 back-up cars carrying spare clothes, refreshments, spare parts, and drinking water
• SportActive bike mechanic for assistance when assembling your bike
• Secure bike storage
• Transfers airport-hotel-airport for you and your bike. Check details
• 4 nights’ B&B in 3 star hotel in Alpe d'Huez, based on 2 people sharing room; Good comfortable large en-suite rooms
• Pictures we take throughout the event

Not Included

• Flights
• Single Supplement
• Drinks during the meals and other private expenses
• Private medical & travel insurance
• Bike hire (Talk to us)
• We'll carry inner tubes and tyres (for purchase)

 

 

Services & Information

Hotel Alpe d’Huez *** 

We'll stay in a 3 star hotel in Alpe d'Huez, close to the finish line. The hotel offers very nice and spacious en-suite rooms with typical mountain decor. We book B&B with well-adapted breakfast menus for cyclists (even porridge!). On the event day, morning breakfast will be served from 5:00 am.

Alpe d’Huez offers a wide selection of restaurants within walking distance for evening meals and lunches.

Single rooms are available from 46 € to 64 € / night - depending on room type.

 

Flights & Airport Transfers

 

The flights to use for this holiday, if flying from Ireland, are the following :

Aer Lingus

• Thu 29th June 2023,  Dublin to Lyon St Exupéry, flight EI552, dep 11:40 arr 15:00
• Mon 3rd July 2023, Lyon St Exupéry to Dublin, flight EI553, dep 15:30 arr 16:50

For UK Departures or from other countries, please try to get your flights close to these times in order to avail of our group airport transfers.

Please don't book flights until the sportive date is confirmed by the organiser. We will update you and our website accordingly.

 

Transfers

• Private airport transfers for you and your bike, to and from your hotel, for the flight times indicated above, are included in the price.

We have secure bike storage in our hotel. SportActive will supply high pressure pumps and tools for assembling your bikes. In addition, the SportActive bike mechanic will be on hand to assist with the bike assembling.

 

Bike hire is available via a third party provider in Alpe d'Huez, located 200 metres from pour hotel:

Sarenne Sports, 33 rue du Pic Blanc,  38750 Alpe d'Huez 

phone: +33 (0)4 76 80 44 76

website: www.sarenne-sports.com
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

They offer the following bike:

Road bike LOOK 765 OPTIMUM RS, cull carbon

Ultegra Compact,11 speed, 50x34 and 11x32 cassette

sizes: 49/XS, 52/S, 54/M, 56/L, 58/XL

 

Weather & seasonality

Due to high altitude temperatures and the weather can change quickly. It can be 30 °C in the valley to lower than 10 °C on top of the climbs.

We advise taking a range of warm clothing including:

• Leggings,
• Arm warmers
• Gilet
• Long sleeve wind/rain jacket
• Light long finger gloves
• Overshoes

Thunderstorms are likely to happen in this season. Be prepared!

Remember you will have the three SportActive back-up cars to carry your clothing items and have them available on top of the climbs.

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Request my Holiday Details

 

 

Download the Brochure

You can download the following PDF :

Download the brochure

this is the 2021 brochure. 2022 brochure to come soon. But only date and price will change

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