Marmotte 2010 – Final Word
Well, all the results are in, the photos have been bought, forums read, the memory of the pain subsides and the plans start to form for improving my time for next year. At some point you have to realise it’s over. Glorious but over.
The biggest problem with the Marmotte; stopping it overshadowing the whole year – cycling-wise at least.
I posted my report before the results were available
| Total starters | 7,500 (estimated) |
| Total finishers | 5,206 |
| Percentage finished | 69% |
| Percentage DNS/DNF | 31% |
| Average time | 9 hours 12 minutes 26.5 seconds |
| Fastest time (Michel Snel) | 5 hours 46 minutes 6.4 seconds |
| Slowest time (John MacDonald) | 13 hours 43 minutes 20.0 seconds |
| Me | |
| Total Time | 6 hours 54 minutes 34.4 seconds |
| Overall Position | 182nd |
| Percentage riders faster | 3.5% |
| Percentage riders slower | 96.5% |
| Position (UK entries only) | 14th |
| Seconds behind AndyC | 37 |
| Percentage faster req to beat AndyC | 0.15% |
| Entrants by country | |
| Holland | 1,249 (24%) |
| Belgium | 1,008 (19%) |
| UK | 775 (15%) |
| Denmark | 632 (12%) |
| France (!) | 590 (11%) |
| Spain | 427 (8%) |
| Italy | 104 (2%) |
| Others | 325 (6%) |
Will I qualify for an elite start next year? That would be amazing. I’m not sure what the rules are.
If anyone wants to read some great reports and different perspectives from the event check out the Bigfoot Marmotte page including a story or two of proper heroism!
Apparently, if you book yourself in to the 3 rides in that week of cycling (Vaujany, Marmotte, Grimpeur) for 96 euros, you get yourself a starting position in the top 2000. Get to the starting pen early and, by the time you reach the Glandon, you will be hobknobbing it with the great and the good . (Not sure if this is true, but someone I met when grumbling about my starting number said that this was the tactic they used to get an early start.)