So how are you all training for either of the longer Haute Routes (5 or 7 day)? I understand doing multi-day blocks of intensity is the recommended way to go (followed by a couple off/easy recovery days). Just not sure of the intensity. All sweetspot? First day threshold, 2nd sweetspot, , third tempo? I have the fascat HR plan and dont really like its layout. What do you all think is the best plan, for say the last month and a half, leading up to the event?
Since the start of the year, I did
SS Base Mid Volume
Sustained Power Mid Volume
SS Base High Volume
The next few weeks will be 3 times a week on TR (some Vo2, low cadence) with one 5 hr outdoor ride on the weekend and a taper for HR pyrenees.
I am in better shape than last year at this point, plan now to complete itwithout crashing out. 
2 Likes
I checked out the event app for Alpe dâHuez, and was wondering how to understand the cut-off times. For example on the first day, the cut-off time in Barrage du Verney at 18.4 km, is 7:40 for the first rider and 7:45 for the last rider. Thatâs only a 5 minute difference? How does that work? Does it mean that the first timing mat will be at Barrage du Verney? Could one in theory start at Barrage du Verney, 
I very much expect us to start day one out in The Valley. Usually these events donât start with a cold start at the top of a mountain. Also, donât think this is an actually cut off time, just the time they expect it to take for the entire peloton to move through.
Edit: after looking through the documents. The only cut off times on day one are the Croix de Fer (first and second time).
On the second time there is only Les Deux Alps which is a cut off time.
The other times are expected times of arrival.
1 Like
Hey guys, Alpe dâHuez is getting close! Wishing you good luck. I just keep my fingers crossed we wonât get too much rain.
1 Like
Yeah, I am a little worried about the rain. Although 3 days ago it still said 30+ and sunny, so letâs see what the forecast is in 3 days from now.
Right now itâs rather a little too warm for my liking:
3 Likes
Ah you already arrived? How cool.
1 Like
Looks so sweet to be there. Right now my trip is hanging in a very thin thread as Brussel Airlines have warned about cancelled flights on Thursday due to a âcall for social actionsâ (basically a time limited strike) by their employeesâŠ
Man, that sucks. From Brussels however, itâs a half day drive to get to Alpe dâHuez. Took me a cool 13 hours from Hamburg.
1 Like
They just cancelled our flight. We travel from Norway so Brussels was only a transfer.
The mountains will be there next year as well
Thatâs so disappointing!
Oyess⊠And HR is not letting us defer our entry, citing paragraphs at us (we are a group of 4 traveling). While I understand the reasoning being this clause I disagree to using it against us in this particular case. This is a very expensive event and I hope they could apply some common sense in this case, but Iâm not getting my hopes upâŠ
2 Likes
I keep my fingers crossed! It would be reasonable to offer a deferred entry as the strike happens completely beyond your control. It also makes sense from a business perspective - 4 happy clients are likely to return to another HR event and give good press.
With all the flight cancellations across Europe, Iâm lucky itâs a relatively short ride for me.
