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:
4 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.
The photos of Sportograph are up. Some really nice motives they gotđđ»
I particularly loved this one taken during the TT:
It epitomizes Alpe dâHuez with its hairpins, where you can see your chasers by looking down.
2 Likes
As I was trying to figure out what I was getting myself into at the Haute Route Pyrenees 5-day stage event this July, I found these forum posts incredibly helpful pre-event.
To give back, hereâs my write up of my own HR Pyrenees prep and some geeky numbers from the event itself that I just finished (I was GC 3rd at the end).
[FYI, not marketing, selling or promoting any products ⊠just some N=1 data and thoughts how to possibly go even faster. I hope itâs helpful for your prep or deciding whether to sign up for HR events]
Blog link.
4 Likes
Hi Sami,
Thanks for posting this and congrats on such a good result.
I was hoping you might be able to give a few more details on the four day camp you did three weeks out from the event.
I have a family holiday booked 1st to 14th Aug and start HR Alps on the 21st.
At the moment these two weeks are blanked out on my TR calendar, but I am taking my bike with me and will be able to do some up with the sun rides.
What Iâm not sure about is intensity, frequency and duration.
Iâve not go much more of a plan than going out for some longish rides in the first week and maybe find a short climb for some sweetspot efforts in the second week, plus add some easier flatter stuff.
If anybody else has some suggestions for how to fill this two week block, theyâd be much appreciated.
Another forum member has very kindly given me some routes to try out, which is a great help.
Thanks
Sure!
The âcampâ was basically four days of the following:
- 4-6hr rides (~70-110miles, 8000ft+ of vert) each day
- by following terrain the work was typically 1-2hrs of low Z2 to start, then a climbs 1-2*10-20mins at threshold (FTP or FTP+) and finishing with 30-45mins of sweetspot (typically a climb) so about 1h to 1h15mins of high quality work with the rest low Z2 or Z1
To absorb the work and turn it into fitness, I think itâs equally important to go in relatively fresh (3-4 easy days before) and then have a recovery week after. I kept decent volume on recovery week, but eliminated all intensity above Z2.
Thanks, thatâs very helpful.
I think a hard first week, followed by some easy zone 2 recovery could fit in with other holiday plans
A few updates on my experience with Haute Route, and I am not super happyâŠ
After crashing my season to an end, I had to cancel my participation in Haute Route Alps.
And for Infinity Pass holders, thatâs not possible. No deferral to next year, no refund on the fee. And only 20% refund on the accommodation package, although I have asked for deferral over 40 days before the event.
I am not saying thatâs not in their T&C somewhere, but bike racing is a dangerous sport, injuries happen and I am not really super stoked how they handle this.
I have booked the Infinity Pass way back in November of 2021, when it was really uncertain if any events could take place at all. I find that a big commitment on my side. Now, I am the idiot, having paid âŹ2,000 for the infinity pass of which I have used some âŹ850 for AdH + âŹ2800 for the accommodations, of which I have now received a refund of 20%.
That means, I have lost around âŹ3300.
I really love what Haute Route offers and really enjoy their events. What this has taught me however is that booking long in advance, and especially getting an Infinity Pass can save you a few bucks here and there, but really puts the entire money on the line, months and months in advance. When you have an infinity pass, the money is gone.
I will not opt to get this again, and I am pretty upset by thisâŠ
Just wanted to let you know how this is handled.
On a positive note, I will want to participate in future events (HR kinda has an unique product here, that really appeals to me), and the new calendar will be revealed 20th of Aug.
2 Likes
Sorry to hear about your crash! Hope you are recovering well.
I have stated my issues with HR above, and itâs not been solved. My biggest gripe with this is basically a) they still had information on their website (removed after I pointed it out to them) that stated we could be deferred to next year, and b) they have no way insuring a very steep entry cost. I was going to do the C-R last year, but due to C-19 uncertainties I bought insurance through them. And I could not go. With the insurance that set me back roughly âŹ100. Still money, but way less than the entry fee. That option is not there anymore.
And travel insurance doesnât cover these types of expenses. Sometimes âsh**t happensâ, and thatâs why we have insuranceâŠ
Seems HR has changes their T&Cs/policies since being acquired by IRONMAN. Seems like the sceptics at the time of acquisition got it right this timeâŠ
