I have not yet done a HR event, but when I was looking into it I came across a summary of positions relative to w/kg. Can’t recall where I got this from, fairly sure it was from HR article.
While I believe this is true to some extent, I don‘t like the focus on FTP so much for these types of events. Of course, FTP is a very good measure for ability to perform, but since this isn’t a one hour TT at sea level up the world‘s steepest mountain, there is a lot more to look at.
I‘d consider myself an „overachiever“ when it comes to 20 minute FTP tests. I am just really good at them. I am dragging myself all year through hard FTP level intervals with block periodization, and as a result, I can really light up an FTP test. However, performing my FTP for an hour is another thing. I am much closer to 92% here, than 95%. Additionally, this is a race that takes place in the summer, in the high Alps. I live in the low lands of cold Germany. I am neither used to riding several days in 35 degrees, nor am I used to riding up one HC climb after the next.
Don‘t get me wrong, I have done all of this. I have ridden in the UAE for several days in 40C+ and I have ridden Ventoux, Col de Vence and several other French and Swiss climbs of 500m+ elevation at over 5% grade.
From the chart up there, I should come in around 10th (when measured at sea level). However, I just cannot imagine, that there are more than 10 guys with much more experience, who live and train at altitude all year round, have ridden hundreds of HC climbs and dozens of stage races, who are just that much more „durable“.
If that makes sense. The thing I am concerned about most isn’t not having sufficient power. But much rather not being prepared well enough to do these things 3 or 5 days straight, at up to 2200meters of altitude, in the summer etc…
I had a very bad experience at Col de Vence this summer. I wanted to go top 500 on Strava, that would be 350 Watts for just under 30 or so minutes. I went out at 360, music blaring from my earphones, and I was so stoked. In the beginning I felt like Romain Bardet dancing on the pedals. 15 minutes in, I had a slight tailwind, which sounds great. But the air wasn’t moving one bit anymore. It was 37 degrees and I didn’t have enough water on me to cool myself off. Power dwindled crazy and I came in at under 320W on 1500th or something. I was super upset.
Two days later, I went up Ventoux with a target power of 310W and ended up with a 325W average for just over 1h10min.
Why am I telling all this? You have great and not so great days on the bike and it is sometimes difficult to influence these types of things. A more experience rider will do better at altering the game plan than a rather newbie like myself. So the picture of Finishing in XY position at Z Watts per kg is a lot to narrow minded for myself…
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I have recently added the Haute Route to my bucket list. Won’t be 2021 but hoping to tackle the first round in 2022. Will probably start with the 3 Day then go for a 5 and finally 7 day (ultimate goal-mid pack ambitions). For those that have done it before:
What are the biggest things you wish you had known before the race?
I live in the Midwest so hills are virtually non-existent. What has worked for similarly geo disadvantaged riders in preparing to climb for so long at these altitudes?
I have seen the compacts. I don’t think I’d be interested because although it would definitely be a big weekend in general, it’s a little to close to what I train at. My normal Sunday rides are 100km-100mi with with 1500m-2500m of climbing. I do want something that will challenge me of course, just not break me. For me, a Haute Route may be a once in a lifetime thing traveling to another country, financially and all that (especially with the world the way it is today), so I’d like to do the “full” trip and do the main route. Thank you for the suggestion though, that was helpful.
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I did the HR Alps 2019. Amazing experience. First time cycling in the Alps. Would highly recommend it.
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The guy that has like 5x wins on the Haute Route is Ruari Grant, he lives very close to me. I’ve not been riding with him but i do follow him on Strava. He’s clocked like 25 thousand km this year, and has some insane top 10 / KOMs across the alps.
He has never raced me though…
just kidding. I know him (not personally). He is an absolute beast. Guys like this are of course unbeatable for guys like me… however, seeing that Oliver Bridgewood placed Top 20 in HR Oman, gives me a good feeling. I don‘t to sound condescending, he is clocking in loads and loads of miles. But his power numbers are not THAT impressive…
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I don’t know what he weighs - I’m guessing not a lot, because his FTP is roughly 300w, which isn’t massive in absolute terms.
I think in all events like this there is a relatively small group of guys who have a realistic chance of winning/placing and a much larger group who are doing it just for the experience.
One of the things that was putting me off was getting my as$ kicked, but looking at the power numbers above, I’d hopefully be able to hang mid-group. Hopefully!
Ollie is around 4.5 W/kg FTP if I remember correctly. However, he is super experienced (a lot more than me) and has ridden several super long events (Several Haut Routes, dozens of TTs, Everesting etc) so his watts are worth more than mine. Don’t just look at FTP, but rather what power you can still do on Day 3 of such an event.
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I also would be careful with FTP as an indicator for performance at haute route. Endurance and all the mentioned parameters are much more important…
Mt Ventoux and Alps are unfortunately already sold out…
At least Ventoux opened for Registrtation TODAY and I could still sign up… Unfortunately, my fiancée wants me to marry her that weekend. Very unlikely she‘ll let me go (will rather let me go for good 
)
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Awesome! Yesterday it displayed: waiting list.
Now there are no excuses anymore - except marriage (done) or birth of a child (maybe)…
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All,
I’ve done 3 HRs, both 3 & 7 day, and I used to be a HR ambassador:
- Haute Route Mavic Rockies - 7 days
- Haute Route San Francisco 2x - 3 days
These are very well run, and the 7 day events are really challenging, but completely doable if you take the training seriously.
While I’m no longer an ambassador, I do still have contacts. So if you’d like to connect with an HR ambassador (they should also have a discount code 
), PM me you name / email, and I will let them know to reach out to you.
Cheers,
Matthew
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Very nice. What would you say is the most important thing to prepare for when willing to stay in the mix (not win)?
Be realistic on your capabilities and ability to recover. It is really easy Day 1 to go out to hard / try and stay with too fast a group, and then pay for it in the following days.
Additionally, unlike a gran fondo, HR utilize segment timing within each Stage. So no need to go hard outside the timed segments, unless you need to to stay with a fast group that will benefit you in a timed segment. So echoing what the TR folks have repeatedly said on the podcasts: only make efforts when it will benefit you. Don’t be the hero and pull a group.
Lastly: recover, recover, recover. Part of this is to can purchase add-in’s to make your life easier. If you can afford these, do it. You don’t want to have to fool around with your bike at the end of a long stage. Also, bring the food you want to eat during the day, and carry enough to be able to be self supportive
Someone looking over your bike each day is definitely a good thing. I was lucky in that I had no issues, but there were some people scrambling for batteries for their shifting or chargers etc which I’d imagine would be a nightmare scenario.
The food thing isn’t THAT big a deal. When I did Ventoux there were generally 3-4 feed stations each day, with a feed station always being available before the last big ascent up the mountain. Bring some food if you think you’ll need it to get to the first feed tent, but after that they have MORE than enough food/bars/gels/liquids to keep you going for the day, and you’re free to take a bunch of it with you when you leave each station.
I’ve done 3 versions, all 7 days: Pyrenees, Alps and Rockies. TrainerRoad is the biggest reason I survived and even thrived in all three. For each I used sweet spot base, build and specialty to get ready. I’m roughly 4wkg and finished in top 200 each time. Best cycling experiences of my life and will do more when finished paying for kids college!
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Did Dolomites in 2018 and it was a fantastic experience! You are really taken care of in every aspect. Just having TdF mechanics take a run through of your bike each day is worth the steep entry. I did LV-plan in 2018 and finished top 30 (note that HR D only had about 100 participants).
Signed up for C-M in 2021. Hopefully I will be able to participate, but who knows how the pandemic situation in Europe will be. But you gotta have faith, right? This time I’m doing MV-plan. And actually planning on doing the Climbing Road Race Specialty, not the Century I did last time. Sustained efforts are my force, but the steep grades where I need to visit red zones is really a limiter. So I thought I’d incorporate more above threshold work.
In 2022 I’ll be 40 and my present to myself is HR Alps. I’ve informed the missus since I came back from Italy in 2018 so she should be prepared to accept a “week of ego” in 2022 
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Absolutely a dream ride through the alps. The GCN video really made it look epic and amazing.
