Ötztaler Cycle Marathon

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HJ

HJ

Cycling in Scotland
Location
Auld Reekie
I haven't actually ridden it but I do know someone who has, he said it was tough but he really enjoyed it and would do it again. There was a discussion thread last year (link here), if that is any help.
 
M

Mrs HJ's cousin

New Member
Location
Austria
So what is it like? The route is great (some very nice alpine pass roads in beautiful scenery), and the event as a whole is very well organized. Of course it is also one of the toughest one day races for hobby cyclists. Especially the last big climb, Timmelsjoch, is a seriously difficult one, actually one of the most difficult ones I know. It's not just sheer length (1.800 m of altitude difference) - the profile is quite unrhythmical, with some steep bits that really hurt. This is also why you should definitely try not to push too hard on the way there (at least when your real challenge is not to be fast but to finish without any major problems).

Preparation took up a lot of my spare time that year (I did about 85.000 m of climbing before the day of the "Ötztaler"), but it was a great challenge and the marathon itself was an amazing experience. I won't forget the slightly unreal feeling after crossing the finish line, when I just had to shake my head at what I'd apparently just done…
 
M

magnatom

Guest
Every time I look at that course it frightens me, yet at the same time I'm sure I can hear it call my name....:becool:

One day, maybe one day I will take the challenge, however, that will be a good few years down the line. As Mrs HJ's cousin suggests (HJ are we going to meet the whole family), you would need to do a significant amount of climbing before you entered.

MHJC, did you do all that training in the UK? I'd be surprised if you could find hills big and long enough!
 
Telemark

Telemark

Cycling is fun ...
Location
Edinburgh
Hello Mrs HJ's cousin :becool:

magnatom said:
Every time I look at that course it frightens me, yet at the same time I'm sure I can hear it call my name....:biggrin:
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:thumbsup:

magnatom said:
One day, maybe one day I will take the challenge, however, that will be a good few years down the line. As Mrs HJ's cousin suggests (HJ are we going to meet the whole family), you would need to do a significant amount of climbing before you entered.
Click to expand...
When (not if!) you go for it, some of us might come and help push you up those switchback roads :laugh:

magnatom said:
MHJC, did you do all that training in the UK? I'd be surprised if you could find hills big and long enough!
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Mrs HJ's Cousin is based "on location" in Austria :biggrin:.

T
 
M

magnatom

Guest
Telemark said:
When (not if!) you go for it, some of us might come and help push you up those switchback roads :becool:
Click to expand...

Don't be so sure! In all seriousness, it depends on how my right knee holds up over the next few years as I do more hill climbing (on the bike of course!).

Mrs HJ's Cousin is based "on location" in Austria :laugh:.

T
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Ah, that helps! :thumbsup: How many times would I need to go up and down Crow Road.....:biggrin:
 
Telemark

Telemark

Cycling is fun ...
Location
Edinburgh
magnatom said:
How many times would I need to go up and down Crow Road.....:thumbsup:
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According to the Cols d'Ecosse webpage the Crowroad from Lennoxtown is a climb of 276 m, the Oetztaler is approx. 5,500 m ... so that makes 19.9 ascents :biggrin:, with the final climb up the Timmelsjoch (1800m) equivalent to 6.5 Crow roads in one go.

Or you could do the biggest climb in Scotland, the Bealach nam Ba (625m from Applecross) 8.8 times ...

And of course there is the overall distance of 238 km (148 miles in "old money"), which has all these climbs thrown in :laugh:

Have fun :becool:

T
 
HJ

HJ

Cycling in Scotland
Location
Auld Reekie
Hi Mrs HJ's Cousin, welcome to the mad house :biggrin:

magnatom said:
Every time I look at that course it frightens me, yet at the same time I'm sure I can hear it call my name....:biggrin:

One day, maybe one day I will take the challenge, however, that will be a good few years down the line. As Mrs HJ's cousin suggests (HJ are we going to meet the whole family), you would need to do a significant amount of climbing before you entered.

MHJC, did you do all that training in the UK? I'd be surprised if you could find hills big and long enough!
Click to expand...

Given that there are 173 entrants from Denmark (the highest point in Denmark is lower that Arthur's Seat and it is a bridge!) and 164 from the Netherlands, people for whom your daily commute would be serious hill training, I would think there are at least 337 you could beat... :biggrin:

You just need to get in a few more Sportives and you'll be ready, maybe next year... :biggrin:
 
M

magnatom

Guest
HJ said:
Given that there are 173 entrants from Denmark (the highest point in Denmark is lower that Arthur's Seat and it is a bridge!) and 164 from the Netherlands, people for whom your daily commute would be serious hill training, I would think there are at least 337 you could beat... :biggrin:

You just need to get in a few more Sportives and you'll be ready, maybe next year... :biggrin:
Click to expand...


Anyway, that's enough about me....how about you HJ...?:biggrin:
 
M

Mrs HJ's cousin

New Member
Location
Austria
magnatom said:
Don't be so sure! In all seriousness, it depends on how my right knee holds up over the next few years as I do more hill climbing (on the bike of course!).
Click to expand...

Well, the "Ötztaler" does not really go easy on your knees. You can make things a bit better when you use a gear ratio with a nice and "slow" bottom gear. I used an unmanly :angry: triple crankset (30 t small ring) combined with a 12-27 cassette. This helps in keeping up a pretty much decent cadence on the steeper bits.
Nevertheless, my knees felt a bit sore after the marathon, which they otherwise hardly do after riding.
 
Telemark

Telemark

Cycling is fun ...
Location
Edinburgh
[quote name='Mrs HJ's cousin']Well, the "Ötztaler" does not really go easy on your knees. You can make things a bit better when you use a gear ratio with a nice and "slow" bottom gear. I used an unmanly :laugh: triple crankset (30 t small ring) combined with a 12-27 cassette. This helps in keeping up a pretty much decent cadence on the steeper bits.
Nevertheless, my knees felt a bit sore after the marathon, which they otherwise hardly do after riding.[/QUOTE]

I hear there is a risk of being sworn at by some Germans manfully walking as you ride past them on your wimpy sensible triple :angry:

T
 
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