Ok 3 weeks to go, gulp !! TopbikeTV have posted some videos on youtube, in last 2 weeks, that may be worth a view, if like me you haven’t done before. Titles ‘Marmotte 07′ and ‘Post Marmotte 2006′ give an idea of a few different aspects and a bit of ‘pee’ taking of a few of the participants 
Can I suggest, subject to approval from Phil and Chris that the participants for this year meet at Epic shop for a viewing of the ‘cyclefilm’ DVD, so Simon can give us an idea of what to expect at various points on course. A proposed time could be 6pm Saturday 20th June 2009. How would that fit with everyone ??
Did I say 3 weeks, Oh Dear me !!!!!!! 
Sounds great, unfortunately Charl and I are at a family wedding in Somerset on the 20th, is there any chance we can borrow the DVD after?
3 weeks is far too soon, I’d better start eating!
To be fair, there isn’t much young Simon can tell you that the course profile doesn’t. I will attempt to break it down for you now…
Start at Bourg d’oisans…flat for 10km, getting a nice tow from some Germans who will undoubtably be talking as you’re gasping for breath.
The dam at the foot of the Glandon…legs immediately seize as you go from 45-50kph to 10-15kph. It’s at this point you wish you hadn’t bothered and start cursing Simon for even talking you into it!
The Glandon…25+km’s of wishing you had done more training and eaten less.
The descent off the Glandon…manic grins and possibly a new pair of bib shorts as you almost overcook the first hairpin realising you’re not Danilo Di Luca.
The LONG drag from the bottom of the Glandon and the start of the Telegraph…this is where you will meet those pesky Germans again and where you will wish it was possible to eat like Jan Ullrich.
The Telegraph…no not the british daily broadsheet, an 11km oven that you only realise you’ve finished when you crash into other Brits frantically fighting for cheese and ham sandwiches at the feed / summit.
The Galibier…purgatory. Seriously, this is the hardest part of the course and if you are flagging now (like i was last year!) then you will soon have intimate knowledge of your front tyre and handlebars. The climb gets ludicrously difficult at Plan Lachet, a huge right hand bend which is the last point i remember seeing Simon last year. There is a small cafe a few km’s from here where they sell coke (the fluid not nose candy!). From the cafe you can see the the col on your left way over in the distance. WAY over. Again more cheese and ham sandwiches, and broken bodies at the summit. Take the time to eat and have a look at the view. Trust me you won’t ever want to climb it again!
Off the Galibier and toward Bourg d’oisans… 48kms of downhill it looks like. And it is, until a few km’s after the chambon lake, where some French comedian / road builder threw in a 1km rise. You will hear much cursing here. Strange how all nationalities can swear in English!
The Alpe…i wouldn’t want to spoil the fun, you can figure this one out yourself! Just remember to cheers me on when i roll in after 10hrs!!!
I thought you were flat out at work Mr Smith doing 12 hour shifts. Obviously found enough time to write the above essay.
Sounds a fair appraisal mind. Although a picture of you with 2km to go would have said it all with out any where near as much time spent two finger typing. That image is going to remind me to eat and take it steadier on the Glandon. I know we said that last year but i think the memory of the suffering that followed should be enough to stop me from chasing Stu early on.
Are we going to have a sweep stake on what times we think we are going to do?
For anyone interested I think the dauphine libere goes over the galibier today. It’s on eurosport at various times of the day.
Mr Ward, how dare you cast such comments about my reasons for not training! It has absolutely nothing to do with being lazy. Much. I think i’d be happy with getting round faster than last year. One second or 30 minutes, i’m not fussy. If anyone did see the Dauphine today, the descent off the Croix de Fer was actually the descent off the Glandon and is the one the Marmotte uses.
When is a good time for everyone to get together to watch Dave’s DVD then. Be good to add a little extra anxiety to every ones preparation.