Originally Posted by Hammertoe
What kind of shape were you in for those climbs. Had you been doing any training before (for my future reference)...
Heh. I'm currently living in Denmark, where the most feared hill, the mighty Munkebjergbakke, is a towering 1km at 10% -- which equals almost exactly ride to the
first hairpin on Alpe d'Huez! So the only way to get hill training is to turn into the wind and sit up (seriously, I did this).
But I have ridden the mountains of Virginia (Reed's Gap, Wintergreen, Vesuvius), so I had an idea what I was in for, and I ride a fairly consistent 2-300km / week. But La Marmotte was a whole different story. I can't imagine how the pros go out and ride that in under six hours or whatever...and then do it again the next day. I can't wait to watch the Tour this year when they go over Galibier. "Hey! I've been there!" (We also road some of the same roads where Floyd lost, and then regained, so much time last year. Mostly the losing part.)