Megavalanche – Alpe d´Huez

Jul 12, 2011 at 0:08

Jul 12, 2011

by Kamil Tatarkovic

After finishing 6th in the Mont Saint Anne World Cup 4X, I came home for about 5 hours, repacked everything necessary, jumped in the car and drove to Alpe d´Huez France for the big enduro DH race – Megavalanche. I had been thinking about doing this race for a long time, but every year there were conflicting races which made it impossible. Finally this year I could try it.

Mega Avalanche Alpe d'Huez top 5

1. Remy ABSALON (COMMENCAL France) 0:42:32,460 0:00:00 A
2. Jerome CLEMENTZ (CANNONDALE France) 0:43:19,890 0:00:47 B
3. Rene WILDHABER TREK RED BULL (TREK Suisse) 0:43:30,000 0:00:57 A
4. Nicolas VOUILLOZ (LAPIERRE France) 0:43:31,550 0:00:59 A
5. Karim AMOUR (KONA France) 0:44:40,800 0:02:08 A

Complete results at bottom

Megavalanche 2011 Alpe d'Huez

I don't have any experience with enduro races, so I just watched few videos and thought "I'm ready". And guess what, I was completely wrong. It was the huge amount of pedaling that I wasn't expecting, and that got me down on the ground. I'm a 4X rider, I train for a 1 minute sprint on a 4X track, so a 50 minute DH run with few uphills wasn't too friendly to me. The qualification wasn't that bad, I finished in 6th place in my run (200 riders) which put me in the 2nd starting row for the final.

From 2000 registered riders just the 350 fastest went on to the finals...

On the race day we had to be at the top of Pic Blanc (3300m above sea level) at about 7 in the morning

I think it was around zero degrees celsius at the start. Luckily the temperature rose a little bit and the ice disappeared in some places, but it was still super slippery.

As the tape rose at 9am all 350 riders started their final descent to the Allemont (730m above sea level).

It was insane and crazy in the middle of the field of riders. One guy pushing on the right side, another one on the left, in front of you someone crashes but it is impossible to brake, behind you someone hits your back wheel, and it continues like that for about 2-3 minutes.

After that it became a little bit calmer but still everyone was on fire and excited.

After riding on the ice/glacier there was a pedaling part heading to the long singletrack.

After that we had to climb few hills and go through some flat parts where I was really dying, and unfortunately a lot of riders passed me there.

Another long downhill followed and I tried my best but at the finish line I was 60th.

I was little bit disappointed as I was expecting a better result, but on the other hand it was my first race this kind, and without any DH or XC training I was happy to get down in one piece and finish a 50 minute run without stopping.

Big respect to all the top riders out there as I think this is really challenging race and you have to be super fit with a lot of skills to win this race!

Mega Avalanche Alp d'Huez 2011
Mega Avalanche Alp d'Huez 2011 Women

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39 Comments

Score Time

+ 14

vineet (Jul 12, 2011 at 12:07)

One day i will be riding here in Megavalanche. This is something i have to do before i die.

giantrider2294 (Jul 12, 2011 at 18:45)

me too, definitely

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basscommander (Jul 12, 2011 at 11:54)

I've been there too... made it to the "Megavalanche Challenger" (Small finals Saturday morning)
It's been the best experience I've had with DH-Biking so far...
Again next year!

Everyone should do this at least once!
And if its just to have the possibility to have a ride on those tracks... its awesome!

[Reply]

krazyjey (Jul 12, 2011 at 12:46)

Epic race, qualifier run was a superbe beside vomit 3 times on the way after the ladders, i race the sunday and finished 132 th.
To win this race a 5-6 inch bike is the right tool, i hated the climbs !!! pizzas and beers for training , didn t broke the bike or the men , But finished the run to allemont in 1 h 21 mns, due to me pushing my bike to all the uphill ? sometimes mental and long for a downhiller party boy ! but an amazing race and scenery, my hands and braking abilities were gone 5 minutes after the start.......and that is only the begining .
Do It !!!

fergiesindahoose (Jul 13, 2011 at 8:41)

Cool story bro

angrynipples (Jul 13, 2011 at 14:40)

dont be a twat ^^

angrynipples (Jul 14, 2011 at 10:11)

krazyjey that was directed at ms fergie. I thought it pretty impressive that you are one of the few to have embarked on this epic race. props to you bud.

fergiesindahoose (Jul 14, 2011 at 15:32)

Derp

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teamdoa (Jul 13, 2011 at 13:19)

Nico and Anne Caroline should do some more downhill races, if they can do so well in these kind races I'm sure they could still smoke people in the world cup downhill. Surely these races are harder from a physical and skill point of view?

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Kimbers (Jul 14, 2011 at 9:33)

best ride in the world !!! well that ive done this year was less climbing than previous years but still brutal and nico V is a great guy we were on an uplift from the bottom of the valley with him one day, not only did he have time to chat but his bike was one of the first on the trailer and after hed unloaded it he helped unload every other bike on there, which was nicer than most other riders there especially when my kona stinky weighs a shedload more than his carbon lapiere!

[Reply]

EnduroManiac (Jul 12, 2011 at 13:22)

Still the same crazy feeling at the start and during the runs despite the course changes.
But quite a pity they made the second half of both courses (quali and race) so much easier than before Frown

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scott-townes (Jul 12, 2011 at 14:21)

Anne Caroline Chausson... please do one more season of the WC! She was and still is the best woman rider of all time.

EnduroManiac (Jul 12, 2011 at 23:53)

I'd love it too, but if she comes back and wins everything again (which could well be), what about the credibility of current riders? We saw last year at Whistler Crankworks she won all races she took part in despite the world champ Emmeline Ragot was there (and a few other female top riders). And she claimed she hadn't ridden a DH rig for years......

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JRoe (Jul 12, 2011 at 15:03)

I just love the fact that the guy who won was on a brand new commencal meta. Big Grin

manchicken (Jul 12, 2011 at 16:18)

sponsored by commencal. I swear he just wins everything enduro now

EnduroManiac (Jul 12, 2011 at 23:51)

Actually pro for Commençal. And that's a long time he started to win everything! But the new bike might make it easier (?).

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slashthehot Plus (Jul 12, 2011 at 15:32)

next year i'll be there and try too keep up with these guys . the only thing i need is an allmountain rig ! and a ticket plane to france

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JHewitt (Jul 12, 2011 at 14:42)

being a medic there must be fucking intense! hopefully ill ride this some day

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wee-eck (Jul 12, 2011 at 16:56)

Joe Barnes, 10th place, fae Bonnie Scotland, gaun yersell son!!

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gastonz16 (Jul 12, 2011 at 13:52)

No me parece una carrera para dh sino para montain,xc pero es un hermoso paisaje!

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krazyjey (Jul 13, 2011 at 4:10)

parts of my qualifier run
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzn-rsfMg3w

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DARKSTAR63 (Jul 13, 2011 at 11:26)

These things are epic, I would love to race one.

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nikolaus (Jul 14, 2011 at 7:53)

The vanish - Heartbeat (Remix : Give me a kiss)

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SuperBock (Jul 12, 2011 at 11:42)

the first 2000€ i earn i will spend'em on this race..honest!!!

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max14221 (Jul 12, 2011 at 12:45)

doing it next year i cant wait going to be epic

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dhpanda (Jul 12, 2011 at 22:48)

That looks surprisingly fun!

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chamo (Jul 12, 2011 at 14:54)

video

www.zapiks.fr/megavalanche-2011-alpe-d-hue.html

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sweetonic63 (Jul 12, 2011 at 11:33)

shit thats looks fun!!

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Spec-Rider (Jul 12, 2011 at 16:24)

In the vid the guy in second totally cheated the first corner!!

T1mb0 (Jul 12, 2011 at 18:20)

He just didn't take the long corner, but what he did was fine. The top section of the course is always taped out wide for saftey and to allow for many many lines. Smile

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Maverickdh00 (Jul 12, 2011 at 12:37)

AWE sum

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goodman245 (Jan 3, 2012 at 11:04)

when are entry dates

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bubbaleech (Jul 12, 2011 at 23:22)

Haha, some of these dudes seem to walk their bikes the whole way!

krazyjey (Jul 16, 2011 at 16:15)

like me , !!!! i am a downhiller . Xc fitness and trail riding up the hill was never my agenda.

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SubRosesPWN (Jul 12, 2011 at 11:45)

yeah looks hard to

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monkei (Jul 12, 2011 at 19:30)

WOW that looks fun!

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voltagerider Plus (Jul 12, 2011 at 16:23)

MEGA!

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miseik129 (Jul 13, 2011 at 3:04)

Song ??

no-ah (Jul 15, 2011 at 11:49)

i have been trying to find out the same thing. have you found it?

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