Megavalanche 2017 - Practice Photo Epic
We’re here in Alpe d’Huez, famous for road cycling, skiing and more importantly the Megavalanche. 2,500m of descending, which starts at 3,300m on the glacier at Pic Blanc. This year the glacier has melted back quite a bit, and pretty slushy, this meant it was pretty slow. Tripod-ing down, and on the flatter sections scooting along. Once you’ve marched through the slush, it’s then on to single-track, from super technical rock sections to super high-speed sections. Woods, berms, even with added loam this year.
This is the 23rd year of the Megavalanche, and yet the track still terrifies all that compete. We can only imagine how difficult it would’ve been 23 years ago. It still brings in competitors from all over the world, with people of 37 different nationalities.
Pic Blanc, the lift station perched on top at 3,300m.
Views that span for miles and across multiple different valleys.
In the morning, the queue was growing to the final lift with no signs of movement. Unfortunately, the lift suffered technical difficulties and wasn't able to run first thing. Riders were sent on their way to ride the qualifying track until it'd been sorted out.
Some riders found an alternative lift to the top of the mountain, two riders in tow from one e-bike.
Liam Moynihan.
Sam Hill leading out Jackson Davis, through some dusty berms.
By about 10am the top lift was up and running again.
Riders piled into the lift to the top of glacier.
Not too much snow at the top this year.
The piste was more slush than a ski piste, proving quite difficult to get down without getting cross rutted.
Carnage.
Sliding down turned out to be one of the fastest methods of making it down the glacier.
As the track gets away from the snow it moves onto snaking single-track, don't be fooled by the brown ribbon, it's littered with rocks and dust.
Emyr Davies, powering through the dust.
The campsite is placed just under the lift, Fred Leth and gang.
The Lupato brothers working on their bikes getting ready for qualifying.
Jono Jones, has spent the entire week looking for 200mm rotors, luckily he's found a set, unfortunately, he hasn't had a chance to go to the top of the race track to practice it yet though. Racing blind, but he's got 200mm rotors.
The 50:01 crew are here, living in camper-vans.
Josh Bryceland
Josh Lewis
Goodnight from Alpe dHuez
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