Alpe d’Huez Triathlon, a festival to tick off

By Pierre-Maxime BRANCHE – Photos: Christophe Guiard

In 2018, the Time Triathlon Alpe d’Huez celebrated its 13th anniversary in a festive and friendly atmosphere. During these first 13 editions, the event has seen its number of participants steadily increase, eventually exceeding 3,500 athletes at the start of the various events. Nearly 30 nationalities gather each year, representing all continents of the globe, to the great pride of its organizer, Cyrille Neveu, former 2002 LD Triathlon World Champion: “This extraordinary event has gradually built its own legend in an extraordinary environment, at the heart of a cycling sanctuary. Today, this triathlon festival enjoys international success, whose main contributors are the volunteers, loyal partners, municipalities, passionate triathletes, amateurs and professionals alike, and the public. They make this human and sporting adventure magnificent, and their enthusiasm is the most powerful driving force. “

Cyrille Neveu puts his heart into his organization and the participants return the favor: the pros who play the leading roles, accustomed to events all over the world, as well as the amateurs who suffer a few more hours to complete their challenge, on à la carte formats ranging from duathlon to Short Distance, including children’s events and the flagship race, the Long Distance.

A dream accessible to all

In its magical setting, the Time Triathlon Alpe d’Huez remains a demanding race, whatever the format. A dream, however, accessible to all and an opportunity to create unforgettable memories with family or friends. Here are all the details of the courses.

THE DUATHLON: THE APERITIF
6.5 km – 15 km – 2.5 km

Because this festival celebrates combined events, the week begins with the traditional opening duathlon, held on Tuesday, which perfectly kicks off the festivities. In 2018, nearly 400 duathletes were at the start. For some, this course allows them to discover the discipline and the effort, often described as more muscularly tiring than triathlon because it consists of two running races. For others, it’s an opportunity to get their bearings before the Long and Short formats.
Demanding and fast, this duathlon offers a first 6.5 km run through the streets of Bourg d’Oisans, then 15 km of cycling including the ascent of the 21 hairpin bends after only 1.5 km in the saddle, before a final 2.5 km sprint in the Alpe d’Huez resort, at 2,000 meters altitude. Held in the late afternoon, at 4 p.m., it’s an ideal way to start the week and finish your effort just in time for a small aperitif in the resort, with moderation of course.

CHILDREN’S DAY: THE STRESS RELIEVER
Poussins (7-8 years) 50 m – 1 km – 200 m
Pupilles (9-10 years) 75 m – 2 km – 200 m
Benjamins (11-12 years) 100 – 3 km – 400 m
Minimes (13-14 years) 150 m – 4 km – 400 m

And why shouldn’t your children join the party? For a first introduction, for the taste of effort or simply to do like Mom or Dad, the Festival dedicates its Wednesday to the “pitchoux” (little ones), categories Poussins, Pupilles, Benjamins and Minimes. These events are animations so that the youngest can discover the joys of triathlon. There is therefore no ranking or timing, and all children are rewarded.

The same finish line as the pros!

The course for these budding champions begins with a few laps in the outdoor swimming pool of Alpe d’Huez in the heart of the resort. The bike circuit consists of a 1 km loop to be completed one or more times depending on the categories, with a closed track completely reserved for them. Finally, they complete a run and finish by crossing the official finish line of the Time Triathlon Alpe d’Huez, the same as the pros! A great moment of relaxation, pleasure, sharing and stress relief for parents before the big events to come…

THE LONG DISTANCE: THE MAIN COURSE
2.2 km – 118 km – 20 km

The main event, the highlight, the must-do, or simply the Long Distance, takes place every year on Thursday. Taking part in the Time Triathlon Alpe d’Huez means swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Verney reservoir, a swim forbidden throughout the rest of the year. EDF stops its electricity production at the Grand Maison dam for the occasion to offer this magnificent lake to participants and guarantee them optimal safety. The cleanliness, clarity of the water, and brightness on a sunny day make this first event magical for competitors and their companions.

On the bike, in the heart of the Alps between the Oisans and Écrins massifs, the 118 km cycling course is also magnificent with its two accessible passes: Alpe du Grand-Serre (or Col de la Morte, km 40, 1,375 m) and Ornon (km 91, 1,371 m). Between the two, the small Col du Malissol (km 54, 1,153 m) at Nantes-en-Ratier was added in 2016 to avoid roadworks and was ultimately kept on the menu. Apart from the first part towards Séchilienne (D1091) on a very busy road with a false-flat descent, the circuit is a feast for the eyes and abounds with exhilarating panoramas.

A myth to climb

A monument of the Tour de France, the climb of Alpe d’Huez (up to 1,850 m) is part of French cycling heritage and is now an ideal playground for triathlon. With 1,121 m of elevation gain over 14.5 km and an average gradient of 7.9% (max 14%), the “21 hairpin bends”, at km 102 of the course, are the ultimate test of the event. Can we say that almost all participants travel from far and wide to measure themselves against this myth? Absolutely.

Once the bike is racked, the run is also demanding. This course is a mix of trail and asphalt, alternating between a trail section and a road section. Add a leg-breaking climb above the Altiport plus accumulated fatigue and you get an explosive cocktail. Three loops of 6.6 km are to be digested, totaling nearly 20 km with 340 m of elevation gain. After that? A medal and well-deserved rest.

To go further, below is the link to the LD course: