La Marmotte Gran Fondo 2026

The route

La Marmotte is the hardest single-day cyclosportive in Europe. At 174 km and close to 5,000 metres of climbing, linking the Col du Glandon, Col du Télégraphe, Col du Galibier and a final ascent of Alpe d'Huez, it is the kind of challenge that demands months of specific preparation and that most participants talk about for years. This is not an event for first-time Alpine cycling. It is for riders who already have mountain sportives in their legs and want to find out how much further they can go.

The Col du Galibier at 2,642 metres is the highest point and the moment of maximum decision in the day. It comes after the Glandon and the Télégraphe, with the legs already tired, and Alpe d'Huez still to come. The Galibier from the Valloire side is 18 km of continuous climbing with sections above 10%. At the summit, cold can surprise even on sunny days: the temperature difference between Bourg-d'Oisans at the start and the Galibier is typically 15 to 20°C. A light windproof in the back pocket is not optional.

Wind behaves differently on each climb in La Marmotte. On the Glandon, facing west, slope winds are common and can be crosswind or headwind in the upper kilometres. On the Télégraphe and Galibier, the north-south orientation of the Maurienne valley corridor channels winds that in July range from moderate to strong depending on the synoptic situation. The Galibier in particular is known for extreme summit conditions: gusts of 40 to 60 km/h are not uncommon even in summer. Alpe d'Huez, after everything that precedes it, usually has moderate valley wind, and many participants climb it in survival mode regardless.

Registration opens in autumn and places go within hours. The organisation sets time cuts at each feed station: arriving outside the window means being stopped, so pacing from the first climb matters. Bourg-d'Oisans is the logistical centre, with Grenoble as an alternative base for pre-event accommodation. La Marmotte has a shorter version of 120 km (the Marmottine) for those who want to participate without the full distance. For the Gran Fondo, the minimum goal worth setting is reaching the Galibier before the body runs out of answers.

Variants and GPX

Past editions

Real Open-Meteo weather on each edition day.

How to register

Registration, price and rules are on the official website of the organization. Official march website →

More information

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Keep reading about planning routes with wind