Preview: GFNY Alpes Vaujany 2020

It's finally here. The day before the big day! The organizers of GFNY Alpes Vaujany have been forced to make a difficult decision. In a year, where COVID-19 have put maximum pressure on all event organizers, it isn't the current crisis that have got the better of the upcoming race.

Instead its the weather gods that have clouded the Alps in a blanket of skies and rain. The weather forecast for Croix de Fer, Col du Glandon and Romanche-valley for sundag aren't promissing. The relentless gods have forced racedirector Cedric Haas and GFNY-founder Uli Fluhme to make the reasonable decision to cancel the gran fondo-route.

That means we all will be doing the medio fondo course tomorrow, which still provides a +2000 meter of climbing. Well, almost doing the medio fondo course. The medio fondos turnaround point is at the lake almost halfway of the iron cross, but Uli and Cedric let us go all the way to the top for the turn around for the gran fondo. The forecast says rain and probaply snow on the top of Croix de Fer. 

One long climb and then it's back to Vaujany. An easy digested menu comparred to Croix de Fer and Glandon. And if the shortening of the route wasn't enough, the start has also been moved to 10:00 instead of 08:00, which leaves plenty of time for a reasonable breakfast. The weather forecast have a lower risk of rain later in the day and the delayed start also means higher temperatures. When you are dealing with 0-4 degrees, even a little increase goes a long way.

The parcours
So the rute is now cutted down to 60 km. We start in Vaujany and go down to the start of Croix de Fer, where the depart reel takes place. That means a 5-6 km. neutralized decent before we tackle the 24 km. climb to the iron cross. Looking at the average incline, the mountain doesn't pose a challenge. But if you take a closer look at the profile, the 5% average gradient is made up off several downhills sections, but also some very steep segments above 12%. The upper half is the easiest and range between 3-7%. If you have the legs you can ride the big chainring here, making up for lost time or really put your rivals in the hurtlocker.

On the top the bike is turnaround and you decent back towards Vaujany. The decent from Croix de Fer is fast and non-technical, with only a few hairpins in the middle section, and several long streches. The climb up to Vaujany is another little cheating bastard. The average gradient is 8% but like Croix de Fer its a lie. The climb flattens a bit in the three small villages and in Vaujany, but otherwise give you a relentless 10% all the way to the top. It's brutal finish, especially with cold legs, so keep them moving on the decent.

I'll be riding my own Canyon Aeroad with disc breakes and Shimano Di2 Ultegra. I've choosen a mountain setup with 50/34 in the front and 30/11 in the back, so even the steepes segments should be conquered with a reasnoable cadence.

Dressing and nutrition
The big question now is, what should I wear for tomorrows STRABADSER? Climbing in rain is no problem and with only one descent, though it's long, makes it a question of how much comfort you want to dress yourself with?

The race jersery is mandatory, rain or not. Should I go with a base layer, a gilet and arm warmers? Or should i go with a rainjacket, and in that case, should it be with long sleeves or short ones? And what about leg warmrs and shoecovers?

I've decided to go with my shortsleeve SLi jacket from FUSION pairred with waterproof nanotech arm warmers from Castelli under the race jersey. No leg warmers but I might go with VeloToze shoecovers. The shoecovers is actually the thing I'm most in doubt over. Should I just be hardcore and go with wet and cold feet?

The nutrition plan is much easier to figure out. I expect to be done in aproximately two and a half hours. With cold and rain it should be possible to do with only one large bidon and a couple of gels.

The delayed start makes time for a proper breakfast. I have been eating baguette with cheese and honny the entire week. But tomorrow I will go for the classic Niki Terpstra menu: Pancakes! But without Nutella, since the hotel breakfast buffet doesn't have that…. Maybe I also do a croissant or pain de chocolat just to treat myself, but they are not freshly baked (what is up with that? It's gonna be a thanks, but no thanks from me).

Unrealistic ambitions
My expectations have been turned up real high. I really want to win this thing! I'm in peak fitness condition and was flying on Alpe d'Huez and Galibier earlier this week, which have been noticed by the GFNY-guys. The question is, how fast are the other guys, that have been showing up during today?

At the sign-in this morning, there were a handful of italians that looked pretty hardcore. And on Instagram I have seen some other fast guys reporting their arrival in Vaujany.

It's gonna be a fight for sure.

The alternated parcours is properly in my advantage. It's just all-out up the Croix de Fer, and not several high-pace climbs. Allthough, I'm not the most confident decender, but with disc brakes it should be managable and the Croix de Fer is quite easy. I hope to be with the front group at the top and cross my fingers for a ceasefire on the decent, just like in todays stage in the Tour de France in Nice.

I know the climb up to Vaujany pretty good, so let us settle the race here, mano-o-mano. Yesterday I got a roommate. An italian journalist who knows several of the guys I saw at the bib collection.

He too looks fast. Maybe my bed partner (yes, we share a big doubble bed) is my biggest rival? What a mind fuck that would be. We've spend the day in bed watching La Course and the Tour de France. It's a goddam pitty that Mads Pedersen didn't take the win. And how strange is it to see the pro's crashing around in the rain, the day before you do a rainy mountain race just 200 kilometers away from them? At least it have been raining here for three days, so all the slippery gu have been washed away.

Fingers cross that the danes have more luck tomorrow