Over 3000 cyclists gathered Saturday morning in Bourg-d’Oisans, France for the start of the 40th edition of La Marmotte Granfondo Alpes , a 177 kilometre Alpine gran fondo with over 5000 metres of climbing. Attacking on the first climb, Swiss rider Raphael Addy best all and finished in 5:26:18, over six minutes in front of Kenny Nijssen and eleven minutes up on Belgian Sieben Devalckeneer.
Addy’s win is controversial though as the French Anti-Doping Agency carried out tests on six riders at the end of the race, but Addy failed to provide a test sample.
I made a mistake. I was so badly twisted-up on arrival, that I immediately went back down to Bourg d’Oisan,” explained Addy. “I threw up three times when I got on the shuttle bus. When [teammate] Arnaud Tissières called me to tell me that I had to go back up, I didn’t have the strength.”
The French Ant-Doping Agency and the organiser have yet to issue a statement and could potentially nullify Addy’s victory.
Dutch rider Martha Maltha won the Women’s race in 6:41:15 with Petra Kinnegim finishing second. 21 year-old Kirstine Holt from Switzerland was third.
Participants came from all across the European continent including Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Scotland, Great Britain and even a few international riders from Israel and South America. They all climbed five of the most legendary Tour de France passes in France: the Croix de Fer, the Telegraph, the Galibier, the Lautaret, and finally the ascent up Alpe d’Huez’s 21 world famous switchbacks.
Complete La Marmotte results HERE.
PHOTOS: La Marmottte
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