Mega Avalanche

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Alpe d'Huez and Bourg d'Oisans from Pic blanc, the start of the Mega Avalanche.

A full-face downhill helmet, chest body armour and knee and shin pads, the gear needed to compete in the Mega Avalanche.

The Mega Avalanche is an annual downhill cycling event that starts at the 3320m high ski station Pic Blanc, above the alpine towns of Alpe d'Huez (1850m) and Le Bourg-d'Oisans (701m) and finishes at Allemont (720m). It is an event that any cyclist can enter and usually takes place in July. It begins in snow and travels across a glacier to a black run which takes the riders down to Allemont. It has been featured in the British mountain biking magazine MBUK and a picture of the event has been used for the cover of one of the issues. It is one of the longest downhill races in the world travelling down 33km (20 miles) of mostly black run downhill. To compete in the Mega Avalanche, competitors must have a full-face bicycle helmet, suitable for downhill cycling, and suitable downhill body armour to protect them from any impacts they may receive from falling off. To qualify for the main event the competitors must first complete the 15km (9 mile) qualifying course after which if they finish in the allocated time and position they will be allocated a place on the starting grid for the race. It begins with a mass start (all of the competitors begin at once), which often results in many of the competitors falling over due to sliding into each other because of snow. The route is open to cyclists all summer and can be reached by a short trip in two cable cars from Alpe d'Huez, however this route is only usually attempted by experienced riders. Alpe d'Huez also has a number of other routes from that altitude and others at lower altitudes including a built up downhill track, specifically tailored for downhill cycling with a freeride park (a series of ramps and jumps for bikes). The 2008 Mega Avalanche takes place between the 7th and the 13th of July.