Raid Pyrenean

[neilski]

Has anyone ever ridden the Raid Pyrenean (Pyrénéen) that can give me some tips?

I'll be doing it next month and was wondering whether there are any arrow markers permanently attached to roadsigns like you normally get for a sportive or if I have to get a map out and actually do some navigating? The organisers have sent me a routecard but it's just a list of villages with the distance between each one.

Other than the Marie Blanque (optional anyway), are there any cols that are particularly tough that I should be wary of doing at the start of a day rather than at the end? I gather the Tourmalet isn't all that difficult, just long.

Is there much in the way of shops & cafes to buy food & drink along the route and are there any long stretches without where I'd need to stock up in advance?

If you did it, did you do it self supported or as part of an organised tour with a van to carry your bags? Did you see many self supported riders?

Was there anything you wish you'd taken but didn't, or did take and it ended up as just excess weight?

What time did you have to start each day to make the next hotel by nightfall?

Am I going to die?

Thanks in advance.

[outnumbered]

Are you planning to do it in 100 hours per the challenge ? Some friends of mine did it unsupported in 1992, and they stopped overnight in Arudy, Arreau and Ax-les-Thermes and finished in 82 hours, but that did involve two 200km days. They had absolutely minimal off-bike kit - a medium sized saddlebag each I think.

There must be a whole lot of good info out there if you google it...

[neilski]

Yep. Planning to start 9am Monday finishing by 1pm Friday. I've booked hotels in Laruns, St. Marie de Campan, St. Girons & Prades but am starting to think I've made the first day too long at 197km and should move some of that onto the second day.

Have done some googling but it's mostly stories of people who've had a van following them with luggage / extra water / a mechanic etc.