Thanks for the feedback on Strava’s member survey (Q4 2010)

We just completed our quarterly member survey where we ask users just a couple of questions about their experiences on Strava. Though the survey is intentionally brief, it delivers a wealth of information to all of us on the Strava team. Thank you to all who responded. We really do appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective. Now comes the fun part… reading through all of your feedback and using it to guide our efforts over the coming months. While we can’t promise that every suggestion will be incorporated into Strava, we do read and consider every response.

If you didn’t have a chance to participate in our most recent survey, we’ll do another in March 2011. But, we welcome you to send us any comments, questions or concerns you have at any time. Just email support@strava.com with what’s on your mind.

Congratulations to Thomas Preisler, the winner of the random drawing from among all respondents! He will soon be sporting a Strava Équipe 2011 cycling jersey.

Deck the Halls with Lots of Garmins, Strava Kits and More… Big Savings on Strava Garmin Bundles in the Strava Store!

Looking for a unique gift for a cyclist this Holiday? Strava has some great gift deals on Garmin GPS devices and Strava cycling kits from Panache. We just launched a major revision to the Strava Store making it easier and less expensive for you to give (or get) great cycling gear bundled with the Strava Velo annual subscription. So tell your friends and family, and visit our shop yourself, to check out the following bundle offers.

Garmin Edge 500 + Strava Velo Plan for US$249 – SAVE US$60

This bundle includes the newly released Garmin Edge 500 GPS device and a 12-month premium Strava Velo subscription. Choose between the beautiful blue/black and the sleek silver/black unit. Add a HR strap to your order for just $49 or a cadence sensor and HR strap for just an additional $100. More information about this bundle in the Strava Store.

Garmin Edge 800 + Strava Velo Plan for US$449 – SAVE US$60

The just released Garmin Edge 800 features a color touchscreen and downloadable maps. This bundle also includes a 12-month premium Strava Velo subscription so the user can enjoy their device on Strava for a full year. More information about this bundle in the Strava Store.

Strava Kit from Panache + Strava Velo Plan for US$249 – SAVE US$44

The new Strava Équipe 2011 Cycling Kits are now available for pre-order. Like last year’s kit, these premium jerseys, shorts, socks and arm warmers are designed by Angry Bovine, produced in the US by Panache Cyclewear and manufactured in the EU. You can now purchase the complete kit and a 12-month premium Strava Velo subscription bundle for just US$249, a savings of US$44 off the regular price. You, or the person you are giving the kit to, will receive a gift card from Strava for putting under the tree or giving at the Holiday gathering. And you can look forward to the arrival of the Strava kit in early 2011. More information about the kit in the Strava Store.

All prices include shipping within the USA (international orders add US$20). Strava accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover. CA residents add 9.75% sales tax.

Go for It! Achieve Something on Your Next Ride

Strava gives you the platform to compare and compete using your ride GPS data. It’s fun, it’s motivating and, today we introduced Strava achievement awards — a new way for you to showcase when you have something to talk about.

Strava Achievements

You will see Achievement icons on ride pages that contain segments where you have done especially well. We highlight two kinds of achievements for you. PR achievement awards (trophy cups) indicate efforts on segments which are among your personal best — they compare you to you. Overall achievement awards (medals) showcase efforts on segments in the top 5 of a KOM or QOM leaderboard — they compare you to everyone on Strava who has ridden that segment. Here’s another example of both kinds of achievement awards on a recent ride near Syndey, Australia.

While we hope this encourages you to get out and ride so you can grab some achievement awards, all your past rides have been updated with awards of note as well.

Classic Climbs of the Tour de France 2011 Edition – July 14: Luz-Ardiden

Photo Credit - Nicole Marcoe

Over the years, the high mountains of the Alpes and Pyrenees have produced plenty of drama, intrigue and displays of raw courage during the Tour de France, as strength and fitness are stretched to a breaking point. A single rider normally leaves everyone else in his wake as he crosses the finish line, showing a mixed expression of agony from the effort, but elation at the prize of claiming a classic climb for himself.

We will be profiling the classic climbs of the 2011 edition of the Tour de France in the order they will be ridden. In each profile, we will highlight battles that were waged on each climb through TDF history, as well as who and what to look out for when the riders hit the climb in 2011.

Luz-Ardiden is the first of the classic climbs in the 2011 race, so, we’ll begin here.

Introduced to the Tour de France in 1985, Luz-Ardiden, is 12.5 kilometers (7.8 mile) long with a 7.3% average grade, and is a relative newcomer when it comes to classic climbs in the Tour de France. However,  since it was introduced, it has provided plenty of drama for both riders and viewers. The climb traditionally begins near Luz-Saint-Sauveur and winds past Grust on the way to top via wild exposed switchbacks.

Photo Credit - Nicole Marcoe

The flat stages of 9 and 10 take the cyclists from the mid-section of France to the mountainous South West Pyrenean region. Starting with Stage 11, the riders will get their first taste of long steep climbs and thin air, which culminates atop Luz-Ardiden. See it on a map here.

Data from Strava.com

Adding to the drama of the 2011 edition of this climb is the fact that the stage takes place on Bastille Day, which is an important holiday in France, celebrating the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. Typically Bastille Day is a day when a French cyclist goes on the attack in attempt to win the day. Thomas Voeckler could take it — his style is to go early in the stage to build up enough lead that the pure climbers can not reach him by the finish. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see one of the GC (general classification) or Polkadot (climbers competition) attempt to draw first blood and stamp his authority on the race. Of course the Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank should be in the mix, as well as Alberto Contador (assuming he’s in the race — though that’s another story). We’ll know more regarding who to look out for when the full team rosters are in.

A historical Perspective on Luz-Ardiden:

Many will remember the role Luz-Ardiden played during the 2003 Tour when Lance Armstrong, then riding for US Postal, started the day only seconds ahead of Jan Ullrich, a German riding for Team Bianchi. Most saw this day as the “make or break” day for Armstrong, as Ullrich had taken chunks of time from him during previous climbs and the individual time trial. Many observers believed Ullrich to be stronger than Armstrong that year.

There are a few times in sport when one can witness pure and sheer determination to win, with such singular focus it can be read it in the eyes of the athlete. Lance Armstrong mustered such determination and courage on July 21, 2003 as he climbed Luz-Ardiden and secured his overall lead in the race. Watch the following clip:

Armstrong on Luz-Ardiden – 2003

Back in 1985, the year Luz-Ardiden was introduced to the Tour, this climb saw a battle equally dramatic. But this time drama ensued not because someone attacked, but because someone didn’t, and was told not to. The directors of his La Vie Claire team ordered Greg Lemond, who was in position to attack and win the tour on the slopes of Luz-Ardiden, to sit up and wait for his ailing French teammate and current leader of the race, Bernard Hinault, whom they said was very close behind. Lemond soft pedaled and waited, and waited, and watched his dream of winning the tour disappear.  It turns out that Hinault was more than 3 minutes behind Lemond. Lemond was enraged, because he was clearly stronger than Hinault that year and could have easily won the tour to become the first American ever to win the race. After that stage, a deal was made that that if Lemond continued to help Hinault win one more time in ’85 (his fifth victory), the Frenchman would help Lemond win the following year in 1986. Hinault did not live up to his word and attacked Lemond in the ’86 tour on the road to Pau (also in the Pyrenees). Lemond was forced to counter attack and Hinault had no answer. Lemond finally won his first Tour de France as the first American victor in 1986. Watch the following video showing Lemond and Hinault on Luz-Ardiden in 1985, which pitted the teammates against each other as adversaries.

Lemond on Luz-Ardiden – 1985

July 14, 2011 is not a day to be missed!

Tour de France stage finishes atop Luz-Ardiden