Ventoux Virgins No More

I have just returned from my 17th cycling trip to Europe. This one was in the south of France, 450 miles and 39,000 feet of climbing over 12 days and 11 rides.

The most challenging ride was an ascent of Mont Ventoux. Every cyclist who has even a passing interest the the Tour de France knows about le Géant de Provence. In 1967 Tom Simpson died climbing it during the race. The combination of the heat, the climb and the amphetamines and alcohol in his system proved fatal.

In 1970 the race returned to Ventoux for the first time since Simpson’s death. On his way to winning the Tour, Eddy Mercks was almost defeated by the Ventoux itself. After struggling through the final kilometers of the famous Moonscape, he found himself being administered oxygen in an ambulance after the finish. “No, it’s impossible,” he had gasped on crossing the line.

The Moonscape

In 1955 Louison Bobet won a stage that climbed Ventoux on the way to the finish in Avignon. He finished that stage a total wreck, writhing on his hotel room bed and telling his brother Jean (who also rode the stage) that he couldn’t continue the race. But he went on to win his 3rd consecutive Tour.

In the 2000 Tour, Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani battled up the famous moonscape mano a mano. When Armstrong eased off and allowed Marco to cross the line first, Pantani was furious and claimed that he could have beaten Armstrong even if Lance had gone all out. Both of them were doped to the gills with EPO and other illegal substances, although scientific progress in the quality of performance enhancing drugs kept them from Simpson’s fate.

So there is a lot of cycling history associated with Ventoux. The 10 riders on the 44-5 High Roads Provence tour set out to make a little history of their own on what is certainly a ‘high road’. Here is the profile.

There are 3 paved routes up the mountain, and we were tackling the most famous one (and probably the hardest) from Bedoin. The first 6 kilometers are easy, and you kind of wonder what all the fuss is about. Then you come to a sharp left turn just past Saint Esteve, and things get serious. The next 5 miles are all 9%+, with lots of 10-12% on a nearly straight road through a forest. There are almost no switchbacks and no view of anything other than trees, so the road looks much flatter than it is. Visually I was seeing about 5% but my Garmin told me the pavement was twice that steep.

After the forest the gradient eases a bit at Chalet Reynard. The trees disappear and the Moonscape starts. While the gradient may be easier here the wind can make these open slopes very difficult for cycling. And if the Mistral is blowing, best to turn around and head back down to Bedoin.

There was no Mistral on the day we climbed Ventoux, and no heat either. In fact conditions were nearly perfect for our ascent; light winds except for the final kilometer where it was a bit breezy, cool temperatures with sun and clouds, and no rain.

Our group included some Ventoux Veterans and some Ventoux Virgins. Lauren and Lyle had done the climb in 2015. My cycling friend Jack did it at least twice, including once from Malaucene. And this was my 7th time on the mountain, which I can barely believe.

The Virgins included Kent, Jeri, Ilia and Bill from our bike club, and my friend John from upper New York State. I met John in 2011 riding in the Dolomites, and I had been trying to get him to join me in France ever since 2014. We finally did it.

Let me assure you up front that all the Virgins successfully consummated the summit. Everyone made it to the top without walking or sagging. Doing this monster climb for the first time is a very special moment for any cyclist, and there were lots of smiles at the top.

Jeri at the finish: the last 100 meters are steep!

Lauren (QoM and KoM), Lyle and Bill

Lyle and Ilia

Kent and the Weather Station Tower. The tower is visible from all around Provence.

My 7th Climb of Ventoux: I’m a slow learner

For several days before we did the climb we were riding around le Géant and had wonderful and sobering views of the task facing us. Looked at from the plains of Provence, Ventoux seems impossibly high up and the idea of riding a bike to the summit is intimidating. Jeri’s method was simply not to look at the mountain. Kent prepared by looking at every kilometer of the ride profile and reading a book about Ventoux. Bill got ready by doing lots of miles and lots more climbing than I did before the trip. And Ilia actually used Zwift to simulate the ride on a stationary bike: 2 1/2 hours of cycling uphill without going anywhere!

Now Jeri can look at Ventoux and the weather station tower way up in the sky and smile knowing her legs got her to the top. Chapeau everybody! Ventoux Virgins no longer!

Back in Bedoin: All Smiles!