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Official Ride #9. Mont Ventoux
The final chapter in the Big 3 Trilogy.
5.30am the alarm goes off .. A lot earlier than usual, but with good reason. Mont Ventoux is a very temperamental climatic challenge, at sea level all can appear tranquil and fine, but atop her moonscaped peak the wind can blow at gale force unabated and the weather can change in an instant.
This fact and the unfortunate forecast of unsavoury midday weather (wind and storms) had us up early in the hope that we may defy the predicated change in conditions ... Unfortunately we were beaten to the punch and at 3am the rain had already begun.
Team mtg @5.45am.. Outcome .. You're only here once! Worse case scenario we drive to the start point and if there's no break in the weather or it gets worse we enjoy a long breakfast and come back home. The nights rain had subsided to a light drizzle and the forecast still had a window of opportunity (albeit a perhaps slightly damp one) before midday. So with the van packed and attitudes unwavering we drove off in the dark and drizzle for the base of Ventoux and a village by the name of Bèdoin. Despite the early hour and dreary outlook, the villages bakery was a hub of activity, we joined the merriment and ordered our rounds of 'croissants and cafè au lait' in our well practised but most likely poorly executed French.
Caffeine and sugared up, it was now or never. Optimistically we set up the bikes, threw on our warmer gear and began. The drizzle had cleared and for the moment 22kms away we could actually see the weather station on the summit, our ultimate destination.
As per every climb thus far it wasn't long before the road steepend, the gears changed down and the warm gear comes off despite the weather.
Ventoux is broken down into two distinct sections, 12km in the trees and 10km above. I believe I've discovered the origin of the saying 'you're finally out of the woods' as the forested twelve kilometres is a relentless slog easily averaging over 10% gradient that eases off ever so slightly for the second exposed half of the climb. As if to confirm the steepness of the grade, it's novel if not a little daunting to see the picnic tables and bench chairs in the road side camp grounds distinctly shorter at one end in order maintain a flat seating/table surface. That's when you know you're definitely climbing.
Leaving the woods, the slope eases up a little and to our pleasant surprise so to had the weather. Whilst there was a definite and ominous cloud over the peak, there was little if any wind and there had been no sign of rain since pushing off. Wind (and lots of it) is a major factor riding up Ventoux, due the extreme barrenness of the the exposed slope, many a cyclist has had to turn back, short of the peak for being blown off their bike and or risk more extreme outcomes. Fortunately wind would not play any significant role in providing any opposition today.
As we climbed higher the mist and fog thickened to about 50m visibility. Between burdened breath we debated whether it was a good or bad thing not being able to see how far we had to go and or the steepness of the road ahead.
With one kilometre remaining there is a memorial to Tom Simpson (see pics), a British Olympian and Tour de France Cyclist, who collapsed and died roadside during this climb in the 1967 TDF. It has become a traditional stopping point, where all cyclists take a moment to appreciate and acknowledge not just the risks of extreme competition, but to also celebrate life, health and the opportunity of being able to get out and about on a bike.
We pushed on and over the final kilometre the fog grew thicker with every metre. A sadistically steep and sharp right hand hairpin and a final hundred metres heralds our arrival at the top.
Then.. just like that, we've done it! 10 of the tours big cimbs including 'The Big Three' of the French Alps. Man hugs, high fives and handshakes all round, the obligatory summit group shot and selfie then it was time again to kit up and prep for the descent.
Note: In addition to the actual climb Ventoux is famous for its barren moon like landscape and multi storey weather tower at the summit. Whilst we were blessed to avoid inclement weather, at the top the fog was so dense you could not see the weather station tower even when we were standing right in front of it.. Literally right in front! So I have included some 'internet' pics of clearer days to give you the bigger / clearer picture. The trade off is cyclonic wind for fog, we were more than happy with the hand that was dealt.
- comments
Weekend Warrior Your day of dense fog atop Ventoux reminds me of Andy Schleck's win over Contador upon the Tournalet on Stage 17 of TDF 2010.