Cycling /
Le Geant de Provence: Ventoux challenge
It seems that climbing Ventoux is starting to become a recurring yearly event.
In 2019 I have been there with my PCB group to tackle the Bédoin climb.
We were supposed to be there in 2020 too, but then Covid hit and all plans went haywire, so I did Cinglés virtually instead.
What is Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux?
Proclaimed by numerour Tour de France winners, to be on of the hardest montain passes of tour de France, ascending the Mont Ventoux is a challenge loved by more than 100 000 cyclist each year. 21 km long and a 1600 m incline difference makes this a beast of a mountain. 3 main paved roads lead up to the peak of the Mont-Ventoux : from Bédoin, Malaucène or Sault. The Challenge of the « Cinglés du Mont Ventoux » is ascending all 3 mystical roads in the same day.
This year I was very close to not even giving it a try after my earlier tibia fracture, but considering that almost 3 months have already passed, and I was cleared off by my orthopaedist to slowly restart cycling, and we were in the area anyway, heck, why not try to climb it at least once and see what happens?
So I tried.
I followed the classic route, which starts with the hardest climb from Bédoin.
Bédoin
Distance: 21.5 km, elevation gain: 1,610 m.
Easy start, then once you hit the forest after first 6 km it does not relent anymore until the summit.
Usual iconic moon landscape.
First time at the summit. Windy and cold!
Start from Bédoin: 08:37, summit: 11:12.
Malaucène
Distance: 21 km, elevation gain: 1,570 m.
Climb profile suggest this side should be slightly easier.
Still the same moon landscape on the final approach.
Caught by one of the photographers hunting people close to the summit.
Start from Malaucène: 12:06, summit: 15:07.
Sault
Distance: 26 km, elevation gain: 1,220 m.
Final climb - longer, but much easier, which makes my (already hurting) lower back happy (well, happier).
Start from Sault: 16:09, summit: 18:54.
Done!
All climbs completed, all brevet card stamps collected!
And the medal, received several weeks later, on its place on the fridge, amongst other medals.
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